MGMT 422 Final
Language to use when providing feedback:
- descriptive - focused - specific - brief - simple
What are the names that whole-system discovery is also called?
- first-party approach - large-group methodology - high-interaction approach - large-scale method
Language to avoid when providing feedback:
- judgmental - global - stereotyped - lengthy - complicated
Steps in closing the meeting for action (4 steps):
1) Ask the client, "how do you feel about the control you will have if we go ahead with the solution?" 2) Ask the client, "is the solution we discussed something that really makes sense to you?" 3) Ask for continuing involvement from the client if you want it 4) Give support
The business of the discovery phase:
1) Collect information in 3 different layers of analysis ■ Understanding the presenting problem ■ What others are doing to create the problem ■ What the client is doing to create the problem ■ (note: for creating a new possibility, the requirement is to define the organizing question that will animate the possibility discussion) 2) Assessing the organizational and managerial climate in which action will be considered 3) Dealing with client resistance in sharing information with you or fully engaging 4) Choosing the right discovery process so that the structure of this phase begins to create ownership in dealing with problems or the possibilities. The discovery process itself changes an organization. 5) Reducing what is learned to a manageable number of issues 6) Giving language, order, and meaning to what emerges in a way that leads to a change
The Do's and Don'ts of providing feedback:
1) DON'T collude 2) DON'T project 3) DO support the client's expectations 4) DO confront
Block's process for condensing data (3 steps)
1) Read through all information once and then set it aside 2) On a blank sheet of paper, he lists what he thinks is important in what I know - usually 4-5 items 3) Uses these items as a guide on what to report and how to organize the report
Highlight to the client data that... (4 things)
1) The client has control over changing 2) Are clearly important to the organization 3) Have some commitment somewhere in the client organization to work on 4) Are clearly a strength or an expansion of something that is currently working or under discussion
The two ways of thinking about discovery
1) The traditional way 2) Asset-based approached
What are the 4 general categories of data that are presented in a meeting for action?
1) analysis of the technical or business problem 2) a picture of what is working and what the possibilities are 3) analysis of how the situation is being managed 4) recommendations
What 2 things do you spend the most time on in the meeting for action?
1) client's reaction to the data and recommendations 2) get the client to do something as a result of your study
Sustainable improvement comes when (4 things)
1) clients internalize what is new 2) make it their own 3) participate fully in the improvement effort 4) build their capacity
What 2 things do consultants usually do to collude with clients?
1) develop explanations for problems that leave the solution outside the client's control 2) play down the impact that difficult relationships have on the problem
Key tasks to concentrate on when deciding to proceed in the meeting for action (4 things):
1) keep the discussion centered on things that are under the client's control 2) keep raising parts of the situation or recommendations that you think are essential to addressing the immediate and the longer-term problem or possibility 3) keep balance in the discussion by surfacing the viewpoints of everyone in the room 4) support the right of the responsible manager to make the choice with minimal concern from others, including the consultant
To flawlessly manage the meeting for action, you need to attend to the phase (4 things)
1) keep the picture in focus 2) present personal and organizational data 3) focus on the here and now of the meeting 4) do not take it personally
what are the 2 worlds of implementation?
1) knowing what to do (product of discovery) 2) find the right way to do it (the product of implementation)
When assessing how the situation is being managed, ask question about these areas:
1) objectives 2) subgroups 3) support 4) evaluations 5) positive history 6) status differences 7) authority and power 8) decision making 9) norms for individual behavior 10) management information 11) leadership style 12) conflict 13) domination 14) attitudes about this project and your involvement 15) diversity 16) going forward - scan dimensions and choose questions that are relevant and will stand out to you - provide the information in your analysis to provide your client with unique value
Steps in getting the picture (do not need to memorize)
1) redecide to proceed 2) select the discovery strategy 3) identify the presenting problem 4) decide who will be involved 5) select dimensions to examine 6) select the method(s) of inquiry 7) collect data and observations 8) funnel the information 9) summarize the picture 10) construct meaning from the process 11) manage the feedback meeting 12) give recommendations 13) make a decision 14) implementation
What are the 4 implications of positive deviance?:
1) reduce the dependence on the consultant or support person to have the answer 2) we can focus on the solutions that already exist in the community 3) Invitation brings ownership and engagement 4) worked in a true partnership with those they are intending to be of service to
10 Steps of how to get what you want from the meeting for action:
1) restate the original contract 2) state the agenda/structure of the meeting 3) present clear picture 4) present recommendations 5) ask the client for reactions 6) halfway through the meeting: ask clients if they are getting what they want 7) decision to proceed 8) test the client concerns about control and commitment 9) ask yourself if you got all that you wanted 10) give support
If a consultant is feeling uncertain or confused and do not know where to go next, they should:
1) speak with more clarity and certainty 2) say, "you know are we are talking here, I feel confused and do not know where to go next."
The 5 stages of the discovery model for problem-solving
1) the client gives you a presenting problem 2) you begin to redefine the problem or cause of the problem 3) Your goal is to develop a clear and simple picture of the situation 4) included in this clear and simple picture is a description of the technical or business problem and how the problem is being managed 5) recommendations on next steps for handling the business situation and dealing with how this group manages itself
What are the three layers of analysis?
1) the presenting problem comes most often in the form of a concern expressed in the organizational or business terms 2) the person's perceptions about how others are contributing to the need for change 3) the statement of how a person sees their own ways of contributing to the situation
In deciding how to present the data, remember:
1) the purpose of discovery is to focus awareness on a manageable number of dimensions (under 10 recommendations) 2) what we want is action (we are not doing research)
What are the 2 primary purposes of the discovery phase?
1) to develop an independent and fresh way of looking at what is going on 2) to create a process that leads to client commitment, ownership, and action
What should a consultant do if group members are at odds among themselves?
1) treat the group as a collection of individuals 2) there is always going to be some segment of the group that is going to feel tremendous anxiety and resist 3) if your client gives quick compliance to suggestion, beware
Concentrate on 4 things beyond technical consideration in the discovery phase
1. Keep simplifying and narrowing the inquiry so it focuses more and more on the next steps the client can take and what is under their control 2. Use everyday language. The words you use help the transfer of information, not hinder it. 3. Give a great deal of attention to your relationship with the client. Include them in every opportunity in deciding how to process. Deal with resistance as it arises. 4. Treat data on how the client organization is functioning as valid and relevant information. Also, assess how the group you are working with is being managed
How is asking for client's reactions and asking the client's if they are getting what they want different?
Asking the client if they are getting what they want is connecting to the contract, rather than the data. It is more of an insurance step.
Your closing for the meeting for action should be as _______ and _______ as possible
direct and complete
The statement of the problem should be:
enlightening and actionable
Asset-Based approach of looking at discovery
focus more on possibilities than problems AKA: future/strength-based approach, transformational approach look at what is working what the strengths and gifts are, and seek to deepen and take advantage of those assets Uses positive deviance and appreciative inquiry
Equanimitiy
grace under fire
A crucial skill in every meeting is to stay focused on the _______ and _______ process
here and now
What is the challenge of the discovery phase?
how to get the client to be open to the discovery process this is much more important than being correct in our analysis Work to build client internal commitment and give more space to deal with resistance and be concerned about how to handle the politics and personalities surrounding the discovery process
what is the payoff or the reason to stay around
implementation
When redefining the presenting problem, you want to move language of __________ to __________
innocence to accountability
Methods of inquiry
interviews, survey, document analysis, direct observation, your own experience, whole-system/self-discovery
What does Block say is frustrating about implementation?
it is frustrating to contract well, develop an accurate picture of the current reality, give feedback, and make a good decision yet see few results
It is not just the answer...
it is the LEARNING
The purpose of the discovery phase is to
mobilize action that will improve the organization's functioning - not research
What is the goal of asking for client's reaction in the meeting for action?
move toward any tension in the situation and elicit any unexpressed concerns
What are the vital tasks of the discovery phase?
navigating through client's management styles and organizational politics and helping clients to look objectively at the data
What is the goal of the discovery phase?
not to be right, but to be effective and powerful
Why is not realistic that organizational improvement can be engineered?
Human systems are complex and require more than mechanical cause-and-effect solutions
What does ken mean by pre-selling a meaning?
Ken never goes into a meeting, not knowing what is going to happen so you want to pre-sell the thoughts to the leader, so you have support in the meeting and get some feedback before the meeting
Research approach vs. action approach
RESEARCH: - interested in all factors that have an impact on the situation at hand - being comprehensive and complete in the discovery phase is essential - you can research on your own. the organization does not have to be involved as part of the research team. - you can try to eliminate bias and intuition. There is a heavy emphasis on objectivity and hard data. - essentially neutral toward whether the organization approves the outcomes of the study ACTION: - interest in factors that are under the control of the client and affect the situation - completeness and comprehensiveness are not vital. They can be overwhelming at the point of deciding what to do. - The client's involvement in the study is important to each stage. - consultants are getting paid for their own bias and intuition - it is called judgement. You use all the feelings and perceptions you have in addition to hard data. - deeply concerned about the attitude of the client toward the outcome of the study
Breakdown of the meeting for action:
Steps 1&2: Restate the original contract & state the agenda/structure of the meeting (5%) Steps 3&4: present the picture & present recommendations (15%) Step 5: Ask for client reactions (30%) Step 6: ask the client, "are you getting what you want?" (10%) Step 7: Decision to proceed (30%) Steps 8,9, & 10: test the client concerns of control & commitment, ask yourself if you got what you wanted, & give support (10%)
What does Block mean when he says there are no purely technical problems?
There is always a person-side to the problem Ask questions about how the problem is being managed, what it means to the client, what attitudes surround the seemingly simple step
3rd party approach vs. 1st party approach (5 for each):
Third Party Approach: - Neutral observer. No stake in the answer. - Broader view. Has seen many organizations and ways to approach a problem. - Has specialized expertise that does not reside in the unit. - Simple decision-making process. More managers control decisions. - Has outsider credibility. Whole-System Approach: - The Decision-making process creates a higher commitment to implement. - People deciding are the ones who have to make it work. - Greater local knowledge. People are intimate in the situation. - More realism. People know what is doable and what will work. - The learning stays "in" the organization.
True or false: what is going on with the people is more important than the content and findings discussed in the meeting
True
When the traditional model of problem-solving has been tried again and again and it has not worked, you should use the possibility and strength-based approach
Usually the case for intractable problems, which usually calls for a shift in a social system Block uses the education system, medical system, poverty as examples
If we give clients precisely what they ask for, we run the risk of not serving them well, why?
We are not doing discovery or data collection; we are hurting them and they miss out on learning and ownership and will not change
What stance do we want to take in discovery?
We want to go through a process of discovery, engagement, and dialogue in which our clients will find an answer to their question and launch an implementation that will be enduring and productive
What is one constant source of tension in the discovery phase?
What the client may want and expect is often at odds with what is most likely to be helpful. They want an answer, but a sustainable solution will be helpful. Block's ex: they want to go to the doctor and get told what is wrong
Why is the word diagnosis not a good description of the discovery phase?
When we use the word diagnosis to describe this phase, we reinforce the belief that a prescriptive engineering strategy can improve a living system which undervalues the emotional and affective requirements of real improvements Diagnosis suggests a 3rd party. Our client needs to learn self-diagnose whenever they can.
Why does Block say we changed our orientation in Diagnosis & Discovery?
You have a different view in your role and what your clients expect of you
Flawless discovery:
You need to begin to address the organizational side of the problem as a regular part of your consultation At a minimum, each assessment you do should have one section devoted to how the problem is being managed Present a clear and simple picture; does not need to include specific recommendations You are in a special position to provide line managers with feedback on how they are doing, but be sure to do it in a supportive and non-punishing manner
Positive Deviance
a discovery strategy that looks for examples in the system where something is working well & focus on those
The object of the discovery phase:
action, not understanding
Appreciative inquiry
an organizational change strategy that directs the group's attention away from its own problems and focuses participants on the group's potential and positive elements "tell me what great looks like" changes the conversation to talk about the future
What does Block say consultants give too much attention to instead of the complexity of translating answers into action?
analysis and recommendations
What is the most powerful thing you can do in the meeting for action?
ask the client, "are you getting what you want?"
What is the heart of the meeting for action?
asking for client's reactions - it will determine the amount of organizational commitment that exists when you leave and whether your expertise is used
When providing feedback, you want your language to be _____ and _____
assertive and authentic
Process with a new worldview
can help compensation for some of the limitations of a problem-solving focus ○ Asset-based community development ○ Positive deviance ○ Positive psychology ○ Appreciative inquiry ○ Future search
The traditional way of looking at discovery
consider it a diagnosis, following the medical model of diagnosing the problem, coming up with the prognosis, and then offering a prescription (aka problem-based) Breaks into 2 parts: ■ Diagnosis - tell us what the problem is ■ Prescription - tell us how to fix it - Expectation of most clients - Strictly problem focused and the consultant does the bulk of the discovery - Useful when there is a specific problem - Works well because it is the scientific method - Does not handle the people-side
What is the consultant's primary task?
present a fresh picture of what has been discovered? (block says 70%, Ken does not agree)
What is the goal of the feedback meeting?
support and confront
Presenting problem
the client's attempt to describe to the consultant the cause of difficulties - not the actual problem and needs to be redefined - almost always about the technical or business problem
What is the heart of the meeting for action?
the decision of what to do
First-party or whole-system approach:
the people doing the discovery and making the recommendations are the same people who will implement the change
In a courtroom, you want the consultant to be...
the witness ○ No direct vested interest in the outcome of the deliberations and is there to present accurate information ○ Give a clear, specific picture of what they observed
What does Block say are the biggest mistakes most presentations make?
they get way too involved, long, and intricate
what is the most important thing you want to accomplish in the meeting where your discovery and recommendations are presented?
to get action and movement
When assessing how the situation is being managed, what is your goal?
to understand something about how the organization functions so that you will understand how it will manage the implementation of your recommendations
When presenting a clear picture, you hope to...
trigger action (decision, further discovery, and learning)
The problem analysis approached has tendencies to focus on:
what we have been doing up to now tends to be more rational and logic-based the emphasis on reason can cause trouble engaging people's hearts and spirits
What are the 3 core elements of a partnership?
■ A capacity to contract well and be clear about our wants and the wants of others ■ A willingness to inquire and discover through listening ■ A belief that answers and the decision to act ultimately reside with those who come to us with questions, regardless of how much expert knowledge we possess or they are looking for
How to deal with difficult discovery interviews:
○ Be authentic, look at resistance, etc. ○ If you receive resistance - pick up the cues, name the resistance, and wait for the person to respond ○ Tell the person you are not getting what you need and if nothing changes then stop the interview because that will help build more trust with the person than continuing forward
Rationale for employing a third-party:
○ Consultants and design teams have special expertise and are positioned outside the specific system in question ○ Leads to objectivity and willingness to confront difficult issues ○ Can see problems that people closer to it will miss
Forms of resistance that may play out in the meeting for action
○ Having to rigorously defend the data against people who are supposed to learn from it ○ Finding yourself providing the energy for the next steps for an organization or group that you are not really a member of ○ Being expected to have all the answers ○ Being in the position of providing solutions to highly complex problems in less than 3 minutes
Step 5 on getting the picture - select dimensions to be discovered
○ Hinges on the questions to be asked ○ A limited number of questions (fewer than 20) need to be selected from within the discipline of the consultant or the context that gave rise to the project ○ In the possibility approach, the questions will center around giving form to a vision or details about what is working well or who is succeeding against the odds.
Why is the discovery interview a joint learning event?
○ If you talk to a large number of people, by the time you make sense of what is happening, you have already had an impact on the organization ○ Asking questions causes people to rethink what they are doing
Ken's thoughts on a meeting for action
○ Ken thinks you need a 90-minute meeting with a break in the middle ○ To see if they are just agreeing to agree, move up the start date to put pressure and see if they hesitate ○ If you get them to move up the time, it increases the likely of implementation, because time kills deals and implementations
Advantages of whole-system (first-party) approach:
○ No need to sell a set of actions to anyone ○ There are high engagement and involvement of the entire organization ○ Bets on collective knowledge, collective purpose, and commitment that grows out of deciding for oneself ○ It does not rely so heavily on management sponsorship If the conditions are right, it has an advantage over a third-party stance in the way it builds the capacity of the organization to manage itself in the future
Strengths of a third-party approach:
○ Objectivity - independent POV ○ The power of management sponsorship and the unique energy and impetus for improvement it may provide
An authoritarian style on the surface may really be an expression of the manager's own anxiety about losing control in one of two ways:
○ One fear that managers have is to lose control of themselves or find themselves in a situation in which they would be saying things they would regret later ○ Losing control of the organization if they really own up to the problems, face them, and deal with them
How to manage the feedback meeting
○ Report the picture and its implications to the organization ○ Who should be there? How are those involved going to find out results? ○ Allow time to deal with resistance ○ Structure the feedback meeting so the majority is a discussion, not presentation ○ In self-assessment and whole-system dialogue, the picture has to be captured and the meaning extracted. All that differs from the traditional third-party process is who does it.
Supporting and confronting can almost come in the same sentence
○ Support statement is often a simple acknowledgment that you hear what the client is saying ○ The confrontation statement then identifies the difference between how you see a situation and how the client sees the situation.
Whole-System Process
○ The number of people is limited by the size of the room ○ Sessions last 2-3 consecutive days ○ Design team/consultants plan the large-group event but do not focus on the problems/solutions, they only focus on the process ○ There is faith in people to express and name their problems and find ways to address them ○ If there is enough trust and people are willing to be honest with each other, every unit has within itself the capacity to make needed changes
Limitation of a third-party approach:
○ The separation between discovery and the doing ○ Recommendations have to be sold to management who decides whether to implement them and sell the idea to the employees ○ Based on the flawed premise that there is a right answer, and that consultants and design teams know the answer
What conditions must be present to move the organization in an egalitarian, self-governing direction (9 conditions)?
○ There has to be complete transparency ○ Management joins the proceedings as full participants ○ The groups must be a full cross-section of the whole system ○ Differences in status, power, title, and function disappear during the process. ○ Employees have to be ready to speak up ○ If employees choose not to participate, they surrender their right to complain or be heard ○ There is an emphasis on the future and what the group wants to create together ○ The session ends with agreements on the next steps and who is going to work on them ○ Consultants give up the expert role
How does whole-system approach keep the consultant in an educational role?
○ it demands that they develop their ability to design learning experiences for others ○ expand skills in how to convene and bring people together ○ how to encourage them to question their current reality and envision their future ○ how to confront them with their freedom and responsibility through interactive activities
Remember to do these things in the discovery phase (8 things):
● Ask questions about the client's role in causing or maintaining the presenting or target problem ● Ask questions about what others in the organization are doing to cause or maintain the presenting or target problem ● Involve your client in interpreting the data collected ● Recognize the similarities between how the client manages you and how they manage their organization ● Condense the data into a limited number of issues ● Use language that people outside your area of expertise will understand ● Distinguish between the presenting problem and the underlying problem ● Elicit and describe both the technical problem and how it is being managed
Competencies for managing the meeting for action (7 things):
● Confronting the client with all relevant data collected ● Naming the possibilities as well as the problem ● Giving descriptive rather than evaluative feedback ● Feeding data back to the client about personal behavior in handling the target problem ● Understanding that the client criticism and resistance are not directed at you personally ● Being present at the meeting where the action steps are determined ● Structuring and controlling the feedback meeting to elicit client reaction and choice of next steps
Why is there no need for consultants to feel anxious about biasing data?
● Do not treat it as bias, but as insight or useful information ● Your predisposition of the problem is valuable and gives you good clues on how to spend your discovery time
What are the components of positive deviance?
● Finding exceptions to conventional thinking and practice - Focusing on successful expectations, not the failing norms ● Invitation only - and only work with those who are engaged. Invite as many people as possible who care about the issue to a meeting that shows the process that they have used elsewhere and work with the people who come to the second meeting. ● Look for positive deviants - organize volunteers to look for people who have figured something out and gone against the prevailing norms ● Failure occurs at the point of the solution - truth. Know and do at the same time. ○ Align your words and your deeds together ● Count on the teaching and learning capacities of regular community members - how does this show up naturally in companies? Companies have their own cultures, policies, etc.
Third-party consulting
● The lone consultant who studies the situation and makes recommendations for improvement ● Can be from inside or outside the organization ● Sometimes a team of people from inside the organization (design team) ● Whenever another group or individual develops a solution for another, it is taking a third-party stance
Checklist for planning a meeting for action (Do not need to memorize)
● What do you want from the meeting? Understanding? Agreement? Action? Further work? ● Structure the meeting so you have at least as much time for discussion as for the presentation of results ● Reviewing the wording of the "picture" to make it as non-evaluative and descriptive as possible ● Think of where you are likely to get resistance in the meeting. What questions might you ask to get the underlying concerns expressed directly? ● Think about who might be missing from the meeting who has a high stake in the outcome ● How can you ask for feedback on how this consultation is going?
Checklist for reviewing a meeting for action (do not need to memorize)
● What was the outcome? ● What was the final understanding of the choices or possibilities? How did this shift as a result of the meeting? ● What form did the resistance take? ● How did you respond to the resistance? (personally, explanations/data, seek underlying concerns) ● Did you get stuck at any point? ● What nonverbal messages did you notice? ● What connections can you make between the way the meeting was managed and the way the technical or business problem is being managed? ● What effect on your relationship with the client did the meeting have?
