Scenario: Bathroom Break
Tags: Action Learning, ActionLearning Coach, Team Coach, WIAL, WIAL Action Learning, WIAL Talk
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Tags: Action Learning, ActionLearning Coach, Team Coach, WIAL, WIAL Action Learning, WIAL Talk
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Keith Almalvez
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Bathroom breaks or bio breaks can’t be helped sometimes, but proper intervention needs to be in place to ensure the Action Learning session will still be a productive one. I will start calling out the team’s attention by asking “Team, I observed we’re already working for XX minutes now and some of our members stepped out. Have you also noticed it?” Once the team affirmed, I’ll continue by asking “Team, what would be the impact if members are stepping out while we’re still in session?” After the team provided their insights, I’ll ask “As a team, how would you like to handle the session with some members not present?” If the team suggests to wait for them, then I’ll ask them in return how many minutes should we wait before resuming the session. If the team decides to call for a short break, I’ll ask the team to decide how long the break should be factoring in the remaining time in the Action Learning session. This is also a good opportunity to ask the team (once they’re back or complete) to have an agreement when it comes to the frequency of bio breaks in the session.
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Anna Kozoń
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I would ask the group if they need a break. I would also check if the structure of the session and planning is allowing fulfilment of all basic needs.
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Phạm Thanh Tùng
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I intervened: “Hello Team, I observed a few members leaving the session, what do you think if we continue to ask questions to the rest of the members?”
“What does the team think if we take a 5 minute break?”
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Kwan Leong Lee
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If I were the Action Learning coach, I would in the beginning ask the team how they can be fully engaged in the session. If the bathroom issue is raised, I will allow them to set the team norm. If in the beginning there is no group norm being mentioned about bathroom breaks and since the session has been going on for a while, I will intervene and ask the team whether they want to take a short break.
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Minh Hao Phan Thi
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As an Action Learning, I will intervene as follows:
1. I observed that there are few member leaving our discussion, do you all observe the same thing?
2. What does the impact to our teamwork?
3. What do our team decide to do to enhance our teamwork?
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yosaporn punjamawat
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I would intervene
-Team! Did we see one member of us left the group now due to a matter issue?
– Team! How are we doing about situation?
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Somsith Meesangnil
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I will intervene, “Team, do you notice that some members stepped out to the bathroom?” (S) If team members go to the bathroom during the process, what will the effect be on our session? ” or “If we miss some members during the process, how does it affect help the problem present? (I) ” Some members propose that we take a break for 15 minutes to stretch. then carry on the process. How about the other ideas? (D).
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Nabih Jabr
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I struggle a bit with asking too many questions about a simple, natural issue. This can risk exasperating some participants. I would keep it as simple and possible and ask if they’d like to take a short break.
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Katarzyna Kochańska
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I would intervene, if it was more people I would ask the groups if they needed a break. If it was one person I would ask the groups ” I noticed that we are not all in . what effect does this have on the work of the team? what rules about leaving during our meeting can we make?
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Giuseppe Casella
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If there are various participants leaving the room for a bio break, probably the team has been there too long, I should have checked how the team was going long before. Once I realise it I would probably propose a small break to avoid continuous interruptions and to keep the quality of the discussion high.
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Nguyen Son
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Coach can apply “what-so what-now what” by asking:
– I observe there are members stepping out, are you observing the same thing
– What impact does this have into our team’s effectiveness
– What would we be doing better
If there is real need of a break, then i would ask the group what should the sufficient time for this break and let them have short break
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Phuong Le Thi Thu
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Coach will intervene by using SID model:
– I noticed that a team member started stepping out, has anyone else observed this?
– What will happen to the team if we continue?
– What can we do as a team in this situation?
Based on the team members’ agreement, coach will respect and support this.
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Niwat Theeraviwatwong
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As a action learning coach. I’ll intervene by using “SID Model” as follows;
S : Hello team! ; What is the team’s situation now? I observed that some team members stepping out to the bathroom.
I : What’s impact our the team if member are not adhering the ground rule?
D : What do we decide to do on this situation?
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Surawut Dudsdeemaytha
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When team members stepping out to use the bathroom, I will check if the session has been going too long and I will intervene them by these questions
Team, I notice that we have someone leaving the session, do you all notice the same thing?
Then I will ask
What will happen if people keep stepping out during the process do you think it will impact the session?
As the biological break is a normal situation in daily life I will say to the team that
“Since we start the process we didn’t have any break yet, what do you think if we have a short break for fresh up and go to bath room, before we continue?
Then I will ask them for how long they want for the break ( I will not allow them to go further than 15 minutes )
Before they go to break I will remind them that they will come back with momentum and focus, to ensure that the session remains productive
Then I will let them go for break.
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Anne-Marie Crowther
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I now ensure I ask a question about breaks in the planning stages. I work a lot online and I also regularly work with people with disabilities/health issues or those who are neurodivergent. Sometimes it’s hard for people to remain focussed or present for long periods on video calls and I’d rather everyone knows there are planned breaks within sessions than they randomly disappear or are uncomfortable/ worrying/ distracted as this is disruptive to the session and both individual and group miss learning. It’s better that the entire group stay together – whether in the process or on a break, at the same time. So I will ask the group what they want to do about this at the start.
Often a break can give participants the chance to think – especially the introverts/less confident speakers within the group and it can also refresh energy levels by enabling people to ‘break state’ and move around before returning. When I first started facilitating I was worried about making the most of the time together but I now believe quality is more important than quantity and keeping the energy levels and focus high (which sometimes a break can help with and sometimes it needs me to ask ‘I’m noticing a drop in energy/focus/x, what does the group think might be causing this, what is the impact on the learning and the team and what can we do to improve this.).
Having checked during planning stages, I also will ask/mention whilst introducing the process to the team, how long the full session will be, whether they group feels they want a scheduled break and if so, how long (I also use my judgement here – depending on length of overall session I will ask them to choose a time between 10-20min) and finally, I ask what the group wants to do should an individual find themselves in need of a break during the process outside/instead of agreed times. Put this to the group so a break can be taken when necessary or simply slip offline & return when possible.
I will also, when originally introducing action learning to the organisation or group, include a discussion around the importance of diversity and team work to the process so that the commitment of all participants to the sessions and their individual contributions to the overall learning and progress of the team is vital.
Before going on a break, I will ensure everyone is clear and agreed on the time to return, reminding them of the importance of being there early for the sake of the whole group (as it is frustrating to waste time waiting for people who do not return at the agreed moment).
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