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<title>Smart Meetings RSS Feed</title><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/index.html</link><description>Useful items for facilitative leaders </description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2009 David Jago</dc:rights><dc:date>2012-02-06T14:07:39+10:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Mon, 6 Feb 2012 14:31:13 +1000</lastBuildDate><item><title>A place to call your own</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2012-02-06T14:07:39+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/a-place-to-call-your-own.html#unique-entry-id-26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/a-place-to-call-your-own.html#unique-entry-id-26</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is about making the most of your meeting space to help deliver good results.    As such, it must help people focus on the task at hand.


STEPS (which I have mentioned elsewhere) involves considering space, time, event-fulness, product and style as part of session design and staging.


The various aspects below are well known &ndash; I&rsquo;m not re-inventing the wheel here.  ...  Getting &lsquo;place&rsquo; right is not a &ldquo;tick and flick&rdquo; exercise.


...	&bull;	How accessible is the venue for people with a disability?


	&bull;	How easy (or otherwise) is it to find your way around the venue?

...Who may or may not use that place at the same time as others?


	&bull;	What match (or not) is needed with the social status of the participants?


...	&bull;	What kind of light (natural/artificial, direct/diffused...) will be best?


...What kind of doors and windows are there?    Do they facilitate the flow and work of people and ideas?


	&bull;	What building character (materials, sounds etc), will best support the needs of the session?

...	&bull;	What are the pros and cons of square vs rectangular vs round?  

...	&bull;	You must create focus through careful placement of furniture and decor.

...	&bull;	How much room do you need to hang stuff after it's been written down?


	&bull;	Walls must be clear: no curtains, air-con controls, fancy finishes, pillars...


	&bull;	Glass walls can work as hanging space and/or as 'whiteboards'.

...	&bull;	What kind of chairs, tables and other furniture will help the most?


...	&bull;	What technology (internet access, data projector/s etc) will best support the event?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tools of the trade: flip charts</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-12-29T08:14:24+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-flip-charts.html#unique-entry-id-25</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-flip-charts.html#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In my experience they need to work well physically, enable good communication, and contribute to your overall suite of facilitation or training tools.

...It&rsquo;s also good when the sheets are perforated so you can easily tear them off.


	&bull;	At the risk of stating the obvious, flip chart stands that don&rsquo;t move when you write on the charts, that are still easy to move around the room, and that make it easy to get the blocks of paper in & out.

If you&rsquo;re using a sticky wall, treat your sheets just like the A5 or A4 paper.     Those 3M self-supporting units can come in handy sometimes too.


...Typically, we or the participants tend to write dot points that capture what they have been saying.    This works well for folks who are &lsquo;word smart&rsquo;.    Alternative formats include mind maps, a variety of drawings and/or variations on these.

	&bull;	Like sticky notes and paragraphs, each sheet needs to have its own focus.   So, a heading tells everyone the topic of that sheet.    Also, a border around the sheet subtly focusses people&rsquo;s attention by enclosing the contents.


...It adds visual interest, helps retention and reinforces important parts of the group dialogue.

...Flip charts are the tool of choice to Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.    It also makes a difference how you set up the room.

	&bull;	If you are doing the writing, remember to face the group as much as possible.    Talking to the wall lacks a certain something&hellip;  Also, consider how you will get your flipcharts, whiteboard and projector working together to support your work.


	&bull;	We&rsquo;ve all had small groups report their work on flip charts.    One way to add value to this is to hang all the sheets together as a gallery.    You can then run a focussed conversation on this collected material, rather than rely on the vagaries of individual reporters.

So, what&rsquo;s your experience of choosing flip charts and using them to record and reflect a group&rsquo;s dialogue?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>On the dynamics of innovation</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-11-30T08:05:26+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-the-dynamics-of-innovation.html#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-the-dynamics-of-innovation.html#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Daniel Cook has written an excellent article, Visualising the Creative Process.   He summarises his ideas and extensive real world experience in developing computer games as follows:

	&bull;	Brainstorm: Create lots of low cost, real world experiments.


	&bull;	Cull: Rigorously apply agreed upon culling criteria to weed out the weak ideas and reinvest in your most promising experiments.


	&bull;	Cycle: Repeat the process until you generate meaningful value.


	&bull;	Practice: Across multiple projects, practice all stages of the creative process so you constantly improve the myriad of skills involved in brainstorming, culling and cycling.


He discusses what&rsquo;s actually involved in these four functions, and also ways to fail in them.    For visual learners, he offers this diagram: 


From my perspective, this cyclical flow has striking similarities to the dynamics of facilitation.    The &ldquo;spark&rdquo; is like the topic: the clearer that is, the more rigorous you can be with your &lsquo;experiments&rsquo; and &lsquo;culling criteria&rsquo;.


Cook says clear criteria help you make an early call about whether or not to cull an idea.    Value is generated and delivered by making many low cost experiments, culling ruthlessly (which maximises the good) and building as you go.    So, being rigorous along the way enables much greater value to be delivered at the end.


Less obviously, a workshop process where you cluster ideas and name those clusters precisely follows the same dynamic.   You have to be absolutely clear what common aspect of the topic the ideas are pointing to, and how they fit together as part of the whole.


Building agreement requires the same shared understanding of the agendas and values across a group &ndash; irrespective of whether it&rsquo;s the application of the culling criteria, or the naming of a cluster.    Value is delivered either way.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of facilitating innovation?    Please, share your thoughts below.


Go well!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Critical&#x2c; crucial&#x2c; difficult conversations</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-11-29T16:18:53+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/critical-crucial-difficult-conversations.html#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/critical-crucial-difficult-conversations.html#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not long ago, I came across some sites about critical or crucial conversations.  ...  The book (which came first) is also a best seller, with many good reviews on Amazon.


...The more I read, the more I could &ldquo;translate&rdquo; from the authors&rsquo; content to my own.   The points below are from the first link, with the Technology of Participation framework following.


Begin with facts, not accusations: Using descriptive and not prescriptive language, what are the data points behind the emotions and/or conflict?


...Recognising this is the starting point of transformation.


Acknowledge the difference in experiences: Using "I" statements describe how the behaviour was experienced as conflictual or emotive?


Uncover the hidden values or sensitive areas by creating safety: Explore what values might underlie the situation that has led to the conflict or emotional eruption.   State what you do and don&rsquo;t want to happen within the conversation.


...Asking this kind of question creates a sense of common ground.    It starts to build shared understanding of our frames of reference. ...  Acknowledging and actually embracing the complete situation opens up real choices.


Don't personalise or undermine character: Without use of judgement (shame or blame) and using "I" statements along with CPR&mdash;content, patterns, relationship&mdash;how was meaning made of the descriptive data points?


What new options or possible directions will work for us?  ...  It helps state whatever agreement has been reached and establishes a sense of new possibilities.  

...List the Next steps: Describe what each of you will do to address the situation or conflict.


...It helps conclude the conversation with commitment and a resolution to act.    It creates a sense of &lsquo;this will makes a difference&rsquo;.    It is about being courageous: standing in the gap between the no-longer and the not-yet.  

...So, what&rsquo;s your experience of handling difficult conversations?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>So tell me&#x2c; what is the real situation?</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-04-29T12:25:57+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/so-tell-me-what-is-the-real-situation.html#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/so-tell-me-what-is-the-real-situation.html#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ross Gittens wrote an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about the importance of context.    The meaning and importance we give experiences is hugely influenced by the context in which they occur.    Gittens borrows the widely used (eg: media studies, sociology, psychology and economics) concept of framing for this.


A picture frame focusses attention on the picture inside, and sets it apart from its surroundings.    It shapes how we look at the picture.  ...  Human beings are good at this &ndash; frames provide people a quick and easy way to process information.    So, frames can become a mental &ldquo;filter&rdquo; to help make sense of incoming messages.


Framing can be something that happens to us, as for example in advertising or political spin.    This gives the sender and framer of the information great power.    Consider the Bush administration&rsquo;s rapid re-framing of its response to 9/11 from &ldquo;terror as crime&rdquo; to the &ldquo;War on Terror&rdquo;.


...We can choose how we relate to a particular life experience.    For example, we can see losing a big tender as a learning opportunity rather than just a painful pile of crap.


It&rsquo;s important to note that while we can choose our frame/s, there must be a frame.    As Gittens says, &ldquo;All context is framing, and, stripped of their context, facts are meaningless.&rdquo;  

...So, what does this mean for us as facilitative leaders?    Firstly, part of our role is to help the group build and agree on a shared context.    Each part of the overall process contributes to this: defining the topic, generating information, creating shared understanding, discerning new options, deciding next steps.


Secondly, it provides a large range of practical tools for tackling difficult issues.  

...Designing a good processes and working effectively with difficult issues: you can&rsquo;t ask more than that.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of choosing and using frames?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cooking up a storm</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-03-02T18:35:44+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/cooking-up-a-storm.html#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/cooking-up-a-storm.html#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So, why is running a workshop like baking a cake?

Well, many folk only see facilitation as a set of tips, tricks, tools and techniques.    This is like saying that cooking is only about nutrition, recipes or &ldquo;five new things you can do with eggs&rdquo;.    If you only follow recipes, you are limited in what you can do.    And of course, there is a lot more to cooking than that.


To make a cake &ndash; we decide what kind of cake, we get all the ingredients, add them together in the right sequence, processing as we go.    The finished product looks nothing like the ingredients did.    Even in the mixing bowl they don&rsquo;t look like they did to begin with and they certainly don&rsquo;t look like the finished product.


You can see the metaphor I&rsquo;m creating here.    From deciding the topic ➠ brain-storming information ➠ organising that information ➠ shaping up the product ➠ getting the final result.


If we think of producing a multi-course meal &ndash; then we can potentially have the same thing several times in a row.    Additionally, there is a &lsquo;proper&rsquo; flow to these things with dessert following the main course and so on.


Finally, and at the risk of extending the metaphor too far, we also need to care for the kitchen, our working space and our tools.    (Hot tip: always sharpen the knife &ndash; it&rsquo;s much safer and saves time in the long run&hellip;)


In short, it&rsquo;s what you help make happen for the group and within yourself.    It&rsquo;s not just the content that changes.    People can get changed too!    You take the group on a journey: from now/here & I/me through the unknown to then/there & we/us.


So, <del>who&rsquo;s your favourite TV cook</del>?     Err&hellip; that is, what&rsquo;s your experience of cooking up a storm?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>ToP training now accredited as a Grad Dip&#x21;</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-11-30T10:57:55+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/top-training-now-accredited-as-graduate-diploma.html#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/top-training-now-accredited-as-graduate-diploma.html#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This course will enhance the understanding, capability and performance of people who are seeking to release the creativity and energy of groups and individuals.  

...	&bull;	Methods, skills and abilities for facilitating collaborative thinking, planning and solution finding.


	&bull;	Models and conceptual frameworks for understanding and leading change in behaviours, structures and cultures.


	&bull;	Mindsets, stances and convictions to anchor methods and models, and enhance personal action.


	&bull;	Applications for integrating methods, models and mindsets in real life.


...The ToPFL800 Vocational Graduate Diploma of Facilitative Leadership is nationally recognised and accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework.


...Introduces participants to group facilitation methods and the framework of individual, group and process dynamics that underpins them.


...Consolidates the basics and goes on to introduce and integrate complementary tools which allow adaptation to a wide variety of situations.


...Introduces an action- and results-oriented methodology to go from vision to action, from initial uncertainty to clear purpose and commitment.


...Unlocks personal and group capacity through stimulating perspectives on working with people who have very different ways of thinking, learning and communicating.


...Meaningful connections and constructive communication are basic to influencing others and negotiating agreements which endure and strengthen relationships.


...Explores the dynamics and forces of change through models and styles for leading, supporting, catalysing, initiating or responding to change.


...Explores the practice of leadership, and particularly some foundational understandings about the being dimension of leadership.


...Individual action research towards integrating facilitative leadership methods, models and mindsets into a chosen role.  

...The course is applicable to a wide range of people working to draw out the best in people, groups and organisations.


It is about becoming a facilitative leader, executive, project manager, coordinator, educator, coach, mentor, trainer, consultant, change agent, planner...


...If you have pre-existing skills in Facilitative Leadership but no formal recognition/qualifications, please contact us.


...We offer a Recognition of Prior Learning service which can help you gain formal recognition for your knowledge and skills in Facilitative Leadership, and save you time and money.


...Because this is accredited training, you can use all or part of it as credit towards other accredited study - such as project management, an MBA or human services.


...So, if you have any questions, or need any further information, please don't hesitate to phone or email me.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Out of the box&#x21;</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-11-04T13:26:27+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/out-of-the-box.html#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/out-of-the-box.html#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When I saw it, my first thought was &ldquo;how easy is that?&rdquo;    A simple system of boxes fitting inside each other ready to go.    It&rsquo;s easy to carry, easy to maintain and minimises the risk of forgetting something at the last minute.


So now I have different kits for different occasions.    There&rsquo;s the full kit which fits into the large size of box as shown in the picture (not my actual kit&hellip;).  

...Then there&rsquo;s the briefcase kit containing a smaller amount of each sub-set of the full kit.


Finally there&rsquo;s the pocket kit, which is really just a pack of post-it notes and participants have to bring their own pens.


...Here&rsquo;s what I have in my full facilitation kit:

...Markers, pens, lots of dots, masking and sticky (scotch) tape, plain paper tape (streamers), blutac.


	&bull;	Toys & art/craft stuff (same list as last month):  Balls, eg: koosh, squeeze/stress, juggling.    Craft items, eg: pipe cleaners (chenille sticks/stems or fuzzy wires), paper & cardboard, felt, glue/s, paints/markers/crayons/pastels, modelling materials (clay, Play-Doh&trade;, Plasticine&trade;, wax).  

...Mostly things to put on tables &ndash; cloths, little art pieces like glass fish or fruit made from coloured wool felted into shape.    Also useful quotes and such like to put on walls.

I also like to use a sticky wall.   (A piece of cloth or plastic sprayed with repositionable glue&Dagger; and attached to a wall or other smooth vertical surface.    Paper sticks to it nicely and can be moved many times &ndash; just the thing for building and re-building clusters of ideas.)    It&rsquo;s light, stows away easily and has a pretty good wow factor.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of keeping the chaos under control? 

...&Dagger;  Please note: the glue is now classified as &lsquo;dangerous goods&rsquo;, which means airlines won&rsquo;t carry it.    Therefore: pre-spray the plastic and carry it around folded up.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Toys of the Trade</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-10-04T11:11:47+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/toys-of-the-trade.html#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/toys-of-the-trade.html#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, who-ever said meetings had to be boring?

Great meetings, conversations and workshops happen first by design and then by implementation.    If you are not planning for eventfulness and engagement, then in effect you are planning for it not to happen.  

...To my way of thinking, toys are objects that help take participants out of their heads and into a different space.  

...Craft items, eg: pipe cleaners (chenille sticks/stems or fuzzy wires), paper & cardboard, felt, glue/s, paints/markers/crayons/pastels, modelling materials (clay, Play-Doh&trade;, Plasticine&trade;, wax).  

...For me, there are two main reasons why would you use toys:

	&bull;	They help set up a relaxed working environment.    I generally leave them lying around next to where people are sitting.    I tell them that stuff is there for them to use informally, or not, as they like.    Conversely, toys can be used in a variety of structured games to lift the energy of a group.    Be aware though that for some groups, games are still uncomfortably &ldquo;touchy-feely&rdquo;.


	&bull;	Toys engage a different type of &ldquo;smart&rdquo; or intelligence.    Many people perceive and understand the world best through hands on activity (body-smart) or through visualised objects and spatial dimensions (image-smart).    As such, toys help stimulate the creativity and engagement of a wider range of participants.

Taken together, these reasons contribute at each stage of a meeting or workshop.    Your choice of toys and how you context their use helps focus the group on the topic at hand.    By engaging extra smarts, they stimulate new & divergent thinking.    Similarly, toys help people build shared understanding and converge on agreed outcomes.    Finally, they can open up different ways of telling a common story about those outcomes and hence a commitment to action.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of choosing and using toys in working groups and situations?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sound bites&#x2c; spin&#x2c; elections &#x26; outcomes</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-09-03T09:05:49+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/sound-bites-spin-elections-and-outcomes.html#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/sound-bites-spin-elections-and-outcomes.html#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Let&rsquo;s take some examples from the online side of things.    I want to look at some articles that people write, the responses to them and the pattern they make.


...His articles are well grounded in evidence, with a minimum of speculation.    He wrote a piece on &lsquo;constitutional realities&rsquo; here, and another on the usefulness (or otherwise) of the two-party preferred vote, here.


...Most are complimentary, especially with respect to his &ldquo;lucid, spin-free explanations&rdquo; of how the various governance processes work.    Some take him to task on various aspects of his articles.    Generally these comments are all &lsquo;evidence based&rsquo;, like the articles.    The balance of the comments are people arguing with each other, more or less politely.    These comments tend to have less evidence and more heat.


...He wrote an article here on the costs and benefits of the proposed National Broadband Network.    He introduces a spread of information (including assumptions made) before stating priorities and drawing conclusions.    None of this is remarkable, except that not much of it seemed to be done during the election campaign by the major political parties.    Again, the comments vary from short and sweet/bitter to long and positive/negative.


I follow several blogs and I&rsquo;ve noticed that the degree of moderation (where the blog author exercises control over whether comments will be published) is key to the quality of dialogue.    No control always seems to lead to a downward spiral of unsupported statements and &lsquo;arguments&rsquo; along the lines of the famous Monty Python sketch.    This is the case with all the articles I&rsquo;ve seen published by the online versions of the various Australian newspapers.


...It strikes me that one key is the extent of moderation mentioned above.    Another would be introducing the same kind of flow used in facilitated sessions: context, info gathering, info organising, determining priorities or key areas, and finally a conclusion with which people can live.


I&rsquo;ll have to leave the mechanics of this to another time...


So, what tools and approaches for facilitative leadership have you used to provide evidence, harness heat, generate light and produce robust agreements?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cards on the table&#x2c; or the wall&#x2c; or...</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-08-06T18:41:30+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/cards-on-the-table-or-the-wall-or....html#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/cards-on-the-table-or-the-wall-or....html#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Simply something on which an individual or small group writes its data for processing during the rest of the workshop.  


It will vary according to the size of the group and the needs of the session.    Sticky notes are good for 2-4 people, A5 sheets are good up to 20 people, A4 sheets work up to 60 people.  

...Cards can be colour-coded to help distinguish between different types of data or where you might be &ldquo;pre-clustering&rdquo;.  ...  I&rsquo;ve seen hexagonal cards used with great effect, especially when creating &lsquo;stepping stones&rsquo;.    Usually, however, they are rectangular because that&rsquo;s how paper comes out of the packet.  

...The better the data on the cards, the easier, faster and more effective the rest of the session.  

...	&bull;	Giving a really clear context or focus for the session.


...	&bull;	Giving clear instructions about what&rsquo;s needed, supported with some examples.

...Clustering the (quality) data starts by connecting items and then explores those connections in depth.    This is physically reinforced by moving items around as required.    If a card has multiple items, those items can potentially go to different clusters...


...If people at the back of the room or the table are struggling to read what&rsquo;s there, it&rsquo;s yet another obstacle to their participation.    A good idea here is to only give people those marker pens with the big tips.  

...4&ndash;6 words per item is about keeping the expression of the idea/issue/data simple.  ...  The story can be explained further, if required, and extra notes added to make sure the detail is not lost.


Once you&rsquo;ve finalised a cluster and given it a clear title that captures the underlying insight, you can write that title on a new card.    Outline it in red for extra effect if you want.    Then you can run a line of sticky tape down the whole cluster to keep the cards together when they are all packed up.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of choosing and using cards?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tools of the trade: beyond the question</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-07-05T08:23:58+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-beyond-the-question.html#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-beyond-the-question.html#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What does it take to get the job done?

...In this case, I am looking at tools for people to get things done together, whether they are drawing in the sand, writing with pens, modelling with clay, acting out a drama, or even using computers.


So, when I&rsquo;m thinking about the knowledge, skills and attributes of facilitation, leadership and transformation, I sometimes find some type of physical analogy helpful.    The knowledge, tools and skills are all clear.


For example: there is an amazing variety of saws just for wood &ndash; table, power and hand; western and japanese, big to tiny; rip, cross-cut, tenon, dovetail&hellip;  It&rsquo;s one thing to know about them, it&rsquo;s another thing altogether to be able to use one.


Here are some woodwork type categories to be going on with:

...You must determine what the client and/or situation really wants.


...Style, quality and cost are all important product considerations! 

...You have to organise your work to deliver the specified product/s &ndash; on time and on budget. 

...Choosing the right tool for the job is a skill on its own, let alone being able to use it well!  

...Being well set up makes a lot of difference: materials storage, space for tools, work-bench/es and moving around, good light & ventilation...

Of course, we don&rsquo;t always need the latest whizz-bang  tool to achieve good results.   Check out this photo of a carpenter in the Punjab.    He is turning out good quality results in less than stellar conditions.    The difference is the experience and skill that he brings to the task.


...Some questions to help you use this type of analogy to explore and explain the knowledge, skills and attributes of facilitation and leadership:

	&bull;	What thoughts occurrred to you as you were reading this?


	&bull;	What other types of work could you compare and contrast with?


	&bull;	How would you implement any fresh insights in your practise?

So, what&rsquo;s your experience of choosing and using tools?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Maximising Meeting (and Workshop) Outcomes</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-06-06T16:01:21+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/maximising-meeting-and-workshop-outcomes.html#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/maximising-meeting-and-workshop-outcomes.html#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But aren&rsquo;t they really the same when it&rsquo;s all boiled down?

...	&bull;	In my experience, effective meetings and workshops are both underpinned by the same framework of preparation, design and implementation.  

...	&bull;	Conversely, for some of the group, meetings and workshops were completely different in terms of participants, timing, topics and outcomes.    As such, the only thing these events had in common was the project they were working on.

In addition, this part of the group were looking for some techniques to help them manage their meetings.    Meetings were often a problem, and they wanted a way to just fix them.    This is a more comprehensive version of my response.


Firstly, you should prepare, design and run the meeting as discussed in previous articles.    To recap: be clear with everyone about the bottom-line for the meeting; make sure all the available information gets shared and cross-connected; figure out what the priorities are; and finally &ndash; make a decision.


...It is about having a clear structure and process in place.    You can do this with an introduction followed by a simple series of questions that guide the discussion to a clear conclusion.    It&rsquo;s faster, more comprehensive and gives better results for the long term.


Secondly, when the going gets difficult you need to separate the person from their position.    That is, you work with what they say and mean, rather than how they say it.


One way to do this is three-part assertion messages.  

...This format teases the objective data apart from acknowledging the tensions and the &lsquo;why&rsquo;.


Thirdly, you can see how these work together as a nested process.    A given meeting might have several topics to cover, combining to make an overall whole. ...  Each process can in turn be broken down as required to cover all the different aspects properly.


So, what great tools have you used to make sure good decisions get made whilst keeping on track and on time?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>On public memory and d&#xe9;j&#xe0; vu all over again</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-05-03T20:23:59+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-public-memory-and-deja-vu-all-over-again.html#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-public-memory-and-deja-vu-all-over-again.html#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But how to do it well?


The idea is to get a record of the group&rsquo;s work.    Something you &lsquo;prepared earlier&rsquo; doesn&rsquo;t usually count as their work.    So PowerPoint doesn&rsquo;t cut it unless you can type really fast and facilitate at the same time.


This record must be accessible by the group at all times and be an accurate reflection of their work.    Therefore, two other things not to do are:

...In this case, public (as in Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall) means that:

	&bull;	Everyone can refer to it &ndash; everyone owns it and can commit to it.


	&bull;	Participants start to dialogue with the data, rather than arguing with each other.


	&bull;	Power tends to go with the table rather than &lsquo;the scribe&rsquo; or the loudest person.


...Let&rsquo;s run through some of the other considerations in turn.    Firstly, what forms of information do you want or need to use in your meeting?  

...Secondly, what media or tools can you use?  ...  A sticky wall is a personal favourite of mine.  

...Finally, there&rsquo;s the whole question of who does the recording.    Getting the group to do their own recording means:

	&bull;	Lots of people writing (or whatever), versus you being a bottleneck in the process.    It&rsquo;s parallel rather than serial processing.


	&bull;	They are using their own words (or whatever), saving you from at least one of the mistakes above.  

...So, what great ways have you used to reflect and record what your groups have done?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Dead Horse Strategies&#xd;</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-04-02T19:25:41+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/dead-horse-strategies.html#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/dead-horse-strategies.html#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This fairly well known piece of humour, contrasts &ldquo;Dakota tribal wisdom&rdquo; with what supposedly happens in the corporate/government/non-profit world.    Instead, one or more of the following strategies (I&rsquo;ve only listed a sub-set) are tried:

	&bull;	Appoint a committee to study the horse.


	&bull;	Blame the rider and hire outside contractors to ride the dead horse.


	&bull;	Buy a stronger whip.


	&bull;	Declare that since the horse is dead, we must now ride smarter, not harder.


	&bull;	Harness several dead horses together for increased speed.


	&bull;	Kill all the other horses, so this one will look the same.


	&bull;	Promote the horse to a supervisory position.


...	&bull;	Threaten the horse with termination.


&Dagger; Apologies to the original creator of this cartoon &ndash; I can&rsquo;t find you credited anywhere.


So what is it with this flogging a dead horse?    Why do we do this?    What factors lead us to persist with an idea, a decision, a strategy beyond its use-by date?   Two that occur to me are:

	&bull;	Unwilling or unable to let go of what you&rsquo;ve invested so far.    This means you can&rsquo;t step back and evaluate the situation objectively.


...Other people seem to want to keep going.    Either actively in what they say or do, or passively by being noncommittal.

So, what&rsquo;s your experience of riding dead horses? 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Participation 101</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-03-18T15:19:18+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/participation-101.html#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/participation-101.html#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We all tune in to other people when we talk and work with them.    This helps us to understand where they are coming from.    In other words, the meaning/s behind what they say and do.


As we were working with the participants, it became clear that the training was not connecting with them.    Their starting point was not what we had assumed, based on our previous experience of participants in other sectors.   Their education had included little or no interaction or participation.    They therefore had no real idea of what to do in a facilitation context.


Our responsibility was therefore to figure out where they actually were and start from there.    It was up to us to fit with them, and then move along in small steps.


...Our solution was to add a direct &ldquo;facilitation does&hellip;&rdquo; component onto the existing facilitation is not&hellip; facilitation is&hellip; and from&hellip; to&hellip; chunks.


In summary, this component said:

	&bull;	Facilitation enables participation by getting the people in a group to talk with each other.


	&bull;	You do this by asking open questions (and waiting for responses), providing contextual information and giving appropriate instructions.


	&bull;	The group does the work of generating and organising information, identifing what is important and stating the outcome/s.


	&bull;	There is a sequence to doing this &ndash; one structure, many applications.


	&bull;	If you are doing more talking than listening, then it's actually a presentation.

We used the metaphor that the facilitator is like a guide &ndash; they navigate the group through a journey to an outcome, such as a plan, or decision, or solution.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of participation?    Go online and post a comment.


...&Dagger; Training run under the USAID BACET (Building Agribusiness Capacity in East Timor) Program, managed by Land O&rsquo;Lakes. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>In praise of the humble marker</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-02-02T17:06:36+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/in-praise-of-the-humble-marker.html#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/in-praise-of-the-humble-marker.html#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, one part of the answer lies in the &ldquo;write it down and hang it on the wall&rdquo; story.   No one can read ball point text from the back of the room. ...  This shifts the focus from shared to private data and reduces your ability to generate agreement.


...What are some of the other considerations in choosing markers? 

...For example, you can highlight areas of importance and/or agreement.   On the other hand, colours like yellow are too light for distance work.


...I generally prefer bullet point because it&rsquo;s easier to write.   Conversely, some people like the flexibility of chisel points to give both thick and thin lines.


	&bull;	I have a box of markers in my tool kit that only get used outdoors. ...  Some markers have low odour or nice floral scents to enhance their use.


	&bull;	Some markers use a special ink that doesn&rsquo;t bleed through thin paper.   This can be important where venues are particular about keeping their walls and table cloths clean.

...A nice glossy paper makes text and lines more visible.   Being more expensive, it encourages you to make the most of your material and be more professional in your presentation.


	&bull;	If you are &ldquo;card-storming&rdquo;, markers encourage participants to be more concise, because they can physically fit less words in the available space.


...In every size of group, the person with the pen controls what is written &ndash; for better and/or worse. 

...Only use white board pens if a white board is in the room.   Other folks I know roll some masking tape around the barrel of the pen so they can immediately feel which type of pen they are holding.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of markers?   What do you think about when choosing and using them?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fresh outcomes demand fresh approaches</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-26T15:28:24+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/fresh-outcomes-demand-fresh-approaches.html#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/fresh-outcomes-demand-fresh-approaches.html#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One way to think of a workshop or conversation is as a form of information processing.   In this context, you have to start with the end in mind.   That is: the outcome you are aiming for.   Therefore &ndash; what information, processed in what way will deliver that outcome?


...You&rsquo;ve already defined your outcome: this is the Practical Result.   What new information do you need as a starting point towards the list, decision, plan, agreement or what ever.


...What will you do to enable the "comprehensive coverage of..." or the "objective analysis of..." to come about?


So, how do you get the information you need?   The &lsquo;brainstorm&rsquo; question is not necessarily the same as the Focus Question.   The latter is different in that it can function across several linked sessions. 

...Therefore, what &lsquo;question&rsquo;, asked in what way, will elicit that information? 

...No amount of high falutin&rsquo; processing is going to fix up crap data.


...You can think of it as word-smithing in reverse.   Consider these two questions: &ldquo;...factors involved in XYZ&rdquo; and &ldquo;...forces driving XYZ&rdquo; What different responses will they elicit from the group?


...Sometimes, even with good preparation, you won&rsquo;t ask quite the right question. 

...It means avoiding questions that can be answered with yes or no.


...Double barrelled questions are just plain confusing and only generate poor quality information.


	&bull;	It&rsquo;s not always a question. ...  It&rsquo;s a matter of subtle additions and responses to the conversation that guide it in the required direction.

So, what&rsquo;s your experience of crafting precise questions to get the information required to expand a group&rsquo;s thinking?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Staying on track</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-12-02T09:45:40+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/staying-on-track.html#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/staying-on-track.html#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Distil all the factors into a common reference point

The focus question is pretty much what it sounds like.    You use it to focus the attention of the group on the topic.    If their attention wanders off, you use that question to bring the focus back into line.  

...	&bull;	Name the topic (eg: improving project management practices).


	&bull;	Identify the stakeholders (eg: clients, staff & future users) and participants (eg: project leaders, staff & key client representatives).


	&bull;	Identify the timeframe (eg: 6 months).


	&bull;	Be open-ended, so that it initiates the group&rsquo;s creativity and connects with each participant.    It&rsquo;s usually a &ldquo;what&rdquo; or a &ldquo;how&rdquo; question.


❦ Graphic courtesy of Simon Kneebone (the artist) and Institute of Cultural Affairs: Australia.


A well crafted focus question takes account of, and leads directly to, three types of session outcomes:

...The kind of tangible product the session needs to achieve.   For example: A set of key learnings from the project/s to date.


	&bull;	Rational Aim: The kind of thinking and decision-making required for the session to develop that tangible product.   For example: Objective analysis of project achievements/failures.


	&bull;	Experiential Aim: How people will be different at the end of the session as a result of their working together and their product.   For example: People will feel like they can actually use the learnings, going forward.

...What new practise mechanisms must we incorporate<br> 

...So, what&rsquo;s your experience of keeping meetings on track? ...  Please, go online and post a comment.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>On with the show&#x21;</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-11-02T12:48:44+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-with-the-show.html#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/on-with-the-show.html#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In putting together such an event, you have to design the meeting process (this looks like an agenda or a running sheet), get the logistics in place (like catering and pens), and make it sparkle&hellip;


...❦ Graphic courtesy of Simon Kneebone (the artist) and Institute of Cultural Affairs: Australia.


Design is about making it happen &ndash; going beyond tips, tricks and methods to a session that gets the group to a result.    To do this, you need to work through two things: the format of the session and the experience of the participants.


The first part is about thinking through the structure of the session.   What are the practical (tangible outputs), rational (new thinking/awareness) and experiential (how people will be different) outcomes?    What actual sequence of process steps will deliver those outcomes?    What will you do and say?


In the second part, you design two related journeys for the participants.  ...  It goes from individual thinking, to working in small groups, to the whole group building a shared understanding.  ...  It flows from context to workshop to reflection, with each transition highlighting further change, urgency and committment.


Staging is about bringing it all to life &ndash; an effective production calls for the best script, stage directions and props.    Five key aspects of this are:

	&bull;	Space &ndash; eg: venue location & layout, lighting, seating and decor.


	&bull;	Time &ndash; eg: appropriate scheduling and disciplined time management.


	&bull;	Eventfulness &ndash; eg: being culturally sensitive, changes of pace, just having fun.


	&bull;	Product &ndash; eg: tangible outcomes documented and delivered rapidly.


	&bull;	Style &ndash; eg: your own presentation and way of relating to the group.

So, what&rsquo;s your experience of making events sparkle?    Please, go online and post a comment.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Towards worthwhile meetings</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-10-01T08:10:51+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/towards-worthwhile-meetings.html#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/towards-worthwhile-meetings.html#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So, how can you make meetings worth while &ndash; for yourself and everyone else?  

...If there&rsquo;s no discernible purpose, don&rsquo;t do it.

...The content is predictable, the process is well established, efficiency is high and good outcomes are routine.

	&bull;	Third are those meetings where the stakes are high enough that you have to get it right.

...What research have you done to explore and validate it?    Why would people want to come together and work with on that topic?    What&rsquo;s in it for you and for them?


...What issues and/or opportunities are driving the topic?    What events or forces are happening beyond the immediate concerns that make this topic important right now?


Who are the stakeholders &ndash; what are their needs and interests with respect to the topic?    How do you find out about those needs and interests. ...  Which of those stakeholders will be part of the actual meeting?


...What impact does that have on the other factors?


Getting clear on all this is often an iterative process.    Each time you go round the loop, it gets clearer.  ...  Strangely enough though, it doesn&rsquo;t have to take a long time.  

...You can use the same tools and approaches to understand the terrain for a meeting as you use to make the meeting itself more effective.  

...Finally, you have to approach meeting preparation with an open mind.    Meetings are an opportunity to achieve something useful rather than gritting your teeth or running away (what ever form that takes).  

...So, what&rsquo;s your experience of a meeting with a clear purpose or point?  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to plan a good meeting</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-09-02T21:41:02+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/how-to-plan-a-good-meeting.html#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/how-to-plan-a-good-meeting.html#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A route map for preparation & design

The first two parts of this map are about figuring out what the situation needs.    That is, why are you meeting?    With the topic, it&rsquo;s the general picture.   With the context, it&rsquo;s the issue or opportunity drivers.


The last three parts are about designing your meeting.    How are you meeting?   With the event design, it&rsquo;s the agenda and all the mechanics.    With the focus question, it&rsquo;s the organising thread.    With the brainstorm questions, it&rsquo;s about eliciting the information you actually need.


Other newsletters will work through this map in more detail, and also discuss how to run a good meeting.


So, what&rsquo;s your experience of a well planned meeting?    Let us know.


Go well!


David Jago

david@smartmeetings.com.au


Download this article as a PDF.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-03T11:22:00+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/write-it-down-and-hang-it-on-the-wall.html#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/write-it-down-and-hang-it-on-the-wall.html#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


...Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


	3	When someone offers an idea, Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.    If they offer it repeatedly, point to where it is written down and hanging on the wall.


	4	If someone attacks a person for a "dumb" idea, ask them where the idea is written down and hung on the wall.  ...  Move the discussion to the idea, away from the person who offered it.    If additions, qualifications, pros & cons, or clarifications are offered, Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


	5	When the group is discussing, voting on, or coming to consensus around a solution,  Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


	6	When the group moves away from the agreed issue, go to where you wrote it down and hung it on the wall.    Call their attention to it, and give them the choice to change the issue.    Go back to the one they agreed to and show how this one affects the one they agreed to.  ...  Whatever they decide, Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


	7	When the group moves away from the agreed process, go to where you wrote it down and hung it on the wall.    Call their attention to it, and give them the choice to change the process.    Go back to the one they agreed to and show how this one affects the one they agreed to.  ...  Whatever they decide, Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


...Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.


...Write it Down and Hang it on the Wall.

Ned closes with: &ldquo;And mostly &ndash; if someone is running on about something that is not germane, don't write anything on the wall. 

...You may or may not agree with all of Ned&rsquo;s list. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tools of the Trade: The Question</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-07-02T09:13:00+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-the-question.html#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/tools-of-the-trade-the-question.html#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Once, when hunting around on the web, I came across an article written by a chap called Chip Scanlan.  

...Scanlan&rsquo;s article contains some effective exhibits of questions that don&rsquo;t & do work.   In each case, he teases out why they fail or succeed.


One indicator he gives is the ratio of question length to answer length.   In one case the question, at 107 words, was longer than the 82-word answer. 

...&hellip;how a short question (27 words) invites and provokes a much longer 


...But it&rsquo;s not just quantity; after all, some politicians 


and bureaucrats go on as if they were paid the word. 

...answer that provides a nuanced, complete response that would help the 


reporter understand &mdash; and more effectively communicate to the public&hellip;


...Scanlan ends with A Prescription for Healthier Questions which also works for the facilitative leader. 

...Questions that start with what, how, or why tend to get more complete responses.   It&rsquo;s about opening out the space and expanding the information available to everyone.


	3	One question at a time.   When the Chasers fire off 10 quick questions at an unsuspecting celebrity it makes for good comedy, not good answers. 

...Too much is just confusing and can make folks defensive.   It&rsquo;s also pretty silly if your question is lost in all the verbiage.  

...	5	The intent behind your question counts for a lot.    You&rsquo;re not a barrister grilling a &lsquo;hostile&rsquo; witness or a current affairs reporter harassing an subject into making a mistake.   You are there to enable a group to build a shared understanding. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Introducing Da Vinci Consulting</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-11T19:06:31+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/introducing-da-vinci-consulting.html#unique-entry-id-1</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/introducing-da-vinci-consulting.html#unique-entry-id-1</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Karen generally works with senior managers and leaders.   In the first instance, she helps them to define HR strategy for their organisation.    She then works with them to translate this strategy into practical initiatives which will help develop the culture they wish to create.


Like Smart Meetings, her end goal is to achieve improved business performance through the people in the organisation.


...	&bull;	Development and implementation of HR strategy


	&bull;	HR and organisational reviews


	&bull;	Organisational improvement and change strategy design and implementation


	&bull;	Design, development, communication and review of HR systems and policies which underpin work culture.   This has included: performance management & appraisal; managing grievances; role descriptions & task assignment; career development; flexible work practices; 

...	&bull;	Communication and interpersonal skills development


...	&bull;	Recruitment and selection policy and practices


	&bull;	Facilitation &ndash; team meetings, focus groups and workshops 

...	&bull;	Over 20 years experience as an organisational psychologist and senior HR practitioner, including 8 years consulting experience, mainly in professional services organisations


	&bull;	Significant experience in Defence and Mining, including senior leadership roles within a change environment


...Contact Karen on 0408 876 531, or kldunshea@bigpond.com.


...Having read something of Karen&rsquo;s expertise & background: 

	&bull;	Where did any of this connect or disconnect for you?


	&bull;	What links did you see between her work on one hand, and participatory practises on the other? 


	&bull;	What did you find most useful?  


...If you found this article helpful, please pass the word to someone who may be interested. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Connecting the dots</title><dc:creator>david@smartmeetings.com.au</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-06-08T16:06:09+10:00</dc:date><link>http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/connecting-the-dots.html#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.smartmeetings.com.au/news/articles_files/connecting-the-dots.html#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In organisational planning, two aspects you'd be working on are commitment and alignment.


...By commitment I mean an agreement to support the outcomes after the planning is done.   By alignment, I mean a shared story about the plan, made specific for each area and level. 

Current best-practices for this focus on:

	&bull;	Enabling individuals and groups to explore the real issues which confront them.


	&bull;	Tapping the breadth of their ideas and the depth of their understanding.


	&bull;	Building an awareness of their shared organisational aspirations, connections and contradictions.

Once the plans are made, organisational management begins.    An aspect you'd be deciding on here is the organisational structure that best supports your overall strategy.    It takes courage to realistically appraise the various alternatives, avoiding the twin perils of change for its own sake and of no change at all.


Then there's people and performance management.   For fans of managing with numbers, those numbers are set back in the planning process.   For fans of managing by touch, it's about ensuring there are enough opportunities to get the pulse. 

...	&bull;	Targets/measures that support the objectives and strategies.


	&bull;	Pro-actively doing 'stuff' that ensures these are met.   These could include appropriate report & review processes and actions to support tracking to successful outcomes, such as to plan, or to target.


...This first article has presented a framework that ties organisational planning, people and performance into a complete whole. 

	&bull;	Where did any of this connect or disconnect for you? 


	&bull;	What did you find most useful?  


...If you found this article helpful, please pass the word to someone who may be interested. 
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