Replying to LO28696 --
Terry, you wrote that
> A method for improvement for me and for the organization might be a
> periodic "refresher process" to remember what the organization is and what
> is it for. If I'm a "founder", I need to be brought up to date and expand
> my viewpoint. If I'm a new member, I need to understand, as best as I can,
> what's it all about.
This is why there are people who want to be 'eternal students', even so
far as to keep attending physical lectures by wise, synthesizing,
challenging women and men.
My ancient Greek professor in college whom I so deeply admired, upon
meeting me a few days before my commencement, asked if I would also be
teaching the language along with my others after graduation. Shocked at
the notion, I cried that I had only traversed one year's worth, the
Apologia, hardly a background. He smiled his inimitable smile, his short
legs dangling like a small boy's off the edge of his desk, and said,
"Barry, you only have to be a couple of pages ahead."
For the past two years or so I have used the "Reason For Being" exercise
with leadership groups in order to get such a team on the same page
concerning an avowed purpose. Each group member, using about ten words of
his or her own, completes the sentence, "The reason xyz
organization/company exists is to...".
Then, from their individual statements written across the top cells of a
wall chart, they must each titer out from his/her statement and write
below it in three separate boxes, the primary constituency, binding
constraint, and fundamental purpose. This exercise creates intense
dialogue among participants. Invariably there are differences. The group
then works across (say, from left to right) each of the elements, coming
to consensus about the best wording. Having done so, the team then moves
back UP to the newly formed, synthesized Reason-For-Being statement.
Works like a charm. Sometimes a voodoo charm, but a charm nonetheless.
Once it took an old, privately-held company the better part of half a day
to do this. Discussion was very, very heated. But in the end, the sense of
direction was keener than most had ever felt in recent years.
It's a great step, in a distinct direction, bringing individual learning
toward organizational learning and deployment.
Hazy, hot and humid regards from southern New Hampshire, even at 19:30
local time.
Barry
-- Barry Mallis The Organizational Trainer 110 Arch St., #27 Keene, NH 03431-2167 USA voice: 603 352-5289 FAX: 603 357-2157 cell: 603 313-3636 email: theorgtrainer@earthlink.netLearning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <Richard@Karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>
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