Scenario: Problem or Puzzle

As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation: You are presenting an Introduction to Action Learning. You ask for someone to volunteer a problem. The problem presented is “I need to upgrade the operating system on my computer.”

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

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Comments (9)

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    Debbie Ng

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    I would ask the team to decide on whether the problem presenter’s statement is a problem, goal or solution. Once they have decided, I will ask for each member’s feedback. After getting each member’s feedback, I will ask break them into 3 groups – 1 group which decided that the statement is a problem, 1 group which decided that the statement is a goal and 1 group which decided that the statement is a solution – and get the members to discuss (10 mins) on how they came to their respective conclusion. Each group will then pick a volunteer to share the results of their discussion. Finally, as the AL coach, I will share with them the characteristics of what a ‘problem’, ‘goal’ and ‘solution’ looks like.

    Then, I will ask the group for consensus on whether the statement presented is a problem, goal or solution. After getting consensus, then I will get the problem presenter to present his problem again.

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  • Avatar

    Kant Srithundorn

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    I will wait and see, to make sure, who want to be a volunteer has opportunity to share their questions.

    Then, when I got more than one volunteers and questions, I will make a recap (not over 2 or 3 minutes) what is a great problem that I had explained you before?

    When, I heard team member answer I will ask question “what is the good problem that leading us to make Action Learning objectives?” and let team agree to select the problem again.

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    Prudence James-Townsend

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    I assume that that a coaching session is not occurring as I saw the word ‘presentation’. I would therefore ask the group if the problem presented is really stated as a problem, solution or strategy? I would follow up by asking “does anyone recall the tenets that qualify a problem to be used for the Action Learning Approach?” which are : real, current, unsolved, important, urgent, complex and preferably ownership within the group. After that I would then ask the problem presenter “if he/she wished to try again at presenting a problem?”

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  • Avatar

    Kant Srithundorn

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    After gathering all of the problems from the person who want to be a PP, then I will explain to them what are good problems for AL session,
    1) Complex with no obvious solution,2) important,3) urgent, and 4) real + current for problem presenter
    So, I explain “I need to upgrade the operating system on my computer” is a technical problem. We are not going to use this question.
    Then I will select the best problem to run the session.

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  • Avatar

    Magdalena Kosiorowska

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    I would ask, who can help you? Upon receiving the answer, I would say “Great!” and remind you what type of problem can be solved with AL

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  • Avatar

    Pamela Shea

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    I would help them to separate this into a problem not a puzzle. It could actually lead to a larger problem area such as My problem is keeping to date with the latest technology. Perhaps he is even sensitive to seeming incompetent in the area and put this out as the problem question to sound more technical.

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    Phuong Le Thi Thu

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    I will ask for more problems from different people, then I will discuss with team to select the problem based on 5 criteria: 1. Important, 2, Urgent, 3. Complex without obvious reason, 4. At present, 5. PP’s accountability
    Thus, “I need to upgrade the operating system on my computer” is a purely technical problem which will not be solved in AL session. Then, I ask for a nominated problem with the team’s agreement.

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  • Avatar

    Quang Truc Le

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    As an AL Coach, I would intervene in this situation as follows:

    ‘Thank you for sharing the information to seek help from the team.’

    ‘To provide additional opportunities for others, who would like the team’s assistance in this AL session?’

    [One/several individuals continue to share information]

    The Coach asks all team members:

    ‘Hello team, we have two individuals seeking assistance in this session.’

    ‘For statement 1 [read the content clearly], is this a problem or a puzzle?’

    [Team member(s) respond]

    ‘For statement 2 [read the content clearly], is this a problem or a puzzle?’

    [Team member(s) respond]

    ‘Thank you, within the approximately 90 minutes of today’s AL session, what should we choose as the statement to address as the problem?’

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  • Avatar

    Deborah Freudenthal

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    I will explain the team that for AL we need to have a problem that’s not a puzzle. To be a problem there are some criteria. The criteria are:
    – important
    – urgent
    – complex with no obvious solution
    – and real

    After that I will ask the team if
    “I need to upgrade the operating system on my computer.” is ticking all the criteria.

    After that we will look at other opions for a problem that is not a puzzle.

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