CHAPTER 20 The Structures of Engagement Flashcards
What is the primary service of a consultant in the engagement process?
To raise clients’ consciousness about the value of engagement in the discovery and implementation process.
What happens if the quality of interaction within a client system does not change?
Standards, measurement, or rewards will not lead to any shifts.
What are the key elements of the contracting phase?
- A deep understanding of the concerns underlying the presenting problem
- The clear expression of wants in both directions
- An exploration of concerns about control and vulnerability
- Giving support
- Declaring what worked in this meeting
What does the discovery phase emphasize?
- Treating each interaction as a learning event
- Persistently asking what the client was doing to contribute to the problem
- Seeking language that gave clarity to reality without judging it
What are the requirements for sustaining engagement during implementation?
- Designing each gathering to strengthen connections
- Balancing between presentation and participation
- Supporting dissent and public expression of doubt
- Placing real choice on the table
- Initiating new conversations as a primary means for change
- Choosing a physical structure that supports community and peer connection
What is the essence of implementing any new strategy?
Whether people at several levels are going to take responsibility for the success of the change and the institution.
True or False: The nature and structure of meetings should exemplify the content of the change being discussed.
True
What are the eight practical ways for engaging people?
- Open with transparent purpose and a level playing field
- Contract for expectations about participation
- Rearrange the room
- Create a platform for openness and doubt
- Ask ‘What do we want to create together?’
- [Other methods not specified]
What should be included when opening a conversation or gathering?
- Describe the concerns that began the process
- Define the current state of the change effort
- Describe what the organization needs right now
- Provide an idea of the structure for the step
What should not be included in the opening of a meeting?
Upbeat motivational blessings from managers or sponsors who are not part of the whole session.
What is the purpose of asking participants about their expected value from a session?
To renegotiate the passive contract between leader and participant.
How does the arrangement of the meeting room affect engagement?
The shape and arrangement convey intentions about participation among peers.
What is the significance of creating a platform for openness and doubt?
It allows for honest conversations that are critical to building trust and accountability.
What kinds of questions should be asked to elicit doubts and reservations?
- What doubts and reservations do you have about what is on the table?
- What personal impact will the change have on me/us?
- What have we said ‘yes’ to that we no longer think will work?
- What is the ‘no’ we have been postponing?
What does the question ‘What do we want to create together?’ address?
It addresses the need for collaboration and the ownership of the future being defined.
Fill in the blank: The first part of the question ‘What do we want to create together?’ is about _______.
[creation]
Fill in the blank: The second part of the question ‘What do we want to create together?’ is about _______.
[together]
What is a common initial response when groups are asked what they can create together?
Lists of cooperative actions that each group can do alone.
What is required for creating something together in a group?
Crossing boundaries and yielding territory.
What is necessary to create something together in a change effort?
Cross boundaries and possibly yield territory.
What precedes a change in action?
A change in the conversation.
What do predictable conversations lead to?
Old actions.
What is the impact of old conversations on energy?
They breed cynicism and drain energy.
What is a key aspect of the conversations we should aim for?
Task-related conversations that people have not had before.
True or False: Traditional conversations help in seeking new solutions.
False.
What do we need to be accountable to first according to the text?
Our peers.
What is peer accountability?
Being accountable to peers rather than bosses.
What are the two conditions of accountability that support high-commitment implementation strategies?
- Be accountable to peers first
- Commit without negotiation or expectation of personal gain
What does a personal commitment represent?
A promise or pledge that is not conditional on the response of someone else.
Fill in the blank: The primary impact of focusing on weaknesses is that it breeds _______.
self-doubt.
What is a common issue with focusing on negative feedback?
It makes us easier to control.
What should participants focus on to acknowledge contributions at the end of a meeting?
The gifts and value each participant brought.
What is the significance of the point made about implementation?
It is complex and particular to each situation.
What do people choose to commit to based on?
Emotion, feelings, intuition, trust, and faith.
What is the goal of creating high interaction among clients?
To bring responsibility into the implementation phase.
What do effective implementation strategies often entail?
Redistribution of power.
What should you do to tilt the balance toward participation in gatherings?
Engage participants more actively.
What is one of the questions to assess after a meeting?
Did the meeting produce energy in the participants or drain energy?
What is a common misconception in a patriarchal society regarding leadership?
That leaders can induce action in their followers.
What is the effect of asking people about their commitments?
Helps in understanding their willingness to support collective outcomes.
What can be a consequence of not addressing doubts and reservations in a meeting?
A rush to agreement without genuine discussion.
What should you do to help people get unstuck from old conversations?
Encourage new discussions about hopes and doubts.
What does the process of commitment require according to the text?
An internal commitment to get past rhetoric and cosmetic change.
Fill in the blank: A commitment is a promise or a pledge to do something, and it is not _______.
conditional on the response of someone else.
What should you focus on to close a meeting effectively?
Acknowledging the gifts and values brought into the room.
Who was Joel Henning?
A friend and teacher who emphasized changing culture by changing conversation
What did Dick Axelrod and Kathie Dannemiller contribute to?
Understanding engagement and large-group methodology
What model did Dick Axelrod create?
The Conference Model with Emily Axelrod
What type of change did Kathie Dannemiller mentor in?
Real-time, high-interaction strategic change
Which methodologies are mentioned as unrecognized?
Those imagined by Juanita Brown and Harrison Owen
Fill in the blank: Changing the culture involves _______.
[changing the conversation]
True or False: Engagement was taken seriously by the author from the beginning.
False
What is the significance of the School for Managing and Leading Change?
It influenced the author’s understanding of engagement
List the contributors to large-group methodology mentioned.
- Dick Axelrod
- Kathie Dannemiller
- Juanita Brown
- Harrison Owen
