Scenario: Quick Response
As an Action Learning Coach how would you handle the following situation:
Someone from the team mentions it hot in here, someone else gets up to turn the air conditioner on.
Tags: Action Learning Coach
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Cleo Wolff
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If someone complains, I would intervene and ask: How can we work as a team in order to bring the weather temperature inside the room comfortable for all of you? Once the decison is taken, I would ask: Who has the next question towards the problem we are working on?
I would intervene because if the team doesn’t feel comfortable, the session takes the risk to get longer than we planned with resistance, bad humour, and so on. And it is also our responsability to respect all of the members and be sure that everyone is respected. It should be an intervention very objective, focused in solving a simple problem that has a cause very immediate. It should not become a complex problem.
If no one complains, I would go on without any intervention.
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Charles Tweedly
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I would simply ask – what does the rest of the group feel about the room temperature? Based on the responses from the group I would ask them how they wish to address any issue with the room temperature? Once that was resolved I would ask who has the next question?
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Phil Cohen
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If this scenario were to occur, I would not say anything as Cleo has indicated unless someone complained. I would then follow Cleo’s suggestion. This could be used as a good ‘learning opportunity’ to help build group understanding.
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Sabreena Andriesz
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Since one of the members of the group got up to to turn the air conditioner on, I would not intervene as it was in response to another members need and so the group is self regulating. If the temperature of the room continues to be an issue I will use it as a learning opportunity and intervene.
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Chjames
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I would watch for facial expressions of other group members to get a non-verbal read. They may disagree with turning on the AC without verbally complaining. If it seems that others are not agreed with turning it on, I might intervene with the question, “What’s the question on the table regarding the environment in the room?” The idea would be to give the team a chance to self-correct and learn. My hope is that someone would say that there wasn’t really a question and that the group would proceed from there. If they appear to understand why I asked, I’d do nothing and let them continue. If they seem puzzled, I might follow it up with, “What’s the impact of acting individually on someone else’s comment?”
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David Troupe
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I agree with Charles. One voice may be indicative of the group’s view OR it might be the voice of one. In any case, once the issue is explored briefly and actions have taken place (if any) resume as Cleo and Charles advised: “Who has the next question?”
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Dee Handyside
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If any team member complains or shows displeasure at the time the air conditioner is turned on, I would intervene by asking “Are the rest of the team feeling the heat?”
If no-one indicates displeasure at that time, I would leave it for a few minutes, until the change in temperature occurs. I would then intervene by asking “How is the team going with the room temperature now – OK, too hot or too cold?”
Based on the team’s response, I’d then ask the relevant team member to either turn it up or down to suit the team.
I’d always bear in mind though…that we are there regarding the initial problem that has been presented – not to create another problem in the session!
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Sabreena Andriesz
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I would not do anything because the group self regulated by someone responding to the need of the individual who feels hot by turning on the air conditioner. If the temperature of the room continues to interrupt the flow of the meeting I will use it as a learning opportunity and intervene.
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Liora Gross
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I would follow Charles’ approach – asking whether the group is comfortable with the change. I would try to ensure the intervention is brief, more of a reminder to be aware of ‘hygiene’ issues without de-railing momentum, then continue with “who has the next question”.
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Vishruta Mattu
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I would say “Before you turn the conditioner on, I want to check, what does the team feel about the room temperature? How does the team want to resolve it?” I would then follow it up by saying “Thank you, Mr. XX for bringing this to the team’s notice. Now, who has the next question?”
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DrBea
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I would do a quick check in with the team – How does everyone feel about modifying the temperature in the room?
Frequently, we tolerate the changes because someone else expresses discomfort. I had this happen with one group where when my question was posed someone spoke up that they were actually already cold. The team decided to close the blinds rather than turn the air conditioner on. It cooled the room enough for those that were warm without freezing those that didn’t want the temperature lowered.
Happy Coaching
Bea
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