Creating organisational potential out of individual differences….

Can we:

Get over the frustration caused by ineffective and inefficient meetings

Get over the ‘power wins’ approach to deciding

Get over the smothering effect of focusing on the negative?

And move to:

Managing change successfully

Engendering creative thinking

Rational approach to decision making

Style and Type of Meeting

Style of meeting

Meeting Style Chair’s style Members expected to:Command Tell Do as toldPersuasive Sell Give fair hearing, have doubts resolvedAdvisory Consult Contribute information, ideas, opinionsParticipative Involve Help explore and resolve problems or issues

Type of meeting

Type PurposeExploratory Generation and sharing of informationDiagnostic Identify problems requiring resolutionAmplifier Generation of possible solutions to problems – no evaluation of themFilter Evaluation of alternative ideas leading to resolution of problems

How do our meetings look if style and type are plotted?

Command Persuasive Advisory Participative StyleA

mpl

ifier

Filt

erD

iagn

ostic

Exp

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Typ

e

XEveryone feels involved and committed to agreed solution

XSome feel uninvolved and no practical outcome agreed

XEveryone feels involved but no practical outcome is agreed

People feel the agreed solution is a fait accompli

X

Causes of ineffectiveness in meetings

•The purpose of the meeting is not clear or is not accepted by the group

• The “style” and/or “type” of the meeting may not be suitable for the group, its chair, or the purpose of the meeting

• Inadequate preparation for the meeting

• Inadequate chairing during the meeting

Problem Oriented Meetings

Focus on the Problem

80%

Finding a solution 20%

Solution Oriented Meetings

Clarify the Problem

20%

Finding a solution 80%

How? One Step at a TimeStep 1

• Real World Possibility Land

Big issues leave people not knowing where to start, or seeking one solution to fix everything…..

How? One Step at a TimeStep 2-4

• Real World Possibility Land

It is possible to break down the issue into identifiable chunks by re-phrasing the problem as “How to....”

How? One Step at a TimeStep 5-6

• Real World Possibility Land

When an identifiable chunk is prioritised, it is possible to see a way forward in small, achievable steps

How? One Step at a TimeStep 7

• Confirm

• Plan – what will be done

• Do - who will do it

• Review – when progress will be reported

Success Criteria for Solution-Focused Meetings

• Spend time focused on the issue or problem• Pragmatic focus• Meet every individual stakeholder’s needs to some

degree• Focus on SOLUTIONS rather than historical account of

PROBLEMS• Give equal status to all group members• Non fixed membership – the people who can share

expertise or experience directly with this problem are there

Steps in the Solution-Oriented Approach to Meetings

1. Relaxation and focusing

2. Brief description of the issues by the ‘problem owner’

3. Question 1 – ‘what are the problems, really, which are impeding (progress with this issue). The problems are “how to….”

4. Prioritise (vote)

5. Question 2 – ‘in how many ways might we solve the problem of how to……’

6. Prioritise (vote)

7. Assign action plan responsibilities

What?

Who?

By when?

Arrangements for review

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THE 7 STEP PROCESS

TECHNIQUES

• Visualisation• Problem-Free Talk• Dreams/Nightmares• Identify Goals Through

– Miracle Question

– Empty Chair

– Whispering Mentor

• Dots Allocation• Brainstorming• Scaling• Exceptions• Dots allocation• What, where, when, who,

how?

• Relaxation and focusing• Problem description

• Problem identification

• Problem prioritising• Solution generation

• Solution prioritising• Action Plan