Is it for information only

The difference between being invited for consultation and information are so, so different. 

Yet they’re often substituted. 

🔅‘Please comment on this change’ is different to ‘this change is happening’. 

🔅‘What do you think of this proposed process’ is different to ‘things will change on the 8th of the month’. 

🔅’What’s your advice on this idea’ is different to ‘here’s how things are going to be’. 

Check if it’s really consultation or just information. 

Don’t invite people to a forum if there’s no discussion, input, invitation or conversation. 

That’s information. 

If it’s all PowerPoint and the same heads talking ... that’s information, not consultation. 

Sadly, many people are so ready to give their ideas and suggestions, but there’s no room. time or space for it. 

The newer world of work makes many more opportunities available for co-creation, consultation and collaboration ... not just communication. 

It’s acknowledging that people have plenty clever, creativity and ingenuity to share ... to help solve tricky problems, deliver greater value and make faster change. 

That’s richer than ‘for your information’. 

What can you turn from information into consultation? 

To draw out from others

How are you at the skill of elicitation? Can you draw information and contributions out of people? 

Why elicit : because they’ve got something to contribute or expertise we need to tap into. 

Elicitation isn’t just asking one question and then waiting for the answer. It’s more often about an ongoing conversation, back and forth. It’s getting to the point, finding the key information, uncovering the challenge or problem or insight. 

We can’t wait until people speak up or ‘lean in’.

To elicit is to actively collaborate with someone to help them contribute and give. 

It’s asking, encouraging, clarifying, listening, hearing, repeating back, wondering, probing, asking, listening...

The problem is, we often don’t allow the time even though it’s a key component of engaging others and uncovering important insights.

Don’t wait for people to eventually feel safe enough to speak up. 

Take the time and plan for how and when you will engage, ask and elicit from others. 

Remote work tips

Enjoy these remote work tips from Dropbox including. : 

- inclusion
- multitasking problems
- paying attention 
- exaggerating your responses and body language.

What’s new in your change toolkit

Change is almost always a complex, gnarly process with many moving parts... and people.

Resistance is common.
Misunderstandings frequent.

We’re change fatigued, weary (and wary) of more change to things at work.

And preaching 'change is a constant' doesn't get people into it any quicker or easier. 

It’s hard to engage and inspire people on why it's happening and what their role is.

Many change messages don't cut through the overload and overwhelm people are struggling with, particularly when remote and online. 

Conflict, debate and tension escalates, creating problems beyond the change program.

Your toolkit of change becomes vital. 

How do we do things differently to get the results needed? 

Channel your efforts to:
▪️ ENGAGE 
▪️ LEAD &
▪️ IMPACT. 

Focusing here helps cut through the complex nature of change. It gives the change team 3 elements, a mantra for strong, clear and decisive activity. 

Engage. 
Lead. 
Impact. 

What’s your sequence of questions

When we need to gather information from people, engage with them or elicit details, it makes sense that we ask questions. 

In preparation for that conversation, collaboration, interview, podcast, enquiry, meeting or consultation... what’s your question sequence? 

‘Winging it’ lacks strategy and can miss out on important things. Even though we may like to ‘go with the flow’ of a conversation, you can still prepare a sequence of questions and riff or flow within and around them. 

Consider:
What do you need to find out?
How will you get things started?
How will you open it up?
How will you dive in or probe further?
How will you determine what the real focus/problem/situation is? 
How will you bring things to a close?

Questioning is a learned skill and our mental cupboards that store questions are in need of a tidy up, refresh and renew.

Instead of thinking of ‘a few questions’, consider the sequence that will get you where you need to be ... efficiently and effectively. 

What’s the order, what’s first and where is it going?