Scenario: One on One
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A single team member is asking all the questions of the problem presenter, the remainder sitting back observing.
Tags: Action Learning Coach, WIAL Action Learning
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D'Arcy Dornan
| #
In this particular situation in which a single team member is asking all the questions of the problem presenter whilst the remainder are simple observing, I would say the following as the coach:
1. Okay, we have been working for xx minutes, how do you feel we are we doing as a group thus far and to rate the process from 1 to 10.
2. I would then ask what the group was doing well and,
3. In which areas we could improve.
4. To whom are the questions being directed?
5. Why is it important that we ask questions to more than one person?
6. How can we make that happen in this team?
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Eduardo
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I would make the following interventions:
– from 1 to 10, how are we going as a group?
– what we are doing well?
– what can we do to improve the work as a group?
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Adam Smith
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This is a very common occurrence in Action Learning sessions. In my early work in Action Learning, I would immediately intervene following a pretty standard process:
1. How are you doing as a group?
2. What are you doing well?
3. What could you do to improve in this work?
If the team doesn’t point to it, I would then ask:
1. How is the level of participation in this session?
2. What have you noticed?
3. What is the effect on your team performance if you do not have full participation?
That usually is very effective.
With this said, I have learned to also give the group time (instead of immediately intervening) for the team to see if they identify this on their own and self-correct.
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John.Tattersall
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I agree with the comments already made in terms of coaching the group to identify the issue and propose solutions. One other alternative to consider may be to put a more direct question to the group e.g. ‘what do we think about the quality of our questions generally?’ I would only consider this probably if the group failed to pick up on the fact that a single team member was asking most of the questions.
Best regards
John
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Robert Jordan
| #
I would intervene and ask the group what they think of the distribution and quality of the questions. My guess is the group members would remark that one person was asking the question of the problem presenter, I would then ask what impact this is having. Finally, I would ask what the group wanted to do about it.
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christan
| #
I will intervene and ask the team
1. Team, on a scale of 1-10, what do you think is our participation level?
2. What can we do to improve on it?
And if after a while, the situation remains the same, I will intervene
1. Team, for the last xx mins, what have we notice about the discussion? Who has been asking the most questions?
2. What is the impact if this continues?
3. What can we do to improve the situation?
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Johnamos
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I will intervene and ask the team:” Team, how do you rate the team dynamic at this point in time, from scale of 1-10.” or ” Team, have you observed what is going on for the past 10 minutes?’ and “What can we do better as a team?”.
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Genalee
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This is the time to intervene and ask the team on the level of participation from all the members asking them to rate from a scale of 1 to 10. If all agree that the level of participation is low, then I would continue ask them how could we increase the level of participation from all members.
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DrBea
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This one is not uncommon when a team member has decided they have it figured out and just need to ask the questions for the problem presenter to see the light. Typically, in this situation you’ll see the other team members check out as they are unable to get into the conversation.
I’d start with the standard 3 questions. More often than not the team will self-identify what is going on. And many times the person with all the questions doesn’t realize what they’ve done since their intention is to help.
If the standard 3 question didn’t bring it to light (How are we doing as a team? What are we doing well? What can we do better?) I would follow with –
How’s the balance of participation?
What is it important that we utilize everyone on the team?
How will we insure everyone is given an opportunity to ask and answer question?
Happy Coaching
Bea
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guangwei zhou
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I would like to intervene and ask the team the following questions:
1、 What is the quality of our questions so far?
2、 What’s the impact of someone asking all the questions？
3、 What can we do better?
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fatima dias
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When this happens, I belive the best the Couch can do is to intervene as following:
– We have been working for xx minutes. How do you feel we are doing as a group? From 1 to 10. Ask each one.
– What are we doing well?
– What we could do better?
– Why is it important to have all the group asking questions?
– Ok, who has the next question?
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wei li
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Now we need a stop check. How do you think the engagement for last 10 minutes?
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