From I-Pod to We-Pod: Solution-Focus vs. Blame

patricia6789 - Thursday, 10 May 2012 03:29

Today’s post discusses Solution-Focus, the last element of the High Performance Model I have been sharing with you that will help tranform your organization from an I-Pod to a We-Pod culture. So far I have given you tips on:

Creating high performing teams in your organization through regular communication and accountability develops the roadmap for a solution focused culture; one that encourages creative thinking and innovation, producing greater results. When your teams are solution-focused, everyone has the opportunity to participate in a proactive way to create solutions. For your next team meeting create greater collaboration by: Present an initiative, goal or area of issue to the team that is important to the strategic plan.
  1. Divide the main team into smaller focused groups that each present their piece of the project and challenges they are facing to the other groups to solicit input and suggestions.
  2. Have each group create specific plans during their presentation that include implementation and immediate actions steps.
  3. Encourage individual team members to meet off line with their accountability buddy to help them move forward with challenges.
When you move from an I-Pod to a We-Pod culture you lead through collaboration; understanding the primary importance of the team you are member of can carry greater potential than the team you lead. In other words, make the team of your peers a laboratory for bringing forward the collaborative culture mind, utilizing the Communication, Accountability and Solution Focus ideas as a  proactive member of your own leadership team.  Encourage solution-focus vs. blame by creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and challenges and have regular a forum in which to do so. If you ‘re interested in exploring the Collaborative Leadership, High-Performance Model more in depth, be sure to check out our upcoming virtual class series starting May 15. Do you have a solution-focus success story or challenge to share? I’d enjoy hearing from you; please be sure to leave a comment. Read More

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Are Your Executive Teams Focusing on Solutions or Blame?

patricia6789 - Monday, 21 November 2011 10:53

The new neuroscience that is studying the brain and how it works shows that novelty, challenge, connection and creative expressions create the charge that brings in greater productivity individually, and when collaboration is a focus, creates greater overall business results. I have been talking about the process of team alignment and harnessing the power of your organization in my last three blog posts suggesting you have four team meetings devoted to the team process, in addition to the regular staff meetings you have as a team leader. These meetings are focused on team communication, connection, accountability and partnership, and on creating the context for bringing forward the talent, creativity and innovation that is crucial to organizational success. As promised, today I am outlining the fourth meeting in the series of creating collaborative leadership for the team, which is solution-focused, and provides an opportunity to move forward in a more dynamic way. In the process devoted to Collaborative Leadership through Team Alignment, the Solution Focus takes half a day to define and to have an actual work session to design an initiative or a detailed action solution. Then, in the renewal meetings, these qualities are emphasized and built into regular solutions throughout the year. Elements of the Fourth Meeting and renewal meetings moving forward:

  • Team members report what has gone well and where the challenges are, remaining solution- focused vs. blame-focused.
  • From the challenges presented, one can be selected for moving forward into a solution. Often this will involve some inquiry from others to create clarity in the situation, not to look for causative factors.
  • As the team moves forward, time should be given to the solution in the next staff meeting so that people have time to think about their offered suggestions. This creates the base for collaboration that is empowering, and accountability that taps into the strengths of each person on the team.
  • Devote a part of each meeting moving forward to presenting wins and challenges, and to giving each team member a time to receive the input of other team members on their particular challenge.
  • It has been found that the usual meeting model of each business leader giving a report of business does not engage everyone in the room; rather it becomes a report to the leader and to those who stay engaged. The important information for engaging the team in shared leadership is to look at what works (the wins) and what is not working (challenges), and what engages everyone in solution focus. The usual report can be handed out for reading once the important aspects have been said in the meeting.
Remember, Collaborative Leadership: How to Harness the Power in your People is the how-to for creating results now. Click on my published article Organizational Development through Creating Culture Change for more information on the four aspects for creating greater productivity in your organization. If you have questions or would like to contribute to the discussion, I would enjoy hearing from you. Please be sure to post a comment. For more information on creating cultural change within your organization visit http://www.bridgingassociates.com/ Read More

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Are your executive teams meeting consistently and producing results?

patricia6789 - Thursday, 27 October 2011 10:43

In my last two blog posts, “Are Your Executive Teams Looking Up for Answers?”and “Are Your Teams Taking Accountability for Their Results?” I discussed the importance of making team alignment a priority by scheduling regular team meetings, and I provided the outline for the first two meetings of four as a way of creating a more effective, functional, team for manifesting the stated goals and results of the business unit and the corporation.   Today, as promised, I am discussing the elements of the third meeting. The purpose of the first two meetings was to open up communication about each person’s role, and how the functions of each member can be connected to create better department results. The third meeting is a continuation of the process: • Take a few minutes for each team partnership to review their projects individually and to set some accountability agreements for the coming week. This is an opportunity for the leader of the team to model reporting on his/her goals and progress over the last weeks, and to request specific support. • Then give an opportunity for each person to give a brief, 2-3 minute, account of progress in fulfilling the opportunity to make agreements, have the supporting conversations, and to create the results. • Have Team Partners discuss any implementation details, and take time to set up check-in calls during the week, for 15 minutes. • Close meeting. Stay tuned for my next post on the fourth meeting which is solution-focused, and gives team members the opportunity to think about and present an area of challenge where a solution is needed. One of the reasons I developed the Team Alignment Process was to move teams into habitually using the Solution Focus rather than blaming or deconstructing to see where it went wrong in the past. Solution Focus focuses on creative thinking which leads to innovation and better results. A complete general description of the Team Alignment Process appears on the website http://www.bridgingassociates.com/ in the tab Team Alignment at the top of the Home Page. Read More

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