[Ailist] taking personal responsibility/leadership

[Cindy Manning]

Hi Lynne,
  I'm glad you brought this up.  I'm just started work with a county  
team that has been fractionated with triangulation, complaints,  
victim-stance and conflict for years.  I believe that this situation  
gets ingrained when important conversations about creating a healthy  
culture, behaviors for a positive culture aren't happening, or aren't  
happening with enough safety, so there's little commitment to change.

With this group, the focus is on identifying elements of a healthy,  
constructive work environment.

Since the current situation is complicated by myriad of players,  
roles, and situations,  I requested  cross-section participation  
including the division manager, manager, staff and the chief union  
steward.  Apparently, this is the first time such a group has  
gathered to address this together.   I've found it helpful to help  
people consider how they will include stakeholder participation - and  
again, time needs to be made to build safety and inclusion.

I began the meeting asking each person to introduce themselves with  
the usual as well as what they contributed to this group.  Since they  
knew each other, the usual name/position was for my benefit.  I added  
the contribution piece to reinforce each member's image of themselves  
as a positive contributer, to affirm themselves, as well as call  
their qualities into the group.

I then asked each person what gave them hope that this process would  
be effective.

As we created ground-rules, a spontaneous list of concerns began to  
take shape. I felt it important to honor these concerns and I  
captured them on easel  paper as well.

What I've found, is that especially in groups that have ongoing trust  
issues, laying a safe ground for the beginning of such workshops/ 
discussion groups is essential. I would coach leaders in  
organizations to consider the power of this.

I also did some "front-loading", sending a memo around prior to the  
meeting explaining the rationale for an approach that would be  
focusing on what they want more of... that we wouldn't be ignoring  
the problems, we would be looking at them from the other side.. from  
what they want to happen instead of what they don't want.  I also, in  
the moment, do not ignore or criticize when people bring up problems  
or blame others.  I honor their concern and try to coach them into  
thinking about what they want to happen instead.

In this memo, I asked them to think about
When things are going well (even for brief moment).. when it feels  
good to be there, what is happening
What contributes to this
What good ideas and ingenuity might bring about an improved atmosphere.

I believe the preparation helped them feel more optimistic and ready  
to access their hope when we sat down together. So, I would coach a  
leader to do the same thing.

People left the meeting feeling positive about our start and engaged  
in the process.

In other situations, with shorter processes, I've had people talk  
about "best workplace" experience.. what situations and behaviors  
(theirs or others) that brought out the best in their performance.   
Once these are identified, it is easy to come up with changes or  
strategies to improve things.  However, sponsorship (public and  
private) in the room is essential in order to carry on the ideas into  
the "real world".

I hope there is something helpful in here for you.  I'm interested to  
know how things go with this for you.

My best to you,
Cindy

> Cindy Manning
> Organizational Consulting, Training, Coaching, Speaking
> Eugene, Oregon 97402
> 541-228-4839


On Apr 4, 2007, at 4:47 PM, Lynne Gilliland-Garber wrote:

> I would like to include a component of taking personal  
> responsibility/leadership into an upcoming workshop with a  
> nonprofit.   My goal is to get learning and conversation going  
> around doing something about work place problems as opposed to  
> complaining, talking to others and other victim perspectives.   If  
> you have ideas, have done something similar please share them.   
> What are good questions to ask?  I am stuck.
>
> Thank you
>
>
> Lynne

>
>
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