Leadership Asia
Thoughts about leadership challenges across AsiaArchive for October, 2007
Podcast for Training–Thought Leadership at PR Junction
Earlier this summer I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Anders Gronstedt Grondstedt. Anders operates the Gronstedt Group, out of Colorado, which offers next-generation training solutions to corporations. Anders was a fascinating interview and he shared some provocative thoughts about how we might think about the intersection of development, social media, and corporate leadership.
The interview can be found at PR Junction and downloaded there or off iTunes. If you want to learn more about Anders’ work, you can visit his website. And for those interested, you might also check out the PR Junction website.
Enjoy!
Coaching, Questioning, and Learning…The Rest of the Story
Feeling unsatisfied with the results of my last attempt to ask a meaningful question to help participants summarize, I tried something new today. I am not sure this is the million-dollar answer, but it is a step forward. Here are just a few thoughts.
First, I asked participants to write their summary thoughts. My hope was that by asking people to work individually rather than in a small breakout group would yield more specific insights (rather than motherhood statements).
Second, I explicitly asked people to not give generic statements such as “we need to listen to our employees.”
Third, I asked participants to think along three lines: A) what topics are on your mind as a result of discussing this case? Topics that seem provocative or important to you now? B) What aspects of this case were most instructive to you? Is there a specific idea or lesson you can take back and use at the office on Monday? C) Has the case raised a specific question in your mind? You may not have the answer now, but you would like to have more information in hopes of finding an answer?
Initially, I think this was a step forward. I am still not entirely satisfied with the outcome, but at least I did not get so many motherhood statements. And when participants did tend to gravitate toward the general, I immediately asked follow-up questions which encouraged them to drill down and identify the critical point.
For example, when a participant said that “employees must first decide they want to change before anything can happen or be developed” I immediately followed-up with the question, “so then, what are you saying is the very center–the core or the heart–of someone’s resistance to change? Can you define the epicenter?” With about 2 minutes of discussion, they did arrive at an answer.
So, I am making progress but I am still not entirely satisfied I have found the best questions to help learners identify importan learning points from a discussion.
Do you have any suggestions?
Coaching, Questioning, and Learning
Today I had the pleasure of working with a healthcare organization and leading a session on leadership. I walked away reflecting, in a very single-minded fasion, on the nature of questioning and how we can help our colleagues and clients learn. Tonight I am thinking one thing–ask a motherhood question and learners will respond with motherhood statements. If we are coaching or facilitating, we must learn the art of questioning so that we can invite deeper learning.
So what question(s) did I ask that evoked mother statements as a response? I asked a question that I bet we have all asked at one time or another–what lessons can you take away from today and apply when you get back to the office? Though well intentioned, I am tonight thinking this is a pretty poor question. From extremely bright people, this questions evoked responses like “Leaders must walk the talk,” “Leaders must communicate effectively,” and “Leaders must think about the people they are leading.” All true, but extremely general and not at all personalized. I was not hearing what lessons from today were important to each person and her/his specific job. Generic statements only.
The problem, I think, lies in the question. A motherhood question invites people to respond with motherhood statements. Afterwards, the HR colleague in the room suggested that maybe people could identify lessons by asking them, “after today, what about leadership would you like to: do more of, do less of, not change, and change substantially?“ Not a bad suggestion. Certainly this question could be modified many ways.
Another idea I had was to ask participants to identify a lesson from today that is personally important to them. Then, follow up by asking them to relate this to a specific past experience (when they could have applied this knowledge), a present challenge they are currently facing, or a future challenge they are certain is headed their way. They would need to recount the story, briefly, and connect the lesson explicitly.
I am also playing with the idea that whatever I ask, perhaps I should give them a printed form for capturing lessons and distribute this form at the start of the session. This would potentially frame the day and indicate from the outset that they must find something meaningful and make connections before the day’s end.
The one thing I am certain of is that I will not begin the debrief at a small group level. I want people to reflect and write individually. Perhaps then they can discuss as a small group after writing individually, but the personal lessons I believe must come first.
I will be giving this much more thought. But, one thing is certain–I won’t be inviting anymore motherhood statements at the end of my sessions.
