Remember 1000 songs in your pocket? What about, 100 minds in your hand! We’ve just started using the iPad to collect data in real time at meetings. I completed a test using it in Asia with Johnson and Johnson to high acclaim. There is a lot of talk about game changers these days. In terms of Action Research Designs, combining the iPad with The Hive, and our Facilitation Techniques creates a game changer for real time action research meetings. We have a few more minor tests to complete, but I believe we can safely say we have finally put the group mind in your hands. Here are some of what you can expect.
- Instant Participation and Full immersion – everybody is connected, thinking together and able to see each others thoughts in real time. We are calling it “lectric Lewin.”
- Reliable fast network connection – no wires, and 10 hours of battery life mean seamless integration of data collection, understanding, deliberation and actions.
- Breakout groups become break-in groups, large groups can work on issues by stakeholder, region, affinity, and they can instantly slice their data in the moment for very specific understandings. New understanding get created by the group and for the group in real time.
- Candor, honesty, and trust go way up, leaders are shown to be courageous, willing to work with live data. New norms of trust, mutual regard and feedback sharing are able to be set quickly.
- Classic Designs can be revisited. We can add new life to some of the classic group dynamic designs of Marv Weisbord, Elsie Y. Cross, Kathleen Dannemiller, Allen Drexler, and Dick Axelrod. Think its hard to improve a classic? Try playing with the time dimension. What we find is that we make the impact of Action Research immanent, here and now takes on a new meaning.
- A whole new experience, with no visible loss of magic, ever! We are happy to say that after years of working in this field, we have created a whole new way to meet. Enjoy!
If you are interested in learning more, please contact us. McNeil Consulting
Give Your Great Designs Away.
Many of the great designs I use, I learned from others. Sure, I tweak them, change them and make them my own, but when I actually think of where I learned the essence, I have been given most of them. I have also created a large number of designs that I freely offer to others. My sense is that people really need our work. They are trying so hard to get more done with less, make better decisions, reach consensus, and gain buy-in, that hoarding our group dynamic designs seems almost unethical.
Here’s a simple design that always works, We call it “Walk About,” named after Crocodile Dundee. Let’s say you have a group of twenty-four top managers with three sticky problems to solve. The first rule is that you divide the group into three groups of eight.
You can count off, or you can say to the group, go to the group where you feel you can make the greatest contribution.
Have the groups sit in the same room for these instructions.
1. In a few minutes, take a flip chart and markers and go to a separate place (break out rooms)
2. Pick a scribe, and a data manager. The scribe will write and draw with using the flip chart. Drawing is very important. Many times more can be accomplished with a simple drawing than many flip chart pages. The data manager will enter the essence of the conversation into a word processor on a lap top. The meeting facilitator will also take digital photos of all the drawings.
After 30 minutes, the data manager and the scribe will stay in their break outs, and the remaining members of each group will move to a different rooms e.g. the members of A-group move to B group, the Members of B-group move to C – group, and the members of C-group move to A. They work for 15 minutes. Their work consists of editing and adding the content. They do not have the right to remove any content completely. Repeat the change sequence – members move once again.
After the second move every member will have been in all three groups except the scribes and the data managers.
The data managers and the scribes conduct a summary of the three sessions noting the conclusions reached. This achieves a number of group goals. first the working in small groups gives more air time and more creativity. The times are kept short so that the groups have to focus. Each group receives input and feedback from the other members. Consensus builds. The final presentations are usually ready for a bit of polishing before being implemented. By-in is built in. This is an elegant and simple design. Use it!
OK – back to work – back from London, no more jet lag. Found this picture on the web. Time to check our bees today.
Going out to get a nice “March” picture for the blog today. The bees are reminding me to get back to work, they are busy taking their cleansing flights. They are wonderful engineers, builders, caretakers, and cleaners. After an entire winter of being together in a dream circle, they wake, and take their cleansing flights. Renewal is the seventh stage of the Drexler Sibbet Team Performance Model. The one we always seem to gloss over. It’s a good time for me to take stock, look at this year, make some course corrections, and renew my commitments. Renewal means editing, spring cleaning, letting go. And it means choosing anew.
Choice like truth, is powerful. Seeing is different from looking, and doing is different from trying. It’s all really simple and that is exactly what makes it so difficult. I have some very useful tools to help me edit. One is the Action Method from Behance. It’s a simple project tracker. It’s so simple that I actually use it. The others are my little black notebook, pen, and my iPhone. Sunday seems like a good time for me to take my own cleansing flight. Will be back tomorrow with a new picture. If I am lucky, I will get one of the bees clustered around the opening of the hives. My topic tomorrow will be about working with the individual genius on your team. Here is a hint. Have you ever heard of Moe Norman?
Another Great Snowstorm is coming East. I am out the door. Sorry this has to be last minute, but I promised it to you yesterday.
Here is a quick list of some of the things I believe belong in a course on Group Dynamics for Managers.
What is Group Dynamics and why is it critical for managers to develop this skill-set?
- Understanding self, strengths, weaknesses, prejudices, projections et.c
- A strong working theoretical framework and a tested model for group development e.g. The Drexler Sibbet Team Performance Model
- Developing a “diagnostic mentality” the ability to read group dynamics and know when to intervene.
- A comfort level and a working knowledge of “design,” Good group interventions are always designed.
- Various methods for collecting data from the team and presenting it back creatively.
- A willingness to collect and manage ongoing feedback from others on the team.
- An understanding of the dynamics of sub-grouping, and how to use sub-groups effectively
- Familiarity with a number of ways to track, monitor and manage complex projects over time.
- In depth understanding of power / control and authority dynamics and how they play out in groups over time.
- A strong inclination towards research, data collection, explicit reporting, hypothesis testing.
- A working knowledge of game theory as it applies to working in a matrix.
- A comfort level with constructive conflict.
So that’s the short list. Please feel free to send your comments along.
Now, here is the kicker. Can you design a 4 day intensive workshop that includes all of the above?
I believe we can do this. In fact, we have. Ask to download the description, the one with the pretty pictures.
I was thinking to myself this morning about small groups. It seems that most decisions get made in small groups. Most project teams are composed of small groups. Most departments meet in small groups. The more I thought about it the more it became apparent that most important work is done in small groups.
The thought also came to me that there seems to be little training about working with the dynamics in small groups for managers. I decided to search for courses, workshops and training that linked an understanding and or application of small group dynamics to management or leadership training. I didn’t find much. Oh, I did find lots of content around meeting management, facilitation, and team-building. These workshops were oversimplified, and more focused on meeting management and outdoor experiences than the real work of reading group dynamics, designing interventions, and helping groups to achieving higher productivity. Even the Center for Creative Leadership came up short – offering strategies for leading face to face teams and virtual teams, but with no mention of the group dynamics that underlie the formation and development of high performing teams.
A short list of what’s missing
Dynamics I found missing include: power and control dynamics, leadership dynamics, race and gender dynamics, conflict dynamics, membership dynamics, and decision making dynamics. I also did not find in my searches a linking of the models of group development to leadership training. Most troubling to me was the assumption that leaders and managers could be trained in how to build and lead their teams by watching powerpoint presentations and participating in case studies and role plays. Missing seemed to be any emphasis on a laboratory approach, where ideas could be tested in the moment, and feedback given in real time.
We have learned so much in the last fifty years about the importance of learning and applying a data driven group dynamics approach, that leaving this out of the curriculum for the development of potential organization leaders seems incredible to me.
Tomorrow: Thoughts on a New Curriculum for Managers
Let’s talk a bit today about “crazy making behavior.” There is a phenomena of group life known as the “undiscussable.” Something important needs to be said, everyone knows that this needs to be said, and then, none of the members of the team say what needs to be said, because each assumes that what needs to be said is “undiscussable.”
Instead, what happens after the meeting, one team member turns to another and says. “We are never going to make that date, and everyone knows it.” At which point the conversation goes something like this. “I know. Why didn’t you say that in the meeting.” “Who me?” What about you? You know it just as well as I do. The last time I said that, I was called a whiner, and later Lisa ripped me for not being a team player.”
Been there? Undiscussables often lead to pairing – where two members of a group pair up after the meeting, discuss what was troubling them, and sadly collude to do nothing. Don’t lose hope. There are remedies. They are simple, but not easy. Today’s post is not about the remedies. We can help you with that. Rather I’d like to point out what can happen when you find your voice, and learn that their is tremendous power in both vulnerability and taking on the role of the “loyal dissenter.”
Please read Adam Bryant’s article on Ursula Burns, the CEO of Xerox corporation. It’s a must read for all Action Research Consultants, and students of Model 2 Communication. Ursula describes the culture as “terminal niceness,” and illustrates the cost of not speaking up and remaining polite and nice. I especially liked the descriptions of how she raised issues. She displays a hard nosed curiosity that is difficult to resist.
What’s important to recognize is how comfortable she is stating her feelings. She uses them as a barometer for reading the group process. she acts on her feelings by asking the critical, and heretofore undiscussable question? It’s absolutely brilliant. Again, simple, but not easy.
Applied to the example above, our team member might what to ask the team? Does anyone else feel insecure about making our date? Just curious, Am I the only one who thinks we are fooling ourselves?
When the NYT’s link stops working, email me for a pdf. This one is a keeper.
Give me good 2X2 matrix and I can change the world! So many times we are working with our clients and a good picture is necessary to illustrate the dynamics in a given situation. I find it helpful to train yourself to learn how to apply the 2X2 matrix spontaneously. Sure the basic 2X2 has been much aligned, as overused, too simplistic, etc. However, the more I work, the more I see that many times, simple isn’t easy, and complex is overrated.
What I offer today is a great book and a great tool. They both require investment on your part. Time and money. Neither is cheap. But learning never has been either easy or cheap for me.
First the Book: The Power of the 2X2 Matrix: Using 2X2 Thinking to Solve Business Problems and Make Better Decisions. by Alex Lowy and Phil Hood. You can get the print version or delivered to your Kindle. I have the kindle version, because I refer to it often. On Amazon, they allow you to peek inside. Do it. You will like what you see.
Although it’s not vogue, I happen to like Cartesian thinking. This book helps me frame problems, discuss them in more depth, and it lends itself to creating a visual dialogue, which I find most helpful. The beauty of this work is that the authors take the time to go under the hood and examine the thinking process behind each of their examples. I find this helps me as a consultant become a better thinker, analyzer, and catalyst. If that last thought doesn’t appeal to you, the other reason I find this book so valuable is it saves me time. If I can’t remember the what goes on the axes of the Johari Window, I am a few clicks away on my Kindle.
In partnership with this book, I use Omnigraffle, a mac application for creating organizational diagrams. Well it turns out, some kind soul (ideapod) developed a stencil within Omnigaffle, that creates a 2X2 matrix – instantly! Now I can create these on the fly and have them available quickly. In my downtime, I have been building them and storing them for future use. Here is an example that I put together in about 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Business Model Generation is out again. Go get it. Not only is it fun to read, the book is packed with a disciplined, visual approach to helping clients work through their business model. Practitioners of Action Science will quickly grasp how to make use of the templates, the visual approaches, and the overall methodology. This book will make groups smarter, more agile, and able to achieve real results. My clients swear by the approach. All of the techniques we use to help our clients challenge their thinking and create models of their thought process fit well and play nicely with this great work.
If you are a bit skeptical go the the site, and download the pdf. Seasoned Action Research Facilitators will understand how to work directly from this free pdf. But this is only the first course. Please don’t leave after the appetizers! As Bacon said, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.” This one fits the latter.
Here is the Core Team that completed the work.
But truth be told it is actually the work of 470 Business Model Canvas practitioners. It gives us a practical example of the Japanese proverb, “None of us is smarter than all of us.” Amazon sells it in two forms, paperback and hardback. I have both. The paperback is good to keep with you to carry about, take notes on, and thoroughly digest. I save the hardcover for client presentations. It lays out so nicely and allows for an intimate discussion with your business leader. Enjoy.
In a later post I will discuss some cases where we have used THE CANVAS!
I changed the theme back to Vigilance. I really like this theme, and I hope you all do to. It allows me more flexibility, and as a new blogger, with little experience, Drew Strojny, the developer, does a great job of providing me with easy to understand tutorials.
The new feature I added is a plug-in and a widget named Scribit. This allows me to take suggestions from anyone who reads the blog about topics you’d like to see. In the true spirit of Action Research, you can help direct this effort. I would like to hear from you, not only in comments about what’s written, but about suggestions for new topics as well. As we know as facilitators, it’s all about engagement.
So, please feel free to comment, suggest, offer feedback. The Scibit window is located on the right sidebar. I hope to be hearing from you.
Thanks much,
Rob
What if you could tap the group mind to further ideas that have merit? We try to do this when we help our clients design conversations. Kindling is an idea management application that can be a huge help you and your clients.
The application is similar to a check vote, but the way they have organized it’s appearance, combined it with the ability to move ideas forward, makes all the difference. The Kindling Team calls it the ROI (return on ideas).
So team members or employees get the means to submit ideas, and a number of votes. They put forth ideas, suggestions, cautionary tales etc. These ideas are then voted upon by everyone, and the best ideas move forward. Imagine evolution applied to memes, by teams! As good ideas move forward, a moderator (could be a “theme team”), decides when to take action on a particular idea. When ideas become “active” informal leaders can volunteer to take the idea into project mode, or a leader can be assigned.
The application has two other important organizing important features. The first is that specific Rooms. can be created, where all the ideas on say, Talent Development can be collected and evaluated. Rooms allow for the creation of multiple streams of thought. Very useful. The experienced facilitator will learn how to monitor the number of rooms to keep interest and productivity high.
The second feature is Campaigns. A campaign is a highly focused idea generator, led by a high level sponsor, for a limited amount of time. This assures focus, and celebration. Facilitators, remember one of our main rules: ENERGY FOLLOWS ATTENTION! In Kindling, Campaigns assure this.
And now for something extra, that I believe may make this a killer app. Kindling can actually record who submits what. So after a year let’s say, I might have submitted 65 ideas, 7 of which were highly valuable and 2 are in use now, saving the organization time, resources, and money. Shouldn’t this play into my performance review? Now, good ideas can be measured, real engagement encouraged, and real results, rewarded! Cool.
It’s a great app now with lots of potential. However, I think it needs what we bring to the table. The how to use it, when to use it, how best to use it. In the hands of someone skilled in Action Research, this is one of the tools we have been waiting for. Enjoy.
One final thought – they offer a free trial. Jump on it. Tell them you heard about it here! Have some fun with this one.
