WIAL Talk
Scenario: Eye lock(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter locks eyes with you when presenting the problem and appears to be just talking to you.
Scenario: Closed Question(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are working with a team new to Action Learning. The first questions is a closed question.
Scenario: Problem Shift(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is shifting in their understanding of the true nature of the problem. For instance the original problem is presented as How should we restructure the organization for efficiency? and they are shifting to The communication between team members has eroded to the point that we work against each other instead of helping each other.
Scenario: Long Problem Statement(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You ask the problem presenter to briefly state the problem but the person continues on for an inordinate period of time not only stating the problem but also describing contextual details related to the problem.
Scenario: Process(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is having trouble coming to consensus. You’ve asked what would help them come to consensus – they say ask more questions and immediately start asking questions before you have closed out the learning.
Scenario: Windows(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working on a porch with windows around three sides. As the session starts two participants stand up at the same time. One walks to one side of the room and closes a window, the other walks to the other and opens a window.
Scenario: Shifting to Solution(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has reach consensus on the problem and the goal but is having trouble transitioning to the solution phase.
Scenario: One on One(2024)
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.
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.
Scenario: Electronics(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides it ‘s okay to use their electronics during a session
Scenario: Left out(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant offers to collect information/agreements on a white board. All members are in agreement with this. After a short while the scribe is no longer being included in the conversation.
Scenario: Problematic Problem Presenter (2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter schedules a half hour meeting immediately before the Action Learning session. During this meeting the problem presenter presents their solution to the problem about to be discussed in the Action Learning session.
Scenario: Low Energy(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team took a break less than 15 minutes ago, since returning the energy in the group is very low.
Scenario: Deep Learning(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
When checking in with the team they have a particularly deep learning around something they identified. You still have one more thing on your list of potential learnings.
Scenario: Coffee Break(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant gets up from the group to fill a cup of coffee continuing to stay engaged with the problem solving.
Scenario: Curious Questions(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The participants are asking extraordinarily curious questions.
Scenario: Body Language(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Several team members are sitting with their arms folded across their chest.
Scenario: Important People(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are working with a team of really important people. Their phones are ringing continually. Members are moving in and out of the sessions to respond to emergency situations that cannot wait until after the meeting. Your inclination is to try to get them to put the devices away. They refuse and come up with a team norm for how they will handle decision making with whoever is in the room.
Scenario: Inspiration(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant responds to a question with “What inspired that question?”
Scenario: Self Conversation (2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member asks a powerful open question of all the team members. Before giving anyone a chance to answer they say – “Because I think
..” filling in their own response to the question.
Scenario: Brainstorming(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team feels they are at a point that it would be useful to brainstorm.
Scenario: Power of the Pen(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone starts capturing the important notes on the white board. They are doing the filtering of what is important without checking with the rest of the team. In other words they are only capturing what sounds important to them.
Scenario: Spinning(2026)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team members address various perspectives of the problem. Clearly seeing multiple views as to the true nature of the problem. They ask questions that cause them to bounce from one perspective to another to another to another and back to the first. They continually repeat the cycle without settling on which aspect of the challenge to address.
Scenario: Missing Action(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant shows up for a session and has not completed the promised action.
Scenario: Self monitoring(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member does a process check.
Scenario: Other problem(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is focusing on a problem in another division that they have no influence over.
Scenario: Unkind Gesture(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member arrives to a three hour session one hour late. You conduct coaching inquiries and he is smoothly integrated into the team. 15 minutes later he is exchanging friendly but sarcastic comments with a team member that end with him using a hand gesture toward that member that would cause most folks to take offense.
Scenario: Pulling Rank(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A higher ranking participant of the team decides to pull rank and asks another team member Do you want to stay employed?
Scenario: Consensus(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is having trouble coming to consensus.
Scenario: Non-responsive(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The members were enthusiastic to help the problem presenter. They asked many good questions. However, the problem presenter responded it’s confidential information and would not answer some of the questions. Members felt they were not able to help the problem presenter if their questions were not answered. Consequently, they could not see the value of action learning in this instance. But the problem presenter felt the session was useful to him in addressing his problem.
Scenario: Clear Actions(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team starts to identify actions before the end of the session.
Scenario: Confirming Thought (2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant makes a statement followed by do you agree?
Scenario: Smack(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant playfully hits another member on the back of the head.
Scenario: Powerful Question(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a question that changes the depth and understanding of the true nature of the problem.
Scenario: Coach Useless(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant says – Why do we need a coach that doesnt understand our work to ask us questions?
Scenario: Outta Here(2024)
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone decides they don’t like having to follow the rules and threatens to leave.
Scenario: Too slow
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are coaching a leadership development program with a group of senior engineers…One of them is a Six Sigma Black Belt with years of experience in problem solving methods. During the middle of your second meeting to frame the problem, the Black Belt notes that it is taking way too long to come to agreement on the problem. Some of the Type A members of the group nod their heads in agreement. What do you do?
Scenario: Coaches Advice
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member asks if you have any suggestions on how to solve the problem
Scenario: Last call
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You’ve been randomly calling for participants to read their problem. The problem presenter consistently waves you off – waiting until lasts to read their version of the problem.
Scenario: PP Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter asks a question.
Scenario: Rabbit Hole
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team members have gotten off track with their questions and are now investigating an unrelated issue.
Scenario: Clowning Around
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The group looses concentration and focus on the problem they are suppose to be working on …. They are primarily focused on clowning with each other!
Scenario: Learning Organization
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You’ve been working with several teams in the same organization for months. As you are walking to one of your sessions you hear an employee say – Hey we could really use a pizza man for this discussion.
Scenario: Door
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
At the start of the session a participant gets up and closes a door.
Scenario: Sit still
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The teams members are locked to the table. They are adhering to the two grounds rules but not making use of any other resources.
Scenario: Promises
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
At the start of a check in you promise the team member that had just started to ask a question that you will return to them for the first question when you are done.
Scenario: Explaining
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant explains what they believe the problem is rather than just reading what they have written.
Scenario: Multiple Problems
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has come to the realization that the problem presented has many aspects to it and they only have a limited amount of time to work on it.
Scenario: All together
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant asks everyone a question. Gets an answer from everyone and one of the participants ask the person who initially asked the question – “what are your thoughts?”
Scenario: Stump stump
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member leaves the room angrily.
Scenario: Run for it
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides they need something from another building, they all get into one car and continuing the session as they go to the other building for the information.
Scenario: Wrap it up
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You schedule 90 minutes for an Action Learning session. By 60 minutes the team has a clear solution.
Scenario: Skill transference
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
When checking in with the team at the beginning of the session about their learnings between sessions, one of the participants says that he has taken to writing a skill up on his white board in his office every day and it’s been amazing for helping him make changes in how he leads.
Scenario: Identical Actions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
During a Single Problem Action Learning that will last for multiple sessions, the coach reminds all team members a few times that they have to think about the actions they will commit to at the end of the session, in preparation for the follow up session. When the coach asks for the actions at the end of the session, several people have listed the same or nearly identical action.
Scenario: Location Location
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The seats have shifted such that the problem presenter is on one side of the table and the other team members are on the other side.
Scenario: Consensus?
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team says they are at consensus on the real problem but you disagree.
Scenario: My View
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Hearing the initial statement of the problem you are clear what the real problem is. The team heads down a different path with it.
Scenario: Mind Mapping
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the team members is familiar with mind mapping and suggests to the team that they create a mind map for the problem. Everyone on the team encourages the person to take the lead and walk them through it.
Scenario: Close
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member says they feel closer to the members of their Action Learning team they have been working with the last couple days than people they have worked with for 30 years.
Scenario: Day 2
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Your team is working for 2 half days on a project. They have done an amazing job the first afternoon. As they are gathering the next morning a new participant joins the group.
Scenario: True Leader
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the participants does something that strongly supports their leadership skill.
Scenario: Visuals
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the participants suggests that each team member draw a picture of what they see the problem is. Everyone is enthusiastic to give it a try.
Scenario: TMI
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant responds to the question they were asked and continues on with additional information that is no longer answering the original question.
Scenario: Verbose
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Several participants are answering the questions extensively, including repetition, history, minute details and ancillary information.
Scenario: Rapid Fire
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a series of questions without waiting for an answer.
Scenario: Tick tock
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is running out of time and does not have clear next steps.
Scenario: Butting in
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone answers a question that was asked of someone else.
Scenario: Coach questioned
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Some of the group members direct questions to you since they were aware you had knowledge of the situation; despite you repeatedly stating your role as coach.
Scenario: Leg Stretch
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member stands during a session continuing to stay engaged with the problem solving.
Scenario: Bathroom Break
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The session has been going for a long stretch and participants start stepping out to use the bathroom.
Scenario: Too Much Information
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team in a single problem action learning set asks questions to the sponsor (the boss). In addition to answering the question, the sponsor talks about the context, history, options, ideas for solutions, etc., etc. As coach, you’ve asked the boss – “what question are you answering?” The boss indignantly says that one. You ask what was it? He says – “I don’t know.” This happens with each question regardless of whether it is closed or open. The team members are uncomfortably aware of this high power distance (respect for authority) and say it’s ok.
Scenario: The Race is On
I would ask the problem presenter if they agree that what the team is saying is actually the problem. I would then ask that the group focus during the next segment on asking questions related to that problem. I would give them a decent amount of time so that they don’t rush, and by asking questions I think they will uncover underlying issues.
Scenario: Repetitive Questions
Time for an intervention! If the team is going around in circles, the questions they have been asking aren’t getting answered to anyone’s satisfaction. I would ask the team what they think they are doing well and what needs improvement, and I would myself answer the latter (after they have had a chance) by saying I think they are asking the same questions over and over. I would note these questions and ask the group why they think no one has been able to answer these completely as yet, prompting them to think about these questions from a new perspective. Then I would ask them to see if they have agreement on the problem, and we would move on to the next segment.
Scenario: Action Assistance
This poses an interesting problem. This shows me that the group’s suggested actions were not clear enough, and the group needs to come back together again to further refine and clarify the actions. I would call a quick session for the group to do this — maybe 45 minutes. We would start with the actions that we finished the last session with, and show that the new problem is that the problem presenter does not feel they can take these actions on their own. This would hopefully lead to teamwork and delegation, or it would lead to a simplification of the actions.
Scenario: Refusal to Participate
One of the keys to Action Learning is the diversity of thought that the group brings to problem-solving. If one person does not want to participate, I would first try to talk to this person individually and find out why, and see if, as a coach, I can find a way to help this person see the value in their participation. If this does not work, I would look at the size of my group — if the group is big enough to move ahead without this person, I would do so, and ask this person to stay and observe so that they might better understand Action Learning and hopefully participate in a different session. If we do not have enough people to go ahead, I would have to cancel and find another willing participant.
Scenario: Building Questions
This shows me the group is working really well together. I would let them work for a few minutes longer, and then intervene, asking them what they think the group is doing well and what the group can work on. This would allow them to focus on their building questions, followed by a clear look at what everyone thinks the problem is. Hopefully the build of questions is getting everyone on the same page about the problem and this intervention will help them see that.
Scenario: Refusal to Participate
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member of the team does not want to participate.
Scenario: Building Questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The participants have asked some very powerful questions and are clearly building on each others questions.
Scenario: Action Assistance
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
After the actions are defined the problem presenter asks for help implementing them.
Scenario: Leading Questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant is convinced of the true nature of the problem and repeats the same questions over and over in an effort to persuade the others, even after others have made it clear that they do not believe that is the real problem is. They believe that what this particular participant is advocating is just another symptom.
Scenario: Repetitive Questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team members are starting to ask the same questions over and over again.
Scenario: Own World
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team new to Action Learning is working on a problem for a single session. Each member has a clear idea of what the solution is and thus only asks questions related to the solution they believe is the right one.
Scenario: Question Question Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member asks a particularly energizing question, several members follow this with additional questions before there is time for a response.
Scenario: The Race is On
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are working with a team that values being the fastest at everything – including reaching consensus on the problem. Instead of writing the problem in their own words they mimic the words said by the Problem Presenter. They happily agree they are at consensus since the words they say match.
Scenario: Testing Team
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You’ve agreed to do a demo for an organization and ask your contact to be the problem presenter. Your contact decides to test the team and the process by giving mis-information. In other words lying when they respond to questions. By the time this becomes apparent, many of the team members are upset and have made the decision that the process is stupid.
Scenario: Tools
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You ask the team how they want to process based on how they said they could come to consensus. One of the participant shouts out an idea and jumps up to get it started before any other team members have had a chance to respond.
Scenario: Team work
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working extremely well. Exploring deeper and deeper avenues as to what the problem is.
Scenario: Deeply moved
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member who is neither the responder nor the questioner, becomes withdrawn after listening to the exchange that has just taken place.
Scenario: Chit Chat
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Two vocal members chit chatted with each instead of engaging in the problem solving. Their behavior repeated despite the intervention with team consensus to have one conversation at a time.
Scenario: Us vs Them
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
As team members come in and sit down all the participants in leadership roles sit on one side of the table; everyone else on the other.
Scenario: Back tracking
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has decided they should capture the themes that they are hearing on the white board. As they begin someone asks another question that leads them back to investigating the problem.
Scenario: Authority Rules?
As an Action Learning coach, how would you manage a situation whereby during the session, the Problem Presenter, the one with the highest authority within the team continuously prompts other team members to ask questions because he is impatient?
Scenario: Laughter
As an Action Learning coach, how would you manage a situation whereby team members are having lots of fun and laughter, cracking jokes with each other and disrupting the session that results in no outcome?
Scenario: Bad Experiences
As an Action Learning coach, how would manage a session whereby team members have had bad experiences with each other previously, hence placing the psychological safety of the session in jeopardy? Team members were selected by the sponsor.
Scenario: Translation
As an Action Learning coach, how would you manage a session whereby team members are from diversed backgrounds and they are fluent in their own languages? As the coach, you have the ability to provide translation, both for the questions put forth and statements of respond, but the concern is that the essence of the session would be lost.
Scenario: Distrust
As an action learning coach, how would you manage the following situation: Team members are introduced to each other before the session starts. The Problem Presenter clearly expresses his distrust towards other team members, stating that they are not experts in the field related to his problem.
Scenario: Intervention timing
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The group has been processing particularly well, but it has been more than 30 minutes since the last intervention.
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.”
Scenario: Please explain
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant asks another participant to explain what the intent behind their question was. For example, saying – “It feels like a there is a question behind your question. I’m curious what that question is?
Scenario: Action refusal
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant is asked to take an action and declines because they know they do not have time to complete it.
Scenario: Confidentiality
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Two teams during a leadership development program agree to complete confidentiality. During the break they chat with members of the other team about the problem they are working on.
Scenario: Trust
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member is sharing during an intervention and says – Wow, I can’t believe I just shared that, I can’t believe how comfortable I’ve become with this team.
Scenario: Take charge
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
During the session someone jumps up to the easels and starts capturing the important things that are said.
Scenario: Expert
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
As the problem progresses you realize you have a poignant piece of information that could be tremendously useful to the team, as the problem they are discussing is in your field of expertise.
Scenario: Unavailable Member
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Just prior to the beginning of the meeting, the group is informed that a member has been asked by her boss to handle an emergency, and will not be able to join the group for the first 2 hours of the session.
Scenario: Multifaceted
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working hard to come up with a single well defined problem statement. They’ve realized the problem is multifaceted and are struggling coming up with a single problem statement that covers all the aspects of the situation.
Scenario: Guess
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter decides this is a game where the team members have to guess what s/he is thinking the real problem is. Consequently, they keep their answer as short as possible, to the point of being evasive.
Scenario: Speed racer
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has clear actions and a solution before the allotted time for the session has expired. You are uncomfortable that they have missed something.
Scenario: Multiple Responses
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Many statements are made in response to a question that was posed to everyone.
Scenario: Ignored Norms
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Team members are not adhering to the norms they agreed to.
Scenario: Limited Choice
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a great open question, then follows it with a couple choices for the response. For example- What is it that bother you most about this situation? Is it A or is it B?
Scenario: Group Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
One of the participants asks a question of the entire team, after a single answer another question is asked and the team moves on to the next question.
Scenario: Silent Observer
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working on a problem for a single session. One of the members tells you that they already have it figured out – both the problem and the solution- so they will not disrupt the process and sit quietly until everyone else figures it out.
Scenario: Spinning
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team members address various perspectives of the problem. Clearly seeing multiple views as to the true nature of the problem. They ask questions that cause them to bounce from one perspective to another to another to another and back to the first. They continually repeat the cycle without settling on which aspect of the challenge to address.
Scenario: No no norm
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A norm that the team set is not working for them. For instance, they decide they must check with each team member if they want to respond to a question before moving to the next question. They discover this is slowing the process to a painful pace.
Scenario: Wiped Out
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has been working diligently for hours. They decide together it’s time for a break and choose to take and hour, all agreeing that the action for this stretch of time will be to let their minds rest, but as additional questions come to mind they’ll keep note of it.
Scenario: Relocating
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides it is too beautiful inside to stay indoors and opts to move outside to a picnic table.
Scenario: Forgotten norms
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team does not recall what norms they have set.
Scenario: Favorite Tool
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Your favorite tool for diagraming a problem is a mind map. You know doing this would help the team see this problem much more clearly.
Scenario: Too Hot
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone from the team gets up and turns the a/c on without checking with the other team members.
Scenario: Done
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has gone as far as they can defining a solution and there is still time left in the session. What they have identified is not well defined – but is as clear as they can get at the moment.
Scenario: Poignant Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A particularly poignant question is asked. This is followed by a long silence.
Scenario: multiple views
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working for a single session on the problem of the day. As they each read out their view of the real problem it’s clear they are coming at it from multiple perspectives. Consequently, they are having trouble reaching consensus on the real problem.
Scenario: Takeover
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
In the midst of a corporate problem that deals with developing a business development strategy for an organization with declining business, the company is purchased by a large conglomerate.
Scenario: Time Check
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member uses their phone to check the time.
Scenario: Nothing
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter says they were not helped at the end of the session.
Scenario: Two owners
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You have two problem owners for your project. You assume that the problem owners have coordinated the presentation of the problem for the kickoff session. As soon as one starts to present the problem the other interrupts with a very different view of the problem.
Scenario: The boss
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team consists of a vice president and four of his reports. One of the reports asks a question and the vice president asks – “Why did you ask that?”, The Vice president than asks a question that a team member than asks – “Why did YOU ask that?” – their tone makes it clear that they are retaliating for the boss having questioned someone’s question.
Scenario: Silo-ed Participants
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Each member of the team is focused on their own line of questioning. This becomes particularly clear when participants start asking questions they have asked multiple times.
Scenario: Wow
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
At the end of the session when you ask the team members what they will take back with them, one of the participants says – we are already seeing a shift in how we work together. It’s amazing – people are making sure they understand the problem before jumping to solutions, they are asking powerful curious questions, and they are taking time to really listen to each other.
Scenario: Multiple variables
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has been working on this problem for several sessions. This will be their last session to develop a complete, implementable solution. The team is attempting to analyze the problem in a search to identify the one key variable that they can influence change to create movement in the direction of their established goal or end result. They are debating the relevance of only a few factors and seem to be ignoring the probability that the problem situation was caused or is perpetuated by multiple factors.
Scenario: Learnings
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
During the learning check-in the team has identified all of the learning opportunities you had noted both in terms of what went well and what could be better.
Scenario: Multiple Levels
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team will only be working on this problem for one session. It’s extremely urgent that they find a solution to the problem, as lives are literally at risk. Every time the team seems close to getting to consensus a question is asked that takes them someplace else. You realize there are two levels that are being looked at – some participants are focused at a single group level (How do I address this with my group?), others at a corporate level (How do I address this with all groups?).
Scenario: New tool
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You recently attended training and learned a new way of doing root cause analysis. You know if you share this with the team they will be able to identify the real problem much quicker.
Scenario: Empty toolbox
As an Action Learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is not utilizing any tools for problem solving other than Action Learning.
Scenario: Laundry List
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team starts brainstorming some great solutions; stopping short of actually developing a fully and clearly implementable plan.
Scenario: Nerve hit
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
An extraordinarily deep question is asked. The responder sits quietly for a minute than begins to weep.
Scenario: Changing Roles
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You have changed roles from participant to coach. One of the team members asks you a problem related question.
Scenario: Locked to the table
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
None of the participants have moved from their seats since the start of the session.
Scenario: Executive Coaching
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member is an executive coach and decides to use this skill to investigate what is really going on for the problem presenter. They ask a series of questions in a row. They have shifted it to a one on one session to the point that they have turned their back to the rest of the team to have this poignant conversation with the problem presenter.
Scenario: Facilitator
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone from the team steps up and starts facilitating the session. For example, standing up, grabbing a marker and saying we should do a force field analysis – what are the things supporting this activity? What are those against it?
Scenario: Eager Team Member
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member of the team you are coaching insists on answering questions that are being directed to the Problem Presenter
Scenario: Multiple Behaviors
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Each participant identifies a leadership skill to work on for the session. These skills are captured on the white board. By the end of the session it’s apparent that all the team members have actually practice their own skill and several of the skills that were captured on the white board.
Scenario: Insufficient Time
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team realizes the problem presented is much bigger than the time allotted.
Scenario: Passing Notes
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone walks in the room where the team is working and passes a note to one of the participants.
Scenario: Missing Action
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member did not complete the tasks that she had agreed to do at the session held last month.
Scenario: Opposite Behavior
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant does something in direct contradiction to their chosen skill.
Scenario: Presenter Questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
All of the questions are directed at the problem presenter.
Scenario: Repeat Behavior
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides they should be asking each other more questions instead of just asking questions of the problem presenter. However they continue directing all of the questions to the problem presenter.
Scenario: Fire
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The fire alarm sounds.
Scenario: One bite at a time
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
After the team members each read out their version of the problem, you realizes there are many aspects to it. When you ask them if they have agreement on the problem they all say close. You disagree.
Scenario: Distrusting Culture
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A year earlier the organization was a acquired by another company. All fun activities were cut from the budget (picnics, team outings, etc.) and were replaced with ridged procedures. This team is tasked with making the workplace fun again. The top HR person on the team is convinced it will never happen and says so with every idea.
Scenario: Missing Sponsor
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Your action learning group has met several times, asking questions to better clarify the nature of the problem as presented by the problem owner’s delegate in the initial session. It became clear after the second session that the delegate could not answer most of the questions the group was posing. The group agreed the problem owner should be invited to the next session. The problem owner agreed to 45 minutes at the next session due to his tight schedule. The sessions was rescheduled three times over the next month. The delegate was running into scheduling roadblocks with the problem owner – despite the problem owner’s initial pledge that he was fully supportive of the effort. The delegate was becoming concerned that she was loosing credibility with team members and that they were losing motivation to participate.
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.
Scenario: Conflicting Priorities
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Part way through the session, one of the members mentioned a meeting they have that will require them to leave early. Several other participants mention they need to go to the same meeting, leaving only 2 participants for the session.
Scenario: Missing Participants
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team you are coaching is working on a critical corporate problem in a leadership development program. The leadership program and work on the project is scheduled to be completed over six months. Two of the eight people in the group do not show up routinely.
Scenario: Emotional moment
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
In attempting to respond to a question the participant starts to cry.
Scenario: Prioritized Problems
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The organization has prioritized multiple problems for multiple teams to work on. The teams are arguing that they all need to work on the top priority problem.
Scenario: Broken Trust
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are doing a leadership development program with 8 peers in a consulting firm. One of the participants reports that her boss brought an issue to her yesterday that she had discussed in the action learning group a week ago. She is very upset. (The problem centered around not being given the responsibility that her boss had promised her when she was hired a year ago.) As it turns out one of the other team members decided she could help by going to talk to the boss. The team had agreed to keep what was said during the Action Learning confidential. Consequently, the trust has been shattered for this team member.
Scenario: Meyers Brigg
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
As you are watching the team you realize there are 5 strong extraverts and one introvert on the team. The introvert does not appear to be participating. When you ask – How is the balance of participation? The introvert says I am participating it just takes me longer to process and I keep missing the opportunity.
Scenario: Pre-existing Condition
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Two team members were arguing in the hall before the session started. As soon as one says something, the other rolls their eyes and mumbles something under their breath.
Scenario: Learning Styles
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
As you are watching the team you realize the team is only talking to each other, they are not taking into account the learning styles of all participants. For instance – visual learners
Scenario: Finish Up
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team wants the last 15 minutes to finish up the problem instead of doing the final reflection.
Scenario: Process Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member asks a process question. (more specifically they steal the job of the coach).
Scenario: Taking notes
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
During the session you realize no one is taking notes.
Scenario: Open says me
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member responds to a closed question with an open answer.
Scenario: New information
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides to capture some of the information they are discussing on a white board. The person that moves to the white board flips the leadership skills out of view.
Scenario: Enough is enough
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member of the team bangs their hands on the table and stands angrily.
Scenario: Agreement
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has agreed they are at consensus as to the true nature of the problem. When you ask who has the next question they continue to question the nature of the problem versus moving towards solutions.
Scenario: Overly Focused
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has generated a number of alternative perceptions, ideas, opinions, facts, etc. as to the true nature of the problem. Then the team starts focusing in on one (e.g., debating the merits or validity of the specific component) and omits other items from explicit consideration.
Scenario: Finally
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member finally asks the question that you knew would bring the whole situation to light. The rest of the team responds but is confident that is not where the real problem lies.
Scenario: Eye lock
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter locks eyes with you when presenting the problem and appears to be just talking to you.
Scenario: Closed Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are working with a team new to Action Learning. The first questions is a closed question.
Scenario: Long Problem Statement
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You ask the problem presenter to briefly state the problem but the person continues on for an inordinate period of time not only stating the problem but also describing contextual details related to the problem.
Scenario: Process
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is having trouble coming to consensus. You’ve asked what would help them come to consensus – they say ask more questions and immediately start asking questions before you have closed out the learning.
Scenario: Windows
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working on a porch with windows around three sides. As the session starts two participants stand up at the same time. One walks to one side of the room and closes a window, the other walks to the other and opens a window.
Scenario: Shifting to Solution
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has reach consensus on the problem and the goal but is having trouble transitioning to the solution phase.
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.
Scenario: Unanswered questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Participants are asking question upon question and no one is answering.
Scenario: Electronics
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team decides it ‘s okay to use their electronics during a session
Scenario: Left out
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant offers to collect information/agreements on a white board. All members are in agreement with this. After a short while the scribe is no longer being included in the conversation.
Scenario: Problematic Problem Presenter
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter schedules a half hour meeting immediately before the Action Learning session. During this meeting the problem presenter presents their solution to the problem about to be discussed in the Action Learning session.
Scenario: Low Energy
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team took a break less than 15 minutes ago, since returning the energy in the group is very low.
Scenario: Deep Learning
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
When checking in with the team they have a particularly deep learning around something they identified. You still have one more thing on your list of potential learnings.
Scenario: Coffee Break
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant gets up from the group to fill a cup of coffee continuing to stay engaged with the problem solving.
Scenario: Curious Questions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The participants are asking extraordinarily curious questions.
Scenario: Body Language
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Several team members are sitting with their arms folded across their chest.
Scenario: Important People
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are working with a team of really important people. Their phones are ringing continually. Members are moving in and out of the sessions to respond to emergency situations that cannot wait until after the meeting. Your inclination is to try to get them to put the devices away. They refuse and come up with a team norm for how they will handle decision making with whoever is in the room.
Scenario: Brainstorming
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team feels they are at a point that it would be useful to brainstorm.
Scenario: Power of the Pen
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone starts capturing the important notes on the white board. They are doing the filtering of what is important without checking with the rest of the team. In other words they are only capturing what sounds important to them.
Scenario: Missing Action
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A participant shows up for a session and has not completed the promised action.
Scenario: Self monitoring
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member does a process check.
Scenario: Other problem
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is focusing on a problem in another division that they have no influence over.
Scenario: Unkind Gesture
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A member arrives to a three hour session one hour late. You conduct coaching inquiries and he is smoothly integrated into the team. 15 minutes later he is exchanging friendly but sarcastic comments with a team member that end with him using a hand gesture toward that member that would cause most folks to take offense.
Scenario: Consensus
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is having trouble coming to consensus.
Scenario: Non-responsive
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The members were enthusiastic to help the problem presenter. They asked many good questions. However, the problem presenter responded it’s confidential information and would not answer some of the questions. Members felt they were not able to help the problem presenter if their questions were not answered. Consequently, they could not see the value of action learning in this instance. But the problem presenter felt the session was useful to him in addressing his problem.
Scenario: Clear Actions
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team starts to identify actions before the end of the session.
Scenario: Powerful Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a question that changes the depth and understanding of the true nature of the problem.
Scenario: Powerful Question
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Someone asks a question that changes the depth and understanding of the true nature of the problem.
Scenario:My Time
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
Well answering the question “What could be better?” the team slips back into problem solving even though you have not concluded the check in.