Scenario: Non-responsive(2024)

Written by DrBea on . Posted in WIAL Talk

As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation: The members were enthusiastic to help the problem presenter. They asked many good questions. However, the problem presenter responded it’s confidential information and would not answer some of the questions. Members felt they were not able to help the problem presenter if their questions were not answered. Consequently, they could not see the value of action learning in this instance. But the problem presenter felt the session was useful to him in addressing his problem.

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

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Comments (4)

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    Sarah Tennyson

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    My intention would be to use the observation as information to help the group learn about the impact of this pattern on the process and the different ways it might have affected their perception of ‘value’ of the process.
    During the session I might have intervened to ask if anyone has noticed that many of the questions are getting a response about confidential information. What is the impact of this? What might you do differently?
    If this came up at the end in the learning review, I would ask the problem presenter to say more about how they were helped by the questions even though they could not answer. I might also also the problem presenter what they think the effect of their response might have been on the group members. How might it affect their engagement in the process?

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    Yi Wei

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    I would ask the members to reframe the question, without involving the confidential data.
    If it doesn’t work I would emphasize that this is a unique learning opportunity, solving a problem wasn’t the only purpose of Action Learning.

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    Thu DO

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    Hello team, Did you observe there is a question that did not answers yet? If we continue, what will happen to the team? What can we do to improve it

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    Kathy Zhang

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    As an action learning coach, I would adopt a balanced approach to address the conflicting perspectives of the members and the problem presenter. First, I would acknowledge their feelings and viewpoints, recognizing the problem presenter’s need for confidentiality and understanding that certain issues may indeed be sensitive. Next, I would facilitate an open conversation among the team members, creating a safe space where everyone can express their thoughts. As a coach, I would also ask probing questions to explore the underlying reasons behind the presenter’s confidentiality stance. Additionally, I would reiterate the purpose of action learning, emphasizing that it’s not solely about solving immediate problems but also about learning and developing as a team. Encouraging the team to explore solutions without delving into confidential specifics, while focusing on providing general insights or process recommendations, would be my approach.

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