Collective Pause (OBREAU)

Inwardly focusing – helping a group observe what is happening in the group and its interactions with others, in the context of a current or emerging situation

When teams are under pressure, pausing to think together about their process consciously might not seem like an option. Yet even a brief Collective Pause can help people notice important aspects of how they work together and with others, as well as the surrounding circumstances, that they might otherwise not recognise.

The Collective Pause version described here is a short-form version designed to be undertaken in about 15 minutes. Ideally, this becomes a practical routine for a group – and they can continue for longer than 15 minutes if they find the discussion useful.

The aim is for the group to develop a clearer picture of what’s actually happening in their work and interactions, and then consider what, if anything, might warrant further attention.

The longer version, to be made available separately, includes a perspective-taking component in which groups consider what might be understandable from different perspectives.

Both the shorter and longer forms emphasise noticing before interpreting and being curious rather than judgmental.

You are encouraged to use and adapt this process as per the terms of the Creative Commons licence, outlined on the Contact and Permissions page.

An Opportunity to Slow Down Briefly

While it’s common to speak about the value of reflection, many groups and teams may not actually do it very much. The Collective Pause creates an opportunity to slow down briefly, think together, and notice what otherwise might be overlooked.

A Collective Pause can be especially useful in situations where:

• The group’s work has suddenly changed unexpectedly
• There have been uncomfortable interactions, either (or both) internally or with stakeholders
• The group has been stuck or not making much progress with an important issue
• There is a sense that the group is not using its collective expertise and talents optimally.

The Short-form Collective Pause Process

At the outset, the group agrees how much time it will spend. The aim is to remain disciplined and avoid allowing the discussion to become a lengthy meeting.

The standard process follows four steps.

1. Individuals notice and share what stands out

Team members individually reflect briefly on what they notice about the team’s recent functioning – or relevant to its functioning – perhaps jotting down a few points.

Each team member then offers one observation that they believe is worth the group talking about.

Observations refer to what has been seen, heard or experienced directly rather than being interpretations, explanations or analyses.

To help group members keep their contributions grounded in observation and evidence – rather than interpretation – they can be encouraged to imagine what a drone could potentially capture on its cameras, including audio.

2. The group decides what warrants attention

After hearing the observations, the group identifies one that seems most worthwhile to explore. Other observations are not lost; they can simply become the starting point for a future pause, or a further iteration of this one.

3. Explore with curiosity

The group spends a few minutes examining the chosen observation.

Possible questions include:

• What exactly are we noticing?
• What patterns or context might help us understand this?
• What might be missing or overlooked that’s relevant?
• Are we making assumptions that we’re not being explicit about?

Participants are encouraged to remain curious and to avoid negative judgments of others. The purpose is to better understand the team’s situation and operating environment, not to apportion blame.

4. Decide what to notice next

The pause concludes with the group identifying one or two things to pay attention to before the next meeting. This may lead to action, or the group might decide to observe something carefully before deciding what to do.

Keeping it Light

The Collective Pause is not designed to resolve major organisational issues or deep interpersonal conflict. Instead, it helps teams develop a practice of regularly stepping back, building shared awareness, and noticing important patterns before responding.

Over time, a series of short pauses, perhaps at weekly intervals, can potentially produce richer insights and understandings than attempting to understand a problem in one extended discussion.

The OBREAU Practices in the Collective Pause

While the short-form Pause obviously relies most strongly on the observation practice, reasonableness and authenticity also each play a part.

Whilst this version does not incorporate an explicit perspective-taking component, the reasonableness practice comes into play indirectly. This is in the expectation that teams and others will not judge others adversely. Staying clear of judgment, together with focusing on observation, supports authenticity – by reducing the risks of sparking threat and defensiveness, which could inhibit thoughtful explorations.

A longer version of the Collective Pause and more comprehensive facilitation guidance will be made available separately.