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Posts tagged ‘Organization Development’

Apr 7

Where do we start?

Less than 7% of the Eastern Screech Owls in the United States live in Kansas. Discovering a rather unusual visitor requires dedicated observation on our part and support from friends who watch for his arrival. But his regular return requires the right resources (temperature, hollow tree, water and food, etc.) and trust as people walk past his home and take his picture.

I recently wrote about building a better boss. One of the resulting questions that has prompted an ongoing conversation between Jon and I is, “Where can our organization start building?”

Organizational environments are as complex as natural ones that support the life of this owl – someone would argue more complex because they include people. Yet we return each day to our work and the opportunity to start anew.

The place to start is always with yourself. Here are some questions that I ask our coaching clients that will jumpstart your thinking:

  • Have you identified your personal values and vision?
  • How do these fit with the values and vision of your organization? Of your team or work group? (Note: organization and team values might be somewhat different!)
  • Do you trust others in your organization and do they trust you?
  • What are the top three things that you want to focus on for learning and growth in the next six months?

Starting with leading and managing yourself lays a foundation for successfully leading and managing others. In an age of immersive connections, the first question is, “Are you connected to yourself?”

Apr 4

When focusing on the positive doesn’t work

Appreciative Inquiry is an organizational change process that can be very successful. But I often get asked why the process doesn’t spend time identifying and trying to fix problems, “Doesn’t focusing on the positive give an unrealistic picture of an organization?” Or, “Only looking at what works is a very slanted view of our organization.”

I experience Appreciative Inquiry as being an adaptable process that creates opportunity to build relationships, allow all voices to be heard, and gives people permission to have fun and be proud of their accomplishments.

Yet operating out of an appreciative framework won’t make any more difference than reading most self-help books. Having a one to three-day event where everyone walks away feeling good doesn’t do any more for an organization than thinking positive thoughts for five minutes at the beginning of the workday. Reading positive blog posts is not all that valuable.

A question often used in Appreciative Inquiry process goes something like this, “If you had a magic wand, what three wishes would you grant your organization?” But, it should end with this, “What one step will you take today to make that wish a reality?”

In the end, using a positive appreciative frame for an organization is not magic. In order to have value, it requires positive action. Positive thinking does not deny difficulties like tsunamis and recessions. Given the challenge faced, positive thinking creates an environment that asks us to identify what is possible now, to identify the first step we will take to move forward. Then each one of us has to choose to take that step … and the step after that …

Without action, Appreciative Inquiry is just a nice event spent telling stories. Let’s stop sitting and start moving. What one action will you take today to move toward your desired future?

kaizen
Generative and Positive

Mar 18

2 Comments

Idea for reflection – 30

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.
  – Albert Einstein

Do what I say, not what I do
Idea for reflection – 29

Mar 14

4 Comments

Building a better boss

The New York Times reported on Google’s efforts to improve the way their managers lead. Quantitative research by Google identified the top eight good behaviors of a good boss:

• Be a good communicator and listen to your team
• Be a good coach
• Empower your team and don’t micromanage
• Express interest in team members’ success and personal well-being
• Be productive and results-oriented
• Help your employees with team development
• Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
• Have key technical skills to help advise the team

None of these are a surprise. But, of interest from the Organization Development perspective, Google has demonstrated that effective, executive coaching can improve individual manager’s abilities in each of the eight areas. Read the entire article here.

Mar 1

3 Comments

Avoiding questions

Do you avoid asking questions? People avoid questions for many reasons. We don’t want to make other uncomfortable. We might disrupt the meeting agenda. We worry that it’s a stupid question. Or ask ourself, “What if no one knows the answer?”

One strategy for handling these question stoppers is to begin the question with a phrase that lets everyone know that you’re aware of the situation, but are still going to ask.

Some examples of introductory phrases:

• I might not be wording this well, but …
• This may need a separate conversation, but …
• I know we may not have all the answers yet, but …
• I’m wondering about …
• I’m not clear about …

Whether you’re in a meeting or answering an email, if you find yourself hesitating to ask a question, don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect question, consider adding an introductory phrase and ask the question.

Needed: More data or the right question
Creating a space for critical thinking

Feb 24

2 Comments

Like: Glass-half-empty

“Kathleen, what happened to liking the glass-half-full?! Aren’t you and your team focused on using Appreciative Inquiry and other positive organization development approaches?”

Yes. We are. But – I’m going to challenge you to consider the power of the glass-half-empty. Often when we consider emptiness we often think of empty nest, empty wallet, loneliness, and even despair. The glass-half-empty has become the symbol of the pessimist, of “if only….”

So, where is the power of the glass-half-empty? An empty screen box awaits a new blog post or Facebook entry. An empty schedule presents the opportunity for doing whatever we choose. An empty office offers opportunities for a new business or organization to create itself in that space.  The power of a glass-half-emtpy is its emptiness. That emptiness can represent the power of possibilities, imagining what might be.

What are the possibilities you or your organization have overlooked by focusing only on the half of the glass that’s full?

Idea for reflection – 21

Feb 22

Lead the way

The writers over at the Southwest Airlines magazine delivered a great, one-page summary of Bob Sutton’s newest book, Good Boss, Bad Boss. Read their summary here: Lead the Way

Quick points for Good Boss behavior:
• Protect your people
• Throw out the bad apples
• Mind the spotlight
• Get out of the way
• Fight fair

Feb 16

1 Comment

Do what I say – not what I do

If you’re not modeling what you’re teaching,
then you’re teaching something else.
  – Roger Schwarz, The Skilled Facilitator

 Idea for reflection – 29



Feb 15

Resource: Design Thinking Process

The Stanford d.school updated the Bootcamp Bootleg, a working document that outlines some of the methods from their “Design Thinking Bootcamp” course. “The guide outlines each mode of a human-centered design process and describes a number of methods which may support your design thinking throughout the process.”

d.school Bootcamp Bootleg

Feb 15

Communication that clicks

People sit next to each other in a room. If someone says the word “cat”, everyone’s brain circuits dedicated to the knowledge of cats activate – even though there is no cat in the room.

We know that speaking and listening is a mutual activity. Research in Interpersonal Neurobiology has been demonstrating these connections for a decade. But what do we know about more everyday conversations, ones that we might have in a meeting, the break room, or at the dinner table?

We know when we are “clicking” with a person or an audience. And we know when things are falling flat. How can we increase the chances of connecting effectively?

You are invited to read our new short article: “Communication that Clicks“

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