Scenario: Location Location
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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Nabih Jabr
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Ask the group: why do you think that the seats have shifted in this way?
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Neraida Polanco Lourens
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In an Action Learning session, the set up should be in a circle without tables. This is to create and ensure equality among team members, to promote participation of everybody, allow eye contact and thus enhance safety in the team. Above mentioned situation should be prevented at all costs and the ALC should resolve this before initiating the session.
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KW LOK
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I would ask the team if they are aware the seats have shifted? Follow by the question on the impact of the sitting arrangement on the group dynamics and if the group like to improve the situation.
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Marina Nizar
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I would start with a broad question if anyone has noticed any changes to the situation in the room.
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Agnieszka Olczak
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I would ask the group how they feel with this arrangement of furniture (tables, chairs). Then I would ask if they want to change anything? How do they think it will affect their workflow? I would also ask the problem presenter how he feels in this situation, whether he needs a change to increase the comfort of work?
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Cora Hageman
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I would have thought about the setup beforehand. Preferably in a circle without a table in between. If it does occur, I will discuss this with the group as an intervention.
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José van Heusden
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In action learning, the set-up is very important. So I would suggest sitting in a circle that is evenly distributed. Without a table in between is my preference. So that all team members are equally present in the circle and the participants are well distributed. Positioning opposite each other can be an obstacle to the dynamics in the team.
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Magdalena Stefanska
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I believe that preparation to the Action Learning session covers not only formation of the team and introduction to the content but also the set up in the room. Cleaned, aired room with opened drapes in the window create a cozy place. Table setting shall also ensure convenient contact between the participants. If the tables were shifted during a break it is good to ask the participants what was the reason behind that, what is an added value of a new setting. Problem presenter shall have the possibility to express his/her opinion too. If that is fine for both sides and they feel comfortable then the session can be continued and the new setting briefly discussed during the evaluation of the team work (with one simple question – how the new setting support the discussion?). However, if this setting does not work well for the team, it shall be changed to the more convenient and comfortable one.
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Natalia Gennero
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I would intervene asking the team how do they feel with the arrangement of the chairs. If they observe the problem, I would ask them how we can organice the space in a better way. If they don´t notice, I would ask the presenter if he/she is confortable being alone in one side of the table.
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Raul Rodrigo Vega Chavez
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I think it is an initial mistake of the Coach, as he should make sure that the format of the space is adequate for the session, but once the session is underway, the appropriate correction would be to ask the team: How can we occupy the space to make it more comfortable? If the team does not show any significance in the matter, the example that Robert Wace uses in his work could be introduced, when in order to make sure that everyone’s opinion is heard and respected, a round table is used and King Arthur and his knights sit around it to narrate their adventures…
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SHAN ZHOU
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I would ask the team, “What is our today’s seat arrangement?” I also would ask the PP, “What do you think about your seat comparing with other members’ seats?” Then I would further ask the team, “What would be the impact of this seat arrangement on our following communication and teamwork? What do the ideal communication and teamwork look like?”… “Since we have already evaluated the impact, comparing with the ideal communication and teamwork you want, what would you do next?”
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Nguyen Son
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The situation is very commonly seen if the chair is on wheels. People just move their chairs to ease the discussion, and they prefer sitting at the location they feel most comfortable with. The situation when PP is in 1 side, while other members sit at another side can be seen as opportunity to intervene if coach realizes that members (and even PP) are aggressively putting up questions and answers, in such a way that it creates a tense atmosphere and could impact negatively to the team performance. In this case, the members are pushing PP in an ineffective manner so that PP feel unsafe and try to sit far away from the group. Coach then should ask members to give score on team performance and how they can actively improve the score.
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An Nguyễn
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This puts pressure on PP so I will intervene:
I observed PP on one side of the table, other members on the other side, what’s going on?
What is the impact of this?
What do we decide to do next?
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Phuong Le Thi Thu
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In AL session, it’s very important to arrange the seat among the team. Therefore, coach will intervene:
– What: How are we doing as a group if PP is on one side of the table, other members are on the other side?
– So what: What is the impact of this on team?
– Now what: How do we want to handle it?
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Tran Thuy
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When observing the arrangement: PP chairs on 1 side and members’ chairs on 1 side. As an AL coach, I will ask the group again to see if there is any hidden meaning to this arrangement. If there is no hidden meaning, ask the group how they would like to adjust it to create the most comfortable atmosphere for all group members.
Then ask whether the PP needs to rotate the chair to ensure the most comfort? Coach discusses with the whole group to have the most comfort for PP and members.
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Deborah Freudenthal
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I will intervene by asking the team what’s going on. I wonder if they have noticed anything themselves. If they do, I would ask them what they think about the situation. And if they want to change this. If they don’t I will ask the PP how it feels to sit alone at one site of the table with al the others at the other side.
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