Building Teams of Shared Learning

1. Building Teamsof Shared Learning Greg Abell Sound Options Group, LLC soundoptionsgroup.com grega@somtg.com

2. A Framework

3. Engaging “At Integrity”Choosing to Align Action with Commitments

4. Two Guiding Questions . . . • Being: Who am I committed to Be in this situation? and What is this situation calling me to Be as I engage? • Doing: What will I choose to Do in this situation that will keep me in alignment with my commitment(s)?

5. Principles of Effective Collaboration • There is a commitment to Mutual Purpose and Mutual Benefit • It’s a space that holds You, Me, and We • Shared learning is a shared value • Collaboration is an intentional process and is worth protecting • Everyone owns the outcome

6. A BIT ON TEAM DYNAMICS

7. Bruce Tuckman Forming Storming Norming Performing Scott Peck Pseudo-community Chaos Emptiness Community/Team Stages/Phases of TeamFormation

8. Ingredients of a Conflict Two or more people interact and perceive incompatible difference or threats Resources Needs Values Choice Point! • behave and respond to escalate or deescalate the conflict

9. What is the Nature of Our Work?Leadership Without Easy AnswersRonald Heifetz Technical & Adaptive Work • Technical work “Technical problems are those that, in some sense, we already know how to respond to them.” • Adaptive work “The problem definition is not clear-cut, and technical fixes are not available. Learning is required to both define problems and implement solutions.”

10. Situational StylesMatching the Conversation to the Challenge

11. Conversational Structures • Every conversation has a structure that invites certain kinds of responses and inhibits other kinds of responses. • We approach most difficult situations prepared to tell the other person something that is important to us. • Our preparation involves how we can tell the other person in a way that will be effective. • Choose your conversation or it will choose you.

12. TELLING Judgment Hubris Pretense Dismiss LEARNING Curiosity Humble Presence Acknowledge Two Types of Stances

13. Conversation Structure & Choices Reflective Dialogue Generative Dialogue Suspend Choice Point Conversation Deliberation Skillful Conversation Dialectic Choice Point Defend ControlledDiscussion Debate Source: William Isaacs,Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together

14. SOLUTION OPTIONS P1 P2 ISSUE I1 I2 COMMON GROUND

15. Supporting Conversations of Shared Learning

16. Active listening Encodes Decodes Intent Behaviors(verbal, non-verbal) Interpretation Feedback message

17. 5 Reasons: Lets person know you’re listening Clarification of intent/impact Facilitates exploration Defuses emotion Slows process Key Elements: Attending Responding Encourage Restate Reflect Reframe Summarize Active ListeningBeing vs. Doing

18. Skills for sharing your perspective What to say: • Share your observation/data • Share your conclusions • Ask for Others’ Perspective • Explore together How to say it: • Talk respectfully • Suspend Judgment • Listen for Understanding

19. The way we think group decision-making works . . . New Topic  Decision Point source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitators guide to Participatory Decision-Making

20. The way it often works New Topic source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitator’s guide to Participatory Decision-Making

21. An idealized approach to decision-making New Topic  Decision Point source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitators guide to Participatory Decision-Making

22. The temptation to stay in the comfort zone New Topic source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitators guide to Participatory Decision-Making

23. Leading through distress New Topic   Decision Point source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitators guide to Participatory Decision-Making

24. Write it down Think of a question that you have used in your work, once or regularly, that you believe has had a useful impact. (Or…think of a question that you have been asked that caused you to reflect and change)

25. Questions that Work • What is the context in which you asked the questions? (bare-bones, only what someone needs to know to understand the meaning of your question) • What was the question and how did you ask it? • What impact did it have and on whom? • What made it a good question? Be prepared to report back on the characteristics of a good questions

26. The Power of Questions • What we ask, how we ask it, the spirit with which we ask, all invite certain responses and discourage others. • The very act of asking questions influences people. Acts of asking and answering alter experiences and generate experiences. • Questions have the power to shape meanings and restrict or expand possibilities for action.

27. Intentional Inquiry • Is intentional and purposeful • Is born of genuine curiosity • Causes both the inquirer and the responder to “ponder.” • Broadens the range and opportunity for response. • Creates openings rather than closings.

28. Crafting Intentional Questions • What work do I want this question to do? • Broadening Questions • Clarifying Questions • Explaining Questions • Exploring Questions • Challenging Questions • Brainstorming Questions • Consequential Questions • What kinds of responses might this question invite? Restrain? • Is this question likely to stimulate fresh thinking? • Do I have an answer in mind? • Are my own assumptions imbedded in this question?

29. Designing Collaboration for Success

30. Three aspects of satisfaction Substantive Procedural Relational

31. 5 Dynamics of Effective TeamsBased on research at Google • Psychological Safety • Dependability • Structure & Clarity • Meaning of Work • Impact of Work

32. Kevin Surace, CEO of Serious Materials, and Inc. magazine’s 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year, when asked, “What’s the most significant barrier to creativity and innovation?” responded, “I don’t know if it has a name, but honestly, it’s the fear of introducing an idea and being ridiculed, laughed at, and belittled. If you’re willing to subject yourself to that experience, and if you survive it, then it becomes the fear of failure and the fear of being wrong. IT’S ALL ABOUT SAFETY!

33. Shared Expectations of Effective Team • A Shared Purpose • Roles and Responsibilities • Group Norms • Internal Organization • External Connections

34. Surface Assumptions . . . When I envision us as a highly effective and productive team, working “at-integrity” to each other and to the work, I assume . . . • Respond individually • Share as a group. Create composite list • Identify themes

35. Shared Purpose Why do we exist as a team? What are the expected outcomes of our time together? What do we need from the organization to effectively engage our task?

36. Roles and Responsibilities Why am I a member of this team? Why are you a member of this team? What do we bring to the task?

37. Group Norms What do we expect from each other as team members? How will we clarify these expectations and hold ourselves accountable?

38. Internal Organization How will we organize ourselves to accomplish our task? How will we communicate as a team? With our colleagues? How will we make decisions and implement them?

39. External Connections How do we get feedback on our work? How are we connected to related work being done in the community?