We think we are open-minded. We assume we see all perspectives on an issue in a balanced, fair and Solution-Focused way. However research by Herbert Simon shows this not to be true. Our capacity to think freely is always bound by what we already know. And new ideas push us into the realm of resistance [...]
You have been developing an offer for months. Now as you are preparing to launch, one person on your team continues to disrupt meetings with negative comments about the product. What do you do? Well, eventually you fire him of course. And in so doing you rid the team of the annoyance. You also rid [...]
In 1924 Wernher von Braun strapped six rockets to a small wagon and watched in delight as the wagon roared around his street and then exploded. The local constabulary were less impressed however, and took the twelve year old boy into custody. And so began an incredible story leading up to July 16, 1969. On [...]
Here is an application of Solutions Focussed Coaching for teams, developed by Daniel Meier. The approach has been elaborated and adapted by various authors to create a range and interesting and effective team workshop exercises. I have used this in various forms with teams and have found it to be really powerful. The big idea [...]
This is how Barnes and Noble elevated their offer beyond the fare of the 'corner bookstore'. In ‘Blue Ocean strategy’, authors Kim and Mauborgne describe a six step process to define and execute Blue Ocean strategy: Redefine your market boundaries The core thinking and conversation tool is the Strategy Canvas for charting the criteria on [...]
Facts do not drive change, emotions drive change. As a consultant and coach I help leaders and their teams with the conversations that lead to clear strategies and plans. As a watercolourist I continually come across similarities between the principles governing the creation of successful watercolours and perspectives leading to effective teams. In this presentation [...]
V Model – a succinct Test Strategy UAT is all about "How to Make Try to understand if the cake is ready". Which is Google translate for: "Come Fare la Prova per Capire se la Torta è Pronta". Which you can read all about on WikiHow. Actually this is really more like a "System Test". [...]
A standard approach to project initiation workshops is to get people to discuss their concerns, expectations and assumptions in small groups. This conversation surfaces all the issues the team need to consider as they set a clear objective and map out a plan. Last week I facilitated a workshop in which the sponsor asked me [...]
What interventions do you use to engage your teams? And when do you do them? J Richard Hackman author of ‘Leading Teams’, describes three levers for effectiveness and three key milestones in a team life-cycle when intervention can have the most impact.
Working Out the Relative Importance of Different Options. Paired Comparison Analysis is a good way of weighing up the relative importance of criteria, which may be conflicting. It is useful where you do not have objective data to base this on or when priorities are not clear, or are competing in importance. Follow these steps [...]
