As an Action Learning Team Coach how would you handle the following situation:
The team is involved in generating a number of alternative perceptions, ideas, opinions, facts, etc. The team focuses on only one (e.g., debating their merits or validity) and omits other items from explicit consideration.
It certainly seems like overly concerned with the merits or validity of the ideas may limit the thinking and power of an AL set. Focusing on one aspect of the problem (in this case, solutioning) might be synonymous to putting up horse blinds within the team.
The coach can do two things:-
1) Allow the team to continue and at the end of the session, get the team to reflect on the impact of their behaviour earlier in the set (i.e. focusing on one aspect only).
2) Intervene in the midst of the discussion and ask the team to reflect on what is happening and the impact.
In both cases, double-loop learning can occur. I would choose 1) if time is on my side (i.e. the team still has time to do more AL sets subsequently to solve the problem). But if time is not on the team’s side, and especially if they have not truly defined the problem, then perhaps option 2) might be the wise thing to do.
With reference to Edwin’s comments, I would prefer to intervene halfway through the discussion and create learning opportunity by asking the group the following:
1) What’s your observation?
2) Are there any good questions asked?
3) What could we do better?
By asking the above questions, I hope it would heighten the awareness of the situation to the group. If it is a blind spot, then i will not intervene again until the end of the session.
I would intervene and ask the group ” What are we doing well as a group?” “What might we do even better?”. If this doesn’t raise the issue of only considering limited options I would ask “How are we doing at generating and considering a variety of perceptions and ideas?” “How might we do this even better?”.
I would take an approach similar to Catherine’s (though I do appreciate Edwin’s observation that as the team becomes more effective at double loop learning, they would probably recognize the issue themselves).
Like Catherine, I would intervene and ask “What are we doing well as a group?” My follow-up question might depend on the experience of the group. It would either be “What could we be doing better?” (for a more seasoned group) or “How are we doing at considering all of the ideas/solutions presented?” (for a less seasoned group). “How might we do this even better?” or “What is the impact of not considering all of the ideas/solutions presented?” (Good questions, Catherine and Edwin :-))
My approach is similar to the earlier responses. If the team members are overly focused on developing one solution in an early stage we may need to increase the awareness of the group members.
My questions are: (1) “How are we doing as a team?” (2) “What are we doing well as a team?” (3) “What are the benefits of developing alternative solutions?” (4) “How do we utilize alternative possibilities in the solution process so far?”
I would consider the time remaining and whether this is our last session when deciding whether to intervene. If we were early in a session, I would trust the team to get around to focusing on the other options.
If we were nearing the end of our only or last session as a group, I would do a check-in type intervention, reminding the group that I will be asking the problem presenter in ___ minutes what action she will take. I would ask the typical, “What we are doing well and what we would like to do better in our remaining time?” questions. If no one raises the issue, I would ask, “What is the quality of our problem solving?” Depending on the answers, I would follow with, “How effectively are we considering and evaluating multiple perceptions, ideas, opinions, facts, etc.? and “What observation leads you to say that?”
I also concur with many of the comments. If many issues have been identified that require discussion and only one of these is being explored then the group should be provided with an opportunity to look at these other factors. As the AL coach I also would ask the standard questions and then specifically ask “are there other items that our group could focus on that might help in developing a solution for our problem?”
In addition to the common questions (e.g. how well are we doing as a team, what are we doing well, and what can we do better), I may ask the team the following questions:
1. How well are we doing as generating alternative/ creative ideas? On a scale 1-10, 10 is excellent, 1 is poor
2. How important is creativity in solving the problem?
3. What level of creativity we want to achieve as a team (on scale 1-10)?
4. What can we do to meet up the team’s expectation and be more creative?
I concur with all the comments made by everyone else. Looking at the question I am making the assumption that it is a group problem – so another alternative might be to remind the group that in xx amount of time they will be required to write down the actions that they will be taking. Some reflection of this may spur them on to discuss alternatives so they are able to define their actions.
I agree that the timing is important in this situation. If there is a lot of time left for the team to continue their discussions, I would not intervene with a specific reference to this issue right away, but would ask questions like “How are we doing as a team?” and “How are we doing with the quality of our questions?”
Later, if the singular focus continued, I would ask any of the great questions already suggested to move the teams towards continued expansion vs. narrowing of their choices.
I would need to be careful not to introduce my judgement or biases into the situation. This is tricky because obviously we have a judgement about it. Using the word impact instead of benefit or deteriment – allows the team to decide how something is impacting them.
I’d use the standard 3 questions – How are we doing? What are we doing well? What can we do better? Hopefully someone else will identify the single focus. If not, How are we doing with exploring alternatives?
Here’s where the tricky part comes in – if they say good I need to let it go. I will know I’ve planted the seed and that is all that is necessary to modify the behavior.
Edwin Sim
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It certainly seems like overly concerned with the merits or validity of the ideas may limit the thinking and power of an AL set. Focusing on one aspect of the problem (in this case, solutioning) might be synonymous to putting up horse blinds within the team.
The coach can do two things:-
1) Allow the team to continue and at the end of the session, get the team to reflect on the impact of their behaviour earlier in the set (i.e. focusing on one aspect only).
2) Intervene in the midst of the discussion and ask the team to reflect on what is happening and the impact.
In both cases, double-loop learning can occur. I would choose 1) if time is on my side (i.e. the team still has time to do more AL sets subsequently to solve the problem). But if time is not on the team’s side, and especially if they have not truly defined the problem, then perhaps option 2) might be the wise thing to do.
Reply
edna liong
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With reference to Edwin’s comments, I would prefer to intervene halfway through the discussion and create learning opportunity by asking the group the following:
1) What’s your observation?
2) Are there any good questions asked?
3) What could we do better?
By asking the above questions, I hope it would heighten the awareness of the situation to the group. If it is a blind spot, then i will not intervene again until the end of the session.
Reply
Catherine Breathnach
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I would intervene and ask the group ” What are we doing well as a group?” “What might we do even better?”. If this doesn’t raise the issue of only considering limited options I would ask “How are we doing at generating and considering a variety of perceptions and ideas?” “How might we do this even better?”.
Reply
Claire Milam
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I would take an approach similar to Catherine’s (though I do appreciate Edwin’s observation that as the team becomes more effective at double loop learning, they would probably recognize the issue themselves).
Like Catherine, I would intervene and ask “What are we doing well as a group?” My follow-up question might depend on the experience of the group. It would either be “What could we be doing better?” (for a more seasoned group) or “How are we doing at considering all of the ideas/solutions presented?” (for a less seasoned group). “How might we do this even better?” or “What is the impact of not considering all of the ideas/solutions presented?” (Good questions, Catherine and Edwin :-))
Reply
Philipp Werenfels
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My approach is similar to the earlier responses. If the team members are overly focused on developing one solution in an early stage we may need to increase the awareness of the group members.
My questions are: (1) “How are we doing as a team?” (2) “What are we doing well as a team?” (3) “What are the benefits of developing alternative solutions?” (4) “How do we utilize alternative possibilities in the solution process so far?”
Reply
Donna Christophersen
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I would consider the time remaining and whether this is our last session when deciding whether to intervene. If we were early in a session, I would trust the team to get around to focusing on the other options.
If we were nearing the end of our only or last session as a group, I would do a check-in type intervention, reminding the group that I will be asking the problem presenter in ___ minutes what action she will take. I would ask the typical, “What we are doing well and what we would like to do better in our remaining time?” questions. If no one raises the issue, I would ask, “What is the quality of our problem solving?” Depending on the answers, I would follow with, “How effectively are we considering and evaluating multiple perceptions, ideas, opinions, facts, etc.? and “What observation leads you to say that?”
Reply
Phil Cohen
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I also concur with many of the comments. If many issues have been identified that require discussion and only one of these is being explored then the group should be provided with an opportunity to look at these other factors. As the AL coach I also would ask the standard questions and then specifically ask “are there other items that our group could focus on that might help in developing a solution for our problem?”
Reply
Dorothy Tsui
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In addition to the common questions (e.g. how well are we doing as a team, what are we doing well, and what can we do better), I may ask the team the following questions:
1. How well are we doing as generating alternative/ creative ideas? On a scale 1-10, 10 is excellent, 1 is poor
2. How important is creativity in solving the problem?
3. What level of creativity we want to achieve as a team (on scale 1-10)?
4. What can we do to meet up the team’s expectation and be more creative?
Reply
Annemarie Butcher
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I concur with all the comments made by everyone else. Looking at the question I am making the assumption that it is a group problem – so another alternative might be to remind the group that in xx amount of time they will be required to write down the actions that they will be taking. Some reflection of this may spur them on to discuss alternatives so they are able to define their actions.
Reply
Gail Finger
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I agree that the timing is important in this situation. If there is a lot of time left for the team to continue their discussions, I would not intervene with a specific reference to this issue right away, but would ask questions like “How are we doing as a team?” and “How are we doing with the quality of our questions?”
Later, if the singular focus continued, I would ask any of the great questions already suggested to move the teams towards continued expansion vs. narrowing of their choices.
Reply
DrBea
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All great responses again!
I would need to be careful not to introduce my judgement or biases into the situation. This is tricky because obviously we have a judgement about it. Using the word impact instead of benefit or deteriment – allows the team to decide how something is impacting them.
I’d use the standard 3 questions – How are we doing? What are we doing well? What can we do better? Hopefully someone else will identify the single focus. If not, How are we doing with exploring alternatives?
Here’s where the tricky part comes in – if they say good I need to let it go. I will know I’ve planted the seed and that is all that is necessary to modify the behavior.
Reply