Episodes
Thursday Dec 28, 2023
18 - Large teams, there’s more to it than limiting WIP
Thursday Dec 28, 2023
Thursday Dec 28, 2023
There is more to managing large teams in organizations than limiting work in progress.
In this episode, we delve into the complexities and nuances of handling larger teams effectively and explore:
- the importance of robust feedback mechanisms and fostering trust and collaboration among team members.
- strategies for short lived, goal-oriented, self-organizing teams and how those can enhance efficiency and focus.
- the role of social dynamics in team management
(Sorry about the sound quality, we had some tech issues)
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
16 - Explicit and implicit knowledge
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
We’ve seen many organizations invest huge amounts of money and energy in training as part of agile transformations and all sorts of other changes. These investments often have disappointing results. Sometimes the new way looks a lot like the old way, but with new names.
Lot’s of factors contribute to this. However, there is a common thread. There’s almost always an overemphasis on what to do and how to do it. Why something works, when to do it, and when to make adjustments get little if any attention.
This is the difference between explicit and implicit knowledge--and that’s what we talk about in this episode.
Wednesday May 12, 2021
15 - Provoking Learning
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Wednesday May 12, 2021
People and teams have the opportunity to learn all the time, not just in training. And, in order for knowledge to be generated, we need to provoke learning. But what is provoking learning, how do you do it, and how do I recognize when learning is not happening? That's what we talk about in this episode.
The download that we talk about in the episode is available here.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
14 - Exiting Systems
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
In an earlier episode, we talked about how to enter a system. Now we'll talk about how to leave. Parting may cause sadness--we're ok with people missing us on an interpersonal level. But we work hard to make sure they can carry on just fine without us.
In this episode, we share our thoughts around how to leave, why it matters, and we share some practical tips.
Wednesday Mar 18, 2020
13 - Help the system see the system with reflective observations.
Wednesday Mar 18, 2020
Wednesday Mar 18, 2020
In episode 11, we talked about Observing systems and in this episode, we explore using Reflective Observation as a way to help a system see the system.
By using interviews and observations, we help people see patterns and gaps clearly. Thus, they can choose their own actions to improve which in our experience leads to greater buy-in compared to prescriptions from an outside "expert".
However, how do you engage in reflective observations? How do you make sense of what you see and hear? How do you present it to the system? Those are just a few of the things we cover in this episode.
Enjoy!
-Esther & Viktor
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
10 - Coaching Past Resistance
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Another question we are asked a lot is “How do you get past resistance to change?” The answer might surprise you. The first thing to change is your own response and mindset. (What? You mean change might mean I have to change, not just other people?!)
What gets labeled “resistance” is really a response to that ever is being proposed. In our latest episode, we talk about the downside of labeling responses as resistance we share our experiences of resistance and offer ideas that can help you shift from division and resistance to partnerships that move forward.
Saturday Jul 13, 2019
9 - Coaching Teams That Do Not Want To Be Coached
Saturday Jul 13, 2019
Saturday Jul 13, 2019
Update 2020-10-14: We have prepared a special and exclusive webinar on this subject. Read more about it and purchase tickets here.
Episode description:
People often ask us, “How do you coach a team that doesn’t want coaching?” The obvious--and not very satisfying answer--is “You don’t.” But there are actions you can take that may lead to an invitation to coach. There are also things you can do that aren’t “coaching” that can affect a team’s ability to work more effectively.
In this episode, we’ll share our experiences of “inflicted help” and offer ideas on shift the dynamic to a better outcome.
Thursday Jun 13, 2019
8 - Entering Systems
Thursday Jun 13, 2019
Thursday Jun 13, 2019
As consultants we both enter new systems on a regular basis. But even if you are working in a company, any time you interact with a new group, you are entering that system, and you will have an impact on that group. The thing is, because you are new, you don’t know what has happened before you got there, what the struggles have been, what the norms are. So it is useful to enter with clarity about your own intentions, and a clear commitment to understand who the group was before you. As a newcomer, you are looking at the group with fresh eyes. Your insights are more likely to be accepted, if you stand in curiosity, rather than judgement.
In this episode we’re shifting focus a bit--but still, we come back to questions. The questions that we ask ourselves, and some that you might ask for self-reflection.
Saturday Apr 13, 2019
6 - Asking Better Questions - How Different Structures Of Questions Function
Saturday Apr 13, 2019
Saturday Apr 13, 2019
For the most part, we've learned how to ask questions from the way people have asked us questions, but also through observing and imitating our parents, teachers, and other people in authoritative positions. Very often the question we are asked in school have a right answer, they are closed or multiple choice which is a variation of a closed question. As a result, our questions are often not nearly as effective as they can be and in this episode, we explore the structure of questions and how the structure impacts their usefulness or effectiveness. We also discuss the scope of a question and how that can either empower or disempower the team or people we ask the questions too.
We've created a short download with example questions. Download it here.
Wednesday Mar 13, 2019
5 - Asking Better Questions - Intentions
Wednesday Mar 13, 2019
Wednesday Mar 13, 2019
The questions we ask determine the answers we get--obviously. Being aware of sort of answers your questions are likely to illicit (which we call intentions) increase your ability to choose questions that will help groups think clearly and solve problems.
In this episode, the first in a series of episodes about asking better questions, we go through 9 different intentions that we’ve found helpful when working with groups.
We've also created Question Intentions Worksheet in which we list and describe intentions and give several examples of them. Download it here.