A number of people have written to me asking for more details on the New
Science Leadership & Change team intervention tools I mentioned in my last
mail. Here are more details:
1) CIRCULAR QUESTIONING
I have used this method many times with teams that were caught in a
vicious circle and had difficulty self-organizing themselves. When done
well this intervention works astonishingly fast. I am always amazed anew
by its strength.
I generally do it with two colleagues. One of us is with the team asking
questions and he is connected by telephone to the other two who are behind
a one way mirror. The other two give the questioner suggestions durin the
questioning. We follow a Milan type format with a consultation break in
the middle. Of course we need the team's agreement for this setup.
Sometimes when this setup is impossible I might work alone.
You can read a short case study of my doing this in Posting #19 to the
Complex-M list which is on my website.
For a list of articles on Circular Questioning see Posting 21 on my
website.Website: http://pw2.netcom.com/~nmerry/Urihome.htm
2) FITNESS LANDSCAPES
I will post a description of this intervention at a later date. Meanwhile
to get a feeling of Fitness Landscapes read postings #23 #24 and #30 on my
website.
3) ISM
Here is a description of ISM by Michael McMaster:
> Our approach is to build common understanding and relationship
> using dialogue around the major issues of the team. This results
> in the combined individual knowledge and experience of the team
> generating new knowledge and creative solutions which are
> generated by them with no outside expertise required. The
> commitment that builds from this process produces co-ordinated
> action and remarkable results. Further, the knowledge and
> intelligence of the whole is increased for future challenges.
> This approach ties team development into practical issues of key
> importance to the team. Two client organizations who are in the
> midst of major cultural change across the organization report the
> following. Since we worked for them (18 months and 2 years ago)
> they have had other consultants in to try to help them in various
> ways. They are starting to realize that when they reflect on all
> this consulting help, the activity where they got real learning
> and people for the most part followed through with enthusiasm is
> what they did using Synergistic Solutions software support. Their
> people talk about both what they discovered for themselves and
> how THEY decided how best to set about making changes. The sense
> of ownership was complete when they worked with us. Hence they
> have realized that people learning by doing and the ownership are
> two key factors in getting people to really take on significant
> change in attitude and behavior. They did not get this from other
> consultants. Even in a situation where Coopers Lybrand is
> training people in one organization in their methods of analyzing
> processes and deciding which ones to focus on to make changes
> there is a sense of 'we are being told how we have to do this'.
> Another piece of the equation is that these external consulting
> assignments the companies are doing take time to set up, cost a
> lot, burn a lot of internal resources and still end up with many
> of their people cynical about what is going on. Said another way,
> management has realized that these consultants haven't really
> given their people the capability to QUICKLY analyze their
> particular situation in a total business context and decide for
> themselves the best course of action.
>
> WHAT THE PROCESS IS: a software tool with a facilitated group
> process for resolving complex challenges.
>
> WHAT THE PROCESS DOES:
> generates full and shared group knowledge and intelligence
> generates resolution of complex issues
> generates teamwork and alignment
> generates an implementation plan that gets done in a breakthrough manner
>
> THE PROCESS:
> design a team or group which has the requisite knowledge and commitments
> formulate the challenge
> elicit all issues, knowledge and points of view
> dialogue for new understanding (group learning)
> create an "influence map" and a record of the dialogue
> create a plan and commitments
>
> SOFTWARE:
> structures dialogue in a unique way that by-passes argument and fixed
> positions
> minimizes time, maximizes richness of dialogue and learning
> provides visual display of a dynamic structural model of the dialogue
> captures all key points
> provides new insight/understanding of the whole, it's elements and the
> fundamental elements for focus
>
> EXAMPLES OF USE:
> design new regulation
> transform procurement
> culture change process
> integrate merged businesses
> new product development
> transform from government (cost plus) to private (fixed price)
> stem large losses
> develop an information sharing strategy
> generate strategic approaches
> design continuous quality improvement processes
> re-engineering project assistance
> project formulation
> solve operational problems
>
>
> For more details write to:
>
> Michael McMaster Michael@kbdworld.com
> www.kbdworld.demon.co.uk
Uri Merry
--umerry@maaganm.co.il (Dr Uri Merry)
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>