As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member who is neither the responder nor the questioner, becomes withdrawn after listening to the exchange that has just taken place.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member who is neither the responder nor the questioner, becomes withdrawn after listening to the exchange that has just taken place.
I would observe for a while and if nothing changed, I would find space to intervene and ask: At one point X and Y were exchanging questions and answers with each other…. What did it do for you? How did it affect the group?
If it were to go on for a while, I would ask the group, “How do they think, feel – if everyone is actively involved in the work of the group?” If the group had perceived on its own that one person became withdrawn (If the group would not notice anything, I would point out my own observations and ask if they agreed with me), and then I would ask this person, “What would you need to get back into being active again – question and answer sessions?” and the I would ask question to the group “What do you think, what could you do?”
I will consider how member A will affect the team if he only remains as a listener. If the situation has an impact on the team’s effectiveness, I will ask the team: “During the past few minutes, how do the team feel about team members’ opportunity to ask and share?”
1. If the team realizes A has not had the opportunity to ask and share, I will agree with the team’s opinion and ask A:
– So A, what prevented you from questioning and responding the team during the past few minutes?
– What will you do to interact more with the team in the upcoming minutes?
Based on A’s share, I will ask the team: What will the team do to continue to work effectively together in the upcoming minutes?
2. If the team doesn’t realize A has not had the opportunity to ask and share. I will say: “I have observed that in the past few minutes, A has not had the opportunity to ask and share.”
– In your opinion, how will this affect the team?
– What will happen if A continues like this?
– In your opinion, in the upcoming minutes, what will the team do to continue to work effectively together?
I would ask the team how are we doing as a team to see if anyone points out A is not participating in the discussion? Otherwise I would point out the situation and ask the team what is the impact if we are missing some voices in the conversation and how would they like to get A to participate?