Scenario: Important People(2024)

Written by DrBea on . Posted in WIAL Talk

As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation: You are working with a team of really important people. Their phones are ringing continually. Members are moving in and out of the sessions to respond to emergency situations that cannot wait until after the meeting. Your inclination is to try to get them to put the devices away. They refuse and come up with a team norm for how they will handle decision making with whoever is in the room.

Tags: Action Learning, ActionLearning Coach, Team Coach, WIAL, WIAL Action Learning, WIAL Talk

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Comments (2)

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    Vo Huu Loc

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    In this situation, as an action learning coach, I would respect the team’s decision while ensuring the session remains productive. Here’s how I would handle it:

    First, I would acknowledge the team’s need to stay connected, saying, “I understand that staying accessible is crucial for everyone here due to urgent matters.” I’d then support the team’s approach by working with them to develop effective norms for decision-making and participation. For instance, “Let’s establish a norm for how we can make decisions and keep the session productive while managing interruptions.”

    I would encourage the team to clarify how they will handle situations when members are absent or distracted. Suggest, “How can we ensure that important decisions are still addressed efficiently, and that those who are present can stay focused?”

    Finally, I’d suggest periodic check-ins to review how the norms are working and make adjustments if needed to balance accessibility and productivity.

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    Brandon Korosh

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    If I’m working with a team of important or high level participants who need to stay connected and they’ve created a norm around making decisions based on who’s in the room, I’m not going to push back. The script reminds us there are only two rules in Action Learning. Everything else is up to the team to decide. So I’d acknowledge their context: “I get that emergencies come up, and you’ve agreed on how to manage them.” Then I’d check in: “How is this setup working so far?” and “What’s the impact of these interruptions on the quality of our thinking and collaboration?” If it’s causing issues, I’d ask, “What adjustments, if any, do we want to make?” My job isn’t to enforce silence or control devices, it’s to help the team reflect and stay intentional about how they work.

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