Scenario: New Tool

As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:

You recently attending training and learned a new way of doing root cause analysis. You know if you share this with the team they will be able to identify the real problem much quicker.

Tags: Action Learning Coach, WIAL Action Learning

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Comments (15)

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    Jenna Streeter

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    Wow that is a great question. In a coaches role we must always remember that we are there to help the team help themselves. So first you have to ask yourself does this team really need this information to perform and do they have a good root analysis system that works for them? If so, while this is new knowledge, it might not be needed for this team. If however the team is struggling with this and taking too much time, when appropriate in the discussion, I might ask a few questions of the team – such as what do we know about root cause analysis. How do you think we could make our system/approach better? And if there is limited knowledge on the team and therefore they really need to learn root cause analysis, I might then ask the team if they would be interested in hearing about a new way of doing root cause analysis. If they were interested in and saw value in this learning I would try to work the learning still using the questions/answer methodology to get them to work through the approach vs. me just telling them.

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    lee anne

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    As an action learning coach, my focus is on the teams learning. Not so much on solving the problem. As such, I will shelf this new skill for use in other settings and continue using the AL process here and have faith in the team that they will be able to come to the answer although later but walking away from the experience of solving the problem with much more learnings than if I had introduced the other method.

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    najiresearch

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    We frequently ask teams how well they are using all of the knowledge available around the table (or something to that effect) and this is not considered to be leading. I think it would be safe to ask a similar question with respect to tools and techniques available, known or unknown to the team (without specifically identifying a specific tool or method.)

    i.e. “How well are we using (or can) the tools and methods available, known or unknown via the team members in helping us resolve this problem?”

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    Robert Jordan

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    I believe that the Action Learning process is a way to get at the root causes of problems due to the systemic nature of the process itself. I have participated in root cause analysis sessions when such techniques are employed and find Action Learning to be supervisor in uncovering root causes.

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    Marina Mazi

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    As I was performing an Action Leatning Coach role, I would forget all others methodologies and put ficus on group learning process which is more powerfull than solve the problem quickly. Doing this, I empower the group so they got the key.It’s like “teaching how to fish instead if giving a fish”

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    deviantthinking

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    As an action learning coach, I would work in service of the team. It is not my place to share new methodologies. I would empower the group. If the group is not bringing in outside knowledge that they have themselves, I might offer up the question. “Are their tools or outside knowledge that would help the group?” Often the group creates the false rule that they can’t use the stuff they know from the outside in this setting. I think it is important to break that paradigm if the group is stuck in in. But ultimately it is there decisions if they any outside methodologies to move forward.

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    Johnamos

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    I would not interfere the group discussion with my eagerness to share the knowledge of my new tool because ultimately we want the team to solve it and not the coach who solve it. And there is always the element of learning to be aware of also, so the team will have to take the lead and not AL coach.

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    Bel Villavicencio

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    I should keep in mind one of the ground rules of AL and that concerns my role as an Action Learning Coach which gives me the authority to intervene when there is a learning opportunity. There is no place for ME to share MY RECENT learning as one important aspect of AL is about the TEAM learning and the actions to be taken. I as AL Coach should not involve myself with the solution nor share any content. I would question the ego need and the “come from” or interior condition of an AL coach who would share a newly acquired tool. Besides, an AL Coach can only ask questions.
    I love the words of Bill O’Brien “The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervenor.”

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    Yuri

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    As a AL coach, i should not share my knowledge with them directly. My role is to help them to help themselves to solve the problem. I believe AL session can uncover the root of the problem if there are many perspective, which is wide and in-depth enough, to examine with it. The perspective may come from the leadership choose or and experience/wisdom from each team member. So basically I would help the team to help themselves to make sure that everyone in the team were participating in the discussion first.

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    Yang Liu

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    This scenario is really fantastic! As a action Learning coach my main job is to help the team to sovle problems themselves . First i will assess on the time and necessary to introduce a new method. If the team can use current tool to find the root cause and have good learning i will not introduce the new tool , because i will always believe team has the intelligence to solve problem. If the team is under time pressure i will consider to mention this method and to let them to find the benefit.

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    corr

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    Great discussion, As an Action Learning coach I believe in the ability of the team to solve the problem by utilizing the process. It is not about me intervening to share a tool I believe may be useful to them, I may ask a question like, Have we considered tools and resources that may be helpful to us in solving the solving the problem?

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    Preston Yu

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    As a Action Learning Coach, I will not want to divert focus on the problem by sharing a new tool with the team. I need to intervene where possible when I detect any learning opportunity, got to make them focus on the problem solving.

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    DrBea

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    WOW! This is another one of those trick questions. It’s not my job during the Action :Learning session to introduce new tools. As several have said I can ask –

    How are we doing making use of all the resources/tools available to us? (my hope would be to get the team to realize that Action Learning supports the use of all other tools – it’s just making sure everyone on the team is up for using them).

    Happy Coaching
    Bea

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    skroyel113

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    When I coach other coaches in building their coaching business I find that almost no one has a system for getting new clients?See more at: Systemisches coaching

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    Siwaporn Boonchu

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    I would not share any idea to the team. Because it is not allowed to do as an Action Learning Coach. My role is to help the team to learn, develop team’s competencies and intervene when I see learning opportunities. I believe that the team member would be able to learn and help the team. It doesn’t matter if the problem cannot be solved but it’s important that what the team can learn from Action Learning session and that is the main role of Action Learning Coach.

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