Scenario: Unanswered questions(2024)

As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation: Participants are asking question upon question and no one is answering.

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

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Comments (11)

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    An Nguyễn

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    First, the coach needs to intervene immediately when a question is asked and no one is answering, another member continues to ask questions:

    Hello team, I noticed a question was just asked and no one is answering, what happened?

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    Amy Wolfgang

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    As an action learning coach, I would intervene by asking: Team, what are you noticing about the ratio of questions and responses? If they haven’t noticed the trend, I would tell them what I have observed about continuous questions being asked without answers.

    I would then follow up with a question: what is the impact on the process when the team only asks questions? Following those responses, I would follow up with another question: How do we want to proceed with question-asking moving forward?

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    An Nguyễn

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    I would intervene as soon as a question is asked, no one answers, and the next question is asked:

    Hello team, coach observed that a question was asked and no one answered, what happened?
    How does asking a question and continuing to ask another question impact the group?
    What can the group do to improve?

    Reply

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    Ivy Sun

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    I would ask, “I noticed that we are asking question upon question, but no one is answering. I am wondering how do you feel regarding this situation, no matter you are the one who is asking or asked, or even keeping silence?”
    “What would be the possible influence if we keep on asking questions without answering?”
    “How can we do it better in order to have a quality group discussion?”

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    THINAKARAN SUPPIAH

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    As a coach, I’ll intervene as below:

    Coach: Team, from a scale of 1 – 10 (1 – Poor, 10 – Excellent), how do we rate our participation?

    Upon getting the answer, I’ll ask the next question,

    Coach: What can we understand, when there’s a question asked but no answers/responses?

    Coach: What will be the impact towards the team if this persists?

    Coach: Back in our organisation, how do address this issue when there’s only effort from one side of the team whereas there’s no response from other stakeholders / participants?

    Coach: How can we do better?

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    Ratchanee Teerawanitsan

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    I would intervene immediately by using “S.I.D intervention model ” with the questions that would let team learned to do something better.

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    chnlle

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    I will intervene by using SID:
    – Team, I noticed that there have been multiple questions but no answers or responses. What happened?
    – What is the impact if this continues?
    – What can we do to improve?
    – What is the team’s decision?

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    mariet Tonen

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    I will ask the following questions:
    We started the session and a few questions were asked. Is there anything that stands out to you?
    If someone notices that there are only questions being asked but no answers being given, I would then ask: “What can the group do better?”
    If no one notices that there are only questions being asked but no answers being given, I would then ask: “Who among you just asked one or more questions?”
    To those who indicate that they asked a question, I would ask: “What answer did you get to your question?”
    I expect that they will then say that there was no answer. Then my question would be: Does this happen often?
    If so: What is the reason that questions are not answered?
    If not: What is the reason that there are no answer now?
    This could be a moment to discuss the undercurrent.

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    Djoke de Schiffart

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    I would shift in and intervene by asking: (S) Group / team, did you notice something about the response when the someone asks a questions? If they haven’t noticed anything, I would tell them what I have observed about continuous questions being asked without answers.
    (I) Then the next question: “what is the impact on the process when the team only asks questions?” Teamrespons (D) How do we want to proceed with question-asking moving forward?

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    Kamolrat Tunchanapradit

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    I’ll intervene the team and asking:

    -Team, How about situation of questioning right now?
    – What will be happen ,if team still be silence and no answering?
    – What’s the team doing next to prevent this situation?

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    Woei Ming Andrew Teo

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    As a learning coach, I’ll intervene by asking
    “ Team, what is happening? “ ( Paused – wait for respond; especially someone pointing out too many questions)
    “ Team, what is our 2 ground rules?” (Paused – wait for someone to remark statements only in response to questions ; anyone can ask anyone questions!”
    “ So what will be the consequences to too many questions by too little responses?” (Wait for reflections)

    Also i could use BS approach if there is a few particular team members kept asking questions, “I observed some of us are asking questions continuously, what are we missing out? “. “How can we help each other to ensure ground rules are practised?”

    Then I would remind everyone of the importance of both asking one question and providing responses in the action learning process. Emphasizing the value of active participation and knowledge-sharing can help create a collaborative and engaging learning environment. Followed by, I get the team to reflect by asking “ What do the team intent to do to hold yourself accountable to the ground rule?”

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