Yes, you can interrupt

I was graphic recording at a client's leaders meeting last week and I had the wonderful - and often rare - opportunity to be quiet, look, listen and scribe or capture the visual and verbal elements of the conversation. 

No need for me to facilitate or guide or lead or direct or anything! Just listen and scribe. 

I've been recently coaching the new team leader in handling his diverse, enthusiastic and energetic team! They are a powerhouse when they get together. Ideas flying about the room, possibilities, energy and 'let's do it' enthusiasm!

We'd worked through the Facilitator 4-Step in a couple of coaching sessions and he was off and running this workshop/meeting using the model.

All going well.

All but one little thing; well, a big thing really.

He was too 'polite' to interrupt. He let people talk on and on and on. He wanted to make sure they had their say and put their views forward. 

That is great. Lovely approach. Open and trusting environment... etc etc etc. 

In our post-workshop conversation I confirmed that yes, you can interrupt. But interrupt with something that doesn't include your own view. 

Interrupt ... with a clarifying question: 'How can we link this back to the topic on the table?' 'What is the essence of your view?' 'What is the #1 concern you have?'

Too many conversations and meetings involve interruptions that say 'my point is more important than yours' or 'yeah I know what you're about to say and I think it's ....'

As a leader, facilitator, trainer or other role that's aiming to draw out, guide to an outcome or boost collaboration, you can interrupt. But interrupt with something that will serve your whole purpose for being together - not your own view or position. 

Space matters

I worked with a driven group of industry leaders yesterday, developing their skills in working collaboratively with groups and capturing their innovative thinking. 

The day was a huge reminder about ... space.

The venue 'bumped us' from the booked space we had that was light, airy and open - perfect for thinking, breathing and creating ... to the 'under the stairs' space. Actually, it was next to the stairs. 

Next to the stairs that were the thoroughfare for those other light and airy spaces upstairs that were being used by larger groups with bigger names. 

The space was dirty, dusty and a disaster waiting to happen. Health and safety issues in all corners of the room : tripping hazards, temperature challenges and all round uncomfortable.

We adapted, moved things, liaised, worked around stuff and carried on, keeping it in perspective and working to be collaborative, innovative.

But it was there... all day. It was this 'thing' that was there. The 'space' thing. 

I'm certain it restricted our thinking, impacted on our performance and didn't allow for our best work to be done. 

If you've got the option to take the cheap space... don't. And if you've got an option to not run a session, to change the location, timing or other arrangements ... do. 

You're investing so much time, energy, dollars and people that the space they will work in - where you're wanting them to do their best work - really does matter. 

Collaborate + Improvise = Survival

"In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed." - Charles Darwin

Just loving what Darwin was saying here - we've got to be able to play well with others, and be able to handle what happens... make stuff up! 

That's innovation, collaboration, creation, being responsive, adapting, reiterating, going again.

Working with a client last week and the team needed to truly 'play well with each other' to create a new range of solutions. There were voices from clients and customers, users and stakeholders added into the mix. 

Then it was 'on'. Let's go! Some improvisation games, some creative thinking, some visual thinking and a range of other techniques and tools helped bring the crew together and get the best out of them. 

(Oh, and it had to be fun. They wanted fun. They said 'fun' as part of their working agreement for the day.)

The team wants to take the approaches we used to other parts of the business to shake things up a bit and to get more out of their meetings, workshops and interactions.

It involves getting up off your feet, moving around, talking to people, writing stuff, drawing stuff, playing with stuff and generally firing up your brain. 

Mmmmmm - good stuff!

A little more conversation - a lot more action

A logistics client of mine is having their senior leaders forum next week - they do this around every 90 days. I facilitate the gathering of 80 leaders to ensure they can all participate, that we stay on track and that there are some serious outcomes after some wonderful collaboration.

So when you have a team gathering scheduled on the calendar and you're busy finding a meeting room, remember this above all other arrangements :

Ask    ________________________________    Tell

You see, it can't be all talk. That isn't a forum. That wouldn't be a team thing.  That would be a presentation.

Any time you bring people together, stop with all the talking and telling will you!

Wander along to the other end of the continuum and be sure to engage, question, ask and have a co-nversation.

Co = together. Bring people together so they can collaborate, communicate, co-create and co-design the changes and activities that will achieve your business or project strategy.
It's quicker and will get you more buy-in than you simply telling them. Seriously it will.

There are still a lot of 'all talk' bad habits out there. It can be a whole new way of looking at things and that can seem challenging at times.

• How do we get their input and ideas? 
• How do we wind people up once they start?
• What if it gets out of hand?
• How will we wrap up the day?
• What if....what if... what if...

I think every gathering, workshop or strategy session needs The 9 Elements of Collaboration. I make sure they are brought to the teams and clients I work with, every time they get the team together.

Let me know about your next gathering of the team - what do you want to have happen?  Let's work on designing an agenda, an event and processes that are engaging, creative and collaborative and most of all... designed to make things happen.

Otherwise you're all talk!

Reflect, Tune, Adjust - that's Agile

Several colleagues in my network are releasing manifestos - a declaration of their intentions or views or the philosophies behind their thinking and their business. 

Some of them are lists of statements, others are beautifully designed slides or photo images perfect for Pinterest!

My favourite manifesto is the Agile Manifesto and for those who work in the project or software development world, this may be well known to you. But for those who aren't living in project-land, Agile still has so much to offer.

Here's why...

• Reflect, tune and adjust
• Build projects around motivated individuals
• Changing requirements are welcome
• Early and continuous delivery...

These are the hallmarks of an innovative team, a capable leader and a collaborative group of folks who are open to what's going on. No matter what field you're in or what you're working on, whether it's your own business ideas, a new project or piece of work or a whole new career, adopting just some of the agile principles from the manifesto can give you a new take on some of your old, tired practices. 

The key points of the manifesto are visualised here. 

Look, think, let it marinate... how might you bring some of this agility to your current ways of working, thinking, collaborating and creating?