As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the participants does something that strongly supports their leadership skill.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the participants suggests that each team member draw a picture of what they see the problem is. Everyone is enthusiastic to give it a try.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant responds to the question they were asked and continues on with additional information that is no longer answering the original question.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Several participants are answering the questions extensively, including repetition, history, minute details and ancillary information.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a series of questions without waiting for an answer.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is running out of time and does not have clear next steps.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone answers a question that was asked of someone else.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Some of the group members direct questions to you since they were aware you had knowledge of the situation; despite you repeatedly stating your role as coach.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member stands during a session continuing to stay engaged with the problem solving.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The session has been going for a long stretch and participants start stepping out to use the bathroom.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team in a single problem action learning set asks questions to the sponsor (the boss). In addition to answering the question, the sponsor talks about the context, history, options, ideas for solutions, etc., etc. As coach, you’ve asked the boss – “what question are you answering?” The boss indignantly says that one. You ask what was it? He says – “I don’t know.” This happens with each question regardless of whether it is closed or open. The team members are uncomfortably aware of this high power distance (respect for authority) and say it’s ok.
I would ask the problem presenter if they agree that what the team is saying is actually the problem. I would then ask that the group focus during the next segment on asking questions related to that problem. I would give them a decent amount of time so that they don’t rush, and by asking questions I think they will uncover underlying issues.
Time for an intervention! If the team is going around in circles, the questions they have been asking aren’t getting answered to anyone’s satisfaction. I would ask the team what they think they are doing well and what needs improvement, and I would myself answer the latter (after they have had a chance) by saying I think they are asking the same questions over and over. I would note these questions and ask the group why they think no one has been able to answer these completely as yet, prompting them to think about these questions from a new perspective. Then I would ask them to see if they have agreement on the problem, and we would move on to the next segment.
This poses an interesting problem. This shows me that the group’s suggested actions were not clear enough, and the group needs to come back together again to further refine and clarify the actions. I would call a quick session for the group to do this — maybe 45 minutes. We would start with the actions that we finished the last session with, and show that the new problem is that the problem presenter does not feel they can take these actions on their own. This would hopefully lead to teamwork and delegation, or it would lead to a simplification of the actions.
One of the keys to Action Learning is the diversity of thought that the group brings to problem-solving. If one person does not want to participate, I would first try to talk to this person individually and find out why, and see if, as a coach, I can find a way to help this person see the value in their participation. If this does not work, I would look at the size of my group — if the group is big enough to move ahead without this person, I would do so, and ask this person to stay and observe so that they might better understand Action Learning and hopefully participate in a different session. If we do not have enough people to go ahead, I would have to cancel and find another willing participant.