Showing posts with label exercises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercises. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 02, 2017
Writing without the letter "A"
We were tested to see if we could write blog entries without the letter "A"
Of course we could write them. We could write lots of them. Indeed, I use this exercise in my writing courses, not just with the letter mentioned, but with every letter in English. Try it. Your writing will improve.
By the bye, some people wrote whole books without the letter E.
Try this test. Choose some letter, some difficult letter. Post some whole blog comment without using your letter.
If you would like to improve your writing, try
Oh, look. I unconsciously wrote the book title without the forbidden letter. It must be some terrific book. Multi-published reviewers think so:
"Don't write your book–build it with Weinberg's Fieldstone Method." - D. Poynter, writer of The Self-Publishing Manual
"It's changed how I intend to write my next book." - P. D., children's writer
"Buy this book. Work through the exercises…" J.R., techie writer
Labels:
challenges,
exercises,
problem solving,
writing
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Change Artist Challenge #3: Changing Nothing is Doing Something
Of course I am idle, but I am not idle by nature; I simply haven't yet discovered what I can do here... - Sophie Tolstoy
The purpose of the next challenge is to find out what's driving you to change things, and what happens if you don't respond to that drive in the usual way.
The Challenge
Next time you're part of a team or group effort, sit back, listen, and observe. Your job is not trying to change anything. (You're not trying to prevent change. If the others want to change something, just let it happen. Otherwise, you'd be trying to change what they're attempting to do.)
Take particular notice of your urges to change things, and what happens when you don't do anything about those urges.
Experiences
Here are a few experiences of other change artists who accepted this challenge to do nothing at all.
1. Wow! I couldn't do it! I lasted almost three whole minutes. I resisted the temptation to open the window, or to ask someone to do it. I resisted the temptation to move the flipchart so everyone could see it. I resisted the temptation to move over one seat to make room for a latecomer.
But when Jack stood up and grabbed the marker pen (AGAIN), I couldn't resist suggesting that someone else should take a turn. It was out of my mouth before I knew it! But I just HAD to say it!
2. (The same woman as the previous experience.) After my first miserable failure, I decided to try again, the next day. I got through the mechanics a lot more easily—the window and the flipchart and the chairs—and with somewhat more difficulty, I let Jack grab the pen again. I was on a roll, and I managed to keep it up for almost fifteen minutes. When I finally did say something about the direction the meeting was taking (I just didn't notice what I was doing), the other people reacted as if I was the President of the United States. They gave me their full attention, let me finish everything I had to say, and then did exactly what I proposed.
I think there's a clue there for me. (duh) I'm working on it, and I'm going to try this again.
3. I didn't think this would be very hard for me. I would just sit in the meeting and do what I usually do—keep my mouth shut and observe. I was doing a good job of this when all of a sudden I realized that I was changing things in my mind about once every thirty seconds. Then I said nothing about any of them, and I found myself getting angry that nobody else was doing anything about them.
Aha. Were they doing exactly what I was doing?
4. (The same man as the previous experience.) Armed with my new insight, I worked out a plan for the next meeting. I sat in my usual way, quietly fanning my smoldering anger and frustration. When I got to the proper amount of emotional heat—not so much that I wouldn't be able to control it—I said a sentence that I had written down and practiced: "Is there anything about this meeting anyone would like changed?"
The reaction was instantaneous, and the changes poured out. The rest of the meeting went very differently from our usual meetings, though I didn't say another thing.
5. This was a pretty boring exercise for me, so I had to do something to occupy my mind. I decided to try to observe emotional reactions, because I had always thought our meetings were rather flat and unemotional, but our consultant told me they weren't. I noticed lots of things that I never saw before. For instance, two of our folks were really suffering—I didn't know from what, so I asked them about it after the meeting.
Was that a violation of the assignment? If it was, I don't care, because I learned some things I had never even suspected before, and the quality of my relationships with two members of the team have gone up several notches.
The Meta-Challenge
Here's a challenge about the challenge:
When you take this challenge, I'd love to read about what happened and what you learned. Hundreds of readers would like this, too. Besides, it will probably do you much good to sit down for a few minutes and recall your experience. Good writing practice, too.
For more about Becoming a Change Artist, you can read the book and try the entire sequence of exercises.
For more about Becoming a Change Artist, you can read the book and try the entire sequence of exercises.
Labels:
challenges,
change artist,
exercises,
learning,
training
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Change Artist Challenge #2: Making One Small Change
I report a conversation with a colleague who was complaining that he had the same damn stuff in his lunch sack day after day.
"So who makes your lunch?" I asked.
"I do," says he.
When I heard his response, I thought, "This is about the smallest, least difficult, safest, change I can imagine. As such, it makes a perfect test for beginning change artists, a way of "measuring" how difficult it will be for them to change anything.
So, your next challenge will be to undertake a change project of your own, but to seek support in making this change. The purpose is to launch your career as a change artist by experiencing some of the theoretical learnings in the "real world," but in as small and safe a way as possible.
The Challenge
Choose one small thing about yourself you want to change. Novice Change Artists tend to be too eager for their own good. If you want to eat a whole elephant, start with single bite. If you finish one change, you are free to do another, and another—so don't worry that it's too small.
Find an interested change artist, or associate, or some willing person, meet with them and explain the change you want to make, and contract with that person for the kind of support you think you need to accomplish your change. Check with your supporter periodically to update him/her on your progress.
Experiences
Let's examine a few instructive experiences of other change artists accepting this challenge to make one small change.
1. When I have a hot idea in a meeting, instead of blurting it out, I write a little note to myself and wait a couple of minutes. I noticed that about 60% of the time, somebody else comes up with essentially the same idea. Then, when I support the innovator, the idea has a very great chance of being adopted.
I've increased the number of my ideas that get adopted, but I'm not getting credit for them. At least not directly. But several people have told me that I've really become a leader in meetings. This was a surprise, because I thought they would consider me a leader when I had the most ideas—and they didn't. My supporter explained that I seemed more "statesmanlike," more calm and more respectful of others.
2. I take a break every hour when I'm alone, or when I'm in meetings. This was really hard to do. I didn't want to interrupt anyone, but my supporter gave me some good suggestions about how to "test the waters" before doing it in a meeting.
To my surprise, most people welcomed the breaks, most of the time. I learned that people (including me) often don't say what they want, and this has transferred to the practice of polling groups more often to find out how they feel about what's going on in meetings.
3. I posted hours when I would be uninterruptible, and hours when I would always be available for interruptions. At first, people didn't respect these hours, as they didn't believe I would really do it. I couldn't say no to anyone, so my supporter actually came into my office from 4 to 5 one day (the busiest time) and coached me on how to dispatch people to the posted schedule. This worked pretty well for me, but it was a strain for some of them. I then realized that 4 to 5 would be a good time for drop-in time, so I changed the schedule.
After two more schedule adjustments, the thing seems to be working. I've learned that it's impossible to plan anything perfectly if it involves other people—you have to try it out, then be prepared to adjust a couple of times.
4. I keep my wallet in a different pocket. The first time I reached for my wallet, I was in an absolute panic—I was sure I lost it.
My supporter pointed out to me that this may be the way people feel when I change things in the system and don't tell them—even if I do tell them, because they have the habit of finding things in certain places.
5. I made a healthier lunch for myself. I learned that I don't like "healthy" food. My supporter told me that I'm too healthy anyway, and the kind of lunch I made was rather fanatic. I guess she's right.
It made me aware that I'm a perfectionist, but that it's not in the nature of human beings to be perfect. If I eat a pickle now and then, or a cookie, the world won't come to an end. Also, of course, if my teammates make a mistake in their code from time to time, or don't design something perfectly, we'll survive.
Meta-Challenge
Here's a challenge about the challenge:
When you accept this challenge, I'd love to read about what happened and what you learned. Hundreds of readers would like this, too. Besides, it will probably do you much good to sit down for a few minutes and recall your experience. Good writing practice, too.
For more about Becoming a Change Artist, you can read the book and try the entire sequence of exercises.
"So who makes your lunch?" I asked.
"I do," says he.
When I heard his response, I thought, "This is about the smallest, least difficult, safest, change I can imagine. As such, it makes a perfect test for beginning change artists, a way of "measuring" how difficult it will be for them to change anything.
So, your next challenge will be to undertake a change project of your own, but to seek support in making this change. The purpose is to launch your career as a change artist by experiencing some of the theoretical learnings in the "real world," but in as small and safe a way as possible.
The Challenge
Choose one small thing about yourself you want to change. Novice Change Artists tend to be too eager for their own good. If you want to eat a whole elephant, start with single bite. If you finish one change, you are free to do another, and another—so don't worry that it's too small.
Find an interested change artist, or associate, or some willing person, meet with them and explain the change you want to make, and contract with that person for the kind of support you think you need to accomplish your change. Check with your supporter periodically to update him/her on your progress.
Experiences
Let's examine a few instructive experiences of other change artists accepting this challenge to make one small change.
1. When I have a hot idea in a meeting, instead of blurting it out, I write a little note to myself and wait a couple of minutes. I noticed that about 60% of the time, somebody else comes up with essentially the same idea. Then, when I support the innovator, the idea has a very great chance of being adopted.
I've increased the number of my ideas that get adopted, but I'm not getting credit for them. At least not directly. But several people have told me that I've really become a leader in meetings. This was a surprise, because I thought they would consider me a leader when I had the most ideas—and they didn't. My supporter explained that I seemed more "statesmanlike," more calm and more respectful of others.
2. I take a break every hour when I'm alone, or when I'm in meetings. This was really hard to do. I didn't want to interrupt anyone, but my supporter gave me some good suggestions about how to "test the waters" before doing it in a meeting.
To my surprise, most people welcomed the breaks, most of the time. I learned that people (including me) often don't say what they want, and this has transferred to the practice of polling groups more often to find out how they feel about what's going on in meetings.
3. I posted hours when I would be uninterruptible, and hours when I would always be available for interruptions. At first, people didn't respect these hours, as they didn't believe I would really do it. I couldn't say no to anyone, so my supporter actually came into my office from 4 to 5 one day (the busiest time) and coached me on how to dispatch people to the posted schedule. This worked pretty well for me, but it was a strain for some of them. I then realized that 4 to 5 would be a good time for drop-in time, so I changed the schedule.
After two more schedule adjustments, the thing seems to be working. I've learned that it's impossible to plan anything perfectly if it involves other people—you have to try it out, then be prepared to adjust a couple of times.
4. I keep my wallet in a different pocket. The first time I reached for my wallet, I was in an absolute panic—I was sure I lost it.
My supporter pointed out to me that this may be the way people feel when I change things in the system and don't tell them—even if I do tell them, because they have the habit of finding things in certain places.
5. I made a healthier lunch for myself. I learned that I don't like "healthy" food. My supporter told me that I'm too healthy anyway, and the kind of lunch I made was rather fanatic. I guess she's right.
It made me aware that I'm a perfectionist, but that it's not in the nature of human beings to be perfect. If I eat a pickle now and then, or a cookie, the world won't come to an end. Also, of course, if my teammates make a mistake in their code from time to time, or don't design something perfectly, we'll survive.
Meta-Challenge
Here's a challenge about the challenge:
When you accept this challenge, I'd love to read about what happened and what you learned. Hundreds of readers would like this, too. Besides, it will probably do you much good to sit down for a few minutes and recall your experience. Good writing practice, too.
For more about Becoming a Change Artist, you can read the book and try the entire sequence of exercises.
Labels:
challenges,
change artist,
exercises,
learning,
training
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Change Artist Challenge #1
In an earlier post, I said that in order to be more effective introducing new techniques and technology, we needed to become practitioners of the art of change, as described in the seventh volume of my Quality Software ebooks: Becoming a Change Artist. In that book, I present a series of challenges taken from our change artistry workshops. In this and subsequent posts, I plan to present each of these challenges, roughly one every week. If you take each challenge, I guarantee you will substantially increase your change artistry.
Your first challenge will be to undertake a change project of your own, of a very specific nature. The purpose is to have you experience the Satir Change Model and some of its emotional consequences.
Challenge #1
Your challenge is to go to work tomorrow in a different way.
Experiences
The first experience of this assignment is what goes on in your head and heart when you first read it. Here are a few typical examples:
1. I immediately experienced panic (Chaos). What if I was late to work? I've already found the optimal way to work, because I've been driving it for four years. Suddenly, I understood exactly how it felt being in the Late Status Quo, and I knew that I would have more consideration for the people whose work I was trying to change.
2. My first thought was "impossible!" I simply could not think of a single alternative to the well-developed route I took to work. After all, there was only one bridge across the river. What was I supposed to do, swim? I decided I simply wasn't going to do it, which allowed me to relax. Then I realized that the assignment said 'in a different way,' not 'by a different route.' I hadn't even understood the foreign element, and I had rejected it.
Now consider some of the comments after doing the assignment:
3. I decided to go to work wearing a tie, which I've never done before. The reaction of other people was totally unexpected, both the number of people and their intensity. I learned how easy it is to be a foreign element, and that you can't change just one thing.
4. I went to work with a different attitude—more positive. The whole day was entirely different. It's a much better place to work than it was last week.
5. In driving by a different route, I got lost and discovered a part of the city I'd never seen before. I was late to work, but it was fun. I decided to go a different way each day, and I've been doing it now for six months. I like it.
6. I always go to work in a different way every day, so I wasn't going to do the assignment. Then I realized that a different way for me would be to go the same way. So I drove the same way every day for a week and learned a couple of things. First of all, the same way isn't the same way, if I pay attention. Second, I'm not the same every day. Some days I can't tolerate waiting for the light at 35th Street, but other days I welcome the time to reflect about things. I used this learning to reintroduce a proposal that had been rejected last month. This time they loved it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your next opportunity to participate in some change artist training is our Problem Solving Leadership Workshop (PSL). It takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
August 28-September 2, 2011
After that, your next opportunity will be the 11th Annual Amplifying Your Effectiveness Conference (AYE) in Cary, North Carolina, USA
Sunday, October 30 – Thursday November 3, 2011
http://www.ayeconference.com
Your first challenge will be to undertake a change project of your own, of a very specific nature. The purpose is to have you experience the Satir Change Model and some of its emotional consequences.
Challenge #1
Your challenge is to go to work tomorrow in a different way.
Experiences
The first experience of this assignment is what goes on in your head and heart when you first read it. Here are a few typical examples:
1. I immediately experienced panic (Chaos). What if I was late to work? I've already found the optimal way to work, because I've been driving it for four years. Suddenly, I understood exactly how it felt being in the Late Status Quo, and I knew that I would have more consideration for the people whose work I was trying to change.
2. My first thought was "impossible!" I simply could not think of a single alternative to the well-developed route I took to work. After all, there was only one bridge across the river. What was I supposed to do, swim? I decided I simply wasn't going to do it, which allowed me to relax. Then I realized that the assignment said 'in a different way,' not 'by a different route.' I hadn't even understood the foreign element, and I had rejected it.
Now consider some of the comments after doing the assignment:
3. I decided to go to work wearing a tie, which I've never done before. The reaction of other people was totally unexpected, both the number of people and their intensity. I learned how easy it is to be a foreign element, and that you can't change just one thing.
4. I went to work with a different attitude—more positive. The whole day was entirely different. It's a much better place to work than it was last week.
5. In driving by a different route, I got lost and discovered a part of the city I'd never seen before. I was late to work, but it was fun. I decided to go a different way each day, and I've been doing it now for six months. I like it.
6. I always go to work in a different way every day, so I wasn't going to do the assignment. Then I realized that a different way for me would be to go the same way. So I drove the same way every day for a week and learned a couple of things. First of all, the same way isn't the same way, if I pay attention. Second, I'm not the same every day. Some days I can't tolerate waiting for the light at 35th Street, but other days I welcome the time to reflect about things. I used this learning to reintroduce a proposal that had been rejected last month. This time they loved it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your next opportunity to participate in some change artist training is our Problem Solving Leadership Workshop (PSL). It takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
August 28-September 2, 2011
After that, your next opportunity will be the 11th Annual Amplifying Your Effectiveness Conference (AYE) in Cary, North Carolina, USA
Sunday, October 30 – Thursday November 3, 2011
http://www.ayeconference.com
Labels:
career,
challenges,
change artist,
emotions,
exercises,
problem-solving-leadership,
PSL
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
The Evolution of an Exercise
(Rhonda asks Jerry for a little consultation.)
RHONDA: I'm a little nervous about my "speech" at a conference in a couple of weeks and wanted to see if you have time for some feedback.
JERRY: First feedback: If you weren't nervous, then you'd give a boring speech, guaranteed. Breathe into your nervousness and it becomes excitement.
RHONDA: It's the first time I'm presenting representing my company, the virginal gig so to speak, and I'm unsure what to prepare to make best use of the limited time while not knowing how many participants are going to join my session.
JERRY: Don't worry about "using time." Design the session so that the most important things come first (or early). That way if you "run out of time," you've covered as much as you could have.
RHONDA: "Whatever happens, happens" has been my mantra for a while already, and most of the "what-if's" won't get my blood pressure up (at least not until the hour before I go up front). To be honest, I've thought about this session for so many weeks now and feel so close to it that I feel stuck, like I have blinders on, and can't see alternative options how else to execute it.
JERRY: Stop thinking about it.
Instead of thinking, start doing. Figure out a way to practice it on some friends. Invite some of those friends over for wine and cheese or beer and pretzels or something, then use them as a surrogate audience and listen to their feedback.
RHONDA: I'm advertised thus: Starting Your Own Business - Building the Life You Want. The purpose of this presentation is to share with the audience the journey the presenter followed from international student via international employee and trailing spouse to expat coach and owner of her own company.
JERRY: Rewrite this, if only for your own use. The purpose is not to "share experiences with them." That's a means of achieving the purpose, which is something like "helping the audience members to succeed in starting their own business." IOW, more about them; less about you.
RHONDA: Rhonda draws on over 10 years of personal expatriate experience that made her want to support others. The audience will hear tips and descriptions of how and where she got the necessary information to dot the i's and cross the t's en route to realizing her dream. She will also make time for and encourage the audience to share their experiences and brainstorm ideas to make sure everybody who wants to start a business will leave her presentation motivated and informed.
Objectives I have for the "speech" (assuming participants come to hear about how to start their own businesses - is that a mistake?
JERRY: It will reduce your audience, which could be good or bad. Who else would benefit from this session?
RHONDA: Should I assume anything at all?):
a) clarify their vision / focus their goals
b) raise awareness of hidden obstacles
c) identify concrete action steps to get started
Writing a business plan answers all three objectives.
(I've compiled a handbook with information about expatriate work permits, business structure comparison, business owner character traits, and useful links and resources to cover more start-up info. The handbook will be available either as print-out or .pdf file in exchange for their email address after the presentation.)
JERRY: Emphasize the handbook. People like takeaways.
Also emphasize what Eisenhower said: "The plan is nothing; the planning is everything." Maybe you could have them step through your planning process with you, each one (or team) doing their own planning steps as you go along.
RHONDA: Here are some of the parameters:
75 minutes
Should expect between 20 and 50 participants
Don't know exact number
Can't put the whole start-up process in 75 minutes
JERRY: So do selected parts, most important first.
RHONDA: I won't spend 75 minutes lecturing
JERRY: You'd better not.
RHONDA: Session Outline
(5-10 minutes intro/warm-up)
Exploration: 10-15 minutes to explain benefits, structure, and reasoning for a business plan
Introduce business plan segments (e.g. client and product profile, market profile, marketing strategy, organizational structure and finances)
Set up exercise: If I have 20 participants, I'll use one new venture/market scenario. One group per segment. Each group reads background information I provide (or would it be easier if they make up their own venture and background?) and answer business plan questions. Time: ca. 5 minutes
JERRY: Definitely better if they use their own, and you do it incrementally. You don't need to do the overview up front. You want to get them doing things more quickly than that. As it is, you have more than 1/2 hour before they do anything.
For example, pick the part of planning that's most important and start with that. When you've done that, and everyone has done that and questions are answered, move to the next most important. Do as many as you can cover properly without rushing. Then, when you see that ten minutes are left, conclude with an overview of all the segments they need to do to have a plan, and tell them about the handbook--again.
RHONDA: If I have 50 participants, I'll use two or three new venture/market scenarios, e.g. dog-wash salon in Seattle, pizzeria in Paris, recruitment office in Barcelona?
JERRY: No, too much time explaining the scenarios, which do them no good. Doing their own scenarios saves this time and ensures real interest in the exercises. If someone doesn't have one of their own, have them pair with someone who has one of their own.
RHONDA: Discovery/Application:
Participants write a business plan for their venture. Time: ca. 20 minutes.
Debrief/Application: In whole group, write executive summary for each venture, taking most important bits from each segment on flip chart, (take a picture, send it to them afterward with a thank-you note). Time: ca. 30 minutes.
JERRY: You can do this with lessons they learned from each different
startup, which lets them see what different startups have in common, and
what are the exceptions.
RHONDA: Question: Is 30 minutes enough debrief-time for an exercise like this and group size of 50 people?
JERRY: No. At least five days would be required to do it properly. But, you don't have that, so do what you can. If you do this incrementally, you can extract lessons after each segment, then do as many segments as
develop naturally.
RHONDA: Am I trying to cram too much in in general?
JERRY: Yes.
RHONDA: Ideas for a possible shorter exercise that would make 50 people feel involved and stimulated?
JERRY: Basically the same exercise, but chopped up and presented incrementally.
JERRY: BTW, if you really have 50, best to have them work in teams of 3-5 people, each formed around one person who has a specific startup in mind. To do this, you have individuals write signs that say, "Dog- walking business," or "Real-estate for the rich and famous," or "Coffin upholsterer," or whatever they're actually thinking of starting. Those that have signs hold them up, and people attach themselves to the ones they're interested in to make teams.
Does this help?
RHONDA: Yes!
RHONDA: I'm a little nervous about my "speech" at a conference in a couple of weeks and wanted to see if you have time for some feedback.
JERRY: First feedback: If you weren't nervous, then you'd give a boring speech, guaranteed. Breathe into your nervousness and it becomes excitement.
RHONDA: It's the first time I'm presenting representing my company, the virginal gig so to speak, and I'm unsure what to prepare to make best use of the limited time while not knowing how many participants are going to join my session.
JERRY: Don't worry about "using time." Design the session so that the most important things come first (or early). That way if you "run out of time," you've covered as much as you could have.
RHONDA: "Whatever happens, happens" has been my mantra for a while already, and most of the "what-if's" won't get my blood pressure up (at least not until the hour before I go up front). To be honest, I've thought about this session for so many weeks now and feel so close to it that I feel stuck, like I have blinders on, and can't see alternative options how else to execute it.
JERRY: Stop thinking about it.
Instead of thinking, start doing. Figure out a way to practice it on some friends. Invite some of those friends over for wine and cheese or beer and pretzels or something, then use them as a surrogate audience and listen to their feedback.
RHONDA: I'm advertised thus: Starting Your Own Business - Building the Life You Want. The purpose of this presentation is to share with the audience the journey the presenter followed from international student via international employee and trailing spouse to expat coach and owner of her own company.
JERRY: Rewrite this, if only for your own use. The purpose is not to "share experiences with them." That's a means of achieving the purpose, which is something like "helping the audience members to succeed in starting their own business." IOW, more about them; less about you.
RHONDA: Rhonda draws on over 10 years of personal expatriate experience that made her want to support others. The audience will hear tips and descriptions of how and where she got the necessary information to dot the i's and cross the t's en route to realizing her dream. She will also make time for and encourage the audience to share their experiences and brainstorm ideas to make sure everybody who wants to start a business will leave her presentation motivated and informed.
Objectives I have for the "speech" (assuming participants come to hear about how to start their own businesses - is that a mistake?
JERRY: It will reduce your audience, which could be good or bad. Who else would benefit from this session?
RHONDA: Should I assume anything at all?):
a) clarify their vision / focus their goals
b) raise awareness of hidden obstacles
c) identify concrete action steps to get started
Writing a business plan answers all three objectives.
(I've compiled a handbook with information about expatriate work permits, business structure comparison, business owner character traits, and useful links and resources to cover more start-up info. The handbook will be available either as print-out or .pdf file in exchange for their email address after the presentation.)
JERRY: Emphasize the handbook. People like takeaways.
Also emphasize what Eisenhower said: "The plan is nothing; the planning is everything." Maybe you could have them step through your planning process with you, each one (or team) doing their own planning steps as you go along.
RHONDA: Here are some of the parameters:
75 minutes
Should expect between 20 and 50 participants
Don't know exact number
Can't put the whole start-up process in 75 minutes
JERRY: So do selected parts, most important first.
RHONDA: I won't spend 75 minutes lecturing
JERRY: You'd better not.
RHONDA: Session Outline
(5-10 minutes intro/warm-up)
Exploration: 10-15 minutes to explain benefits, structure, and reasoning for a business plan
Introduce business plan segments (e.g. client and product profile, market profile, marketing strategy, organizational structure and finances)
Set up exercise: If I have 20 participants, I'll use one new venture/market scenario. One group per segment. Each group reads background information I provide (or would it be easier if they make up their own venture and background?) and answer business plan questions. Time: ca. 5 minutes
JERRY: Definitely better if they use their own, and you do it incrementally. You don't need to do the overview up front. You want to get them doing things more quickly than that. As it is, you have more than 1/2 hour before they do anything.
For example, pick the part of planning that's most important and start with that. When you've done that, and everyone has done that and questions are answered, move to the next most important. Do as many as you can cover properly without rushing. Then, when you see that ten minutes are left, conclude with an overview of all the segments they need to do to have a plan, and tell them about the handbook--again.
RHONDA: If I have 50 participants, I'll use two or three new venture/market scenarios, e.g. dog-wash salon in Seattle, pizzeria in Paris, recruitment office in Barcelona?
JERRY: No, too much time explaining the scenarios, which do them no good. Doing their own scenarios saves this time and ensures real interest in the exercises. If someone doesn't have one of their own, have them pair with someone who has one of their own.
RHONDA: Discovery/Application:
Participants write a business plan for their venture. Time: ca. 20 minutes.
Debrief/Application: In whole group, write executive summary for each venture, taking most important bits from each segment on flip chart, (take a picture, send it to them afterward with a thank-you note). Time: ca. 30 minutes.
JERRY: You can do this with lessons they learned from each different
startup, which lets them see what different startups have in common, and
what are the exceptions.
RHONDA: Question: Is 30 minutes enough debrief-time for an exercise like this and group size of 50 people?
JERRY: No. At least five days would be required to do it properly. But, you don't have that, so do what you can. If you do this incrementally, you can extract lessons after each segment, then do as many segments as
develop naturally.
RHONDA: Am I trying to cram too much in in general?
JERRY: Yes.
RHONDA: Ideas for a possible shorter exercise that would make 50 people feel involved and stimulated?
JERRY: Basically the same exercise, but chopped up and presented incrementally.
JERRY: BTW, if you really have 50, best to have them work in teams of 3-5 people, each formed around one person who has a specific startup in mind. To do this, you have individuals write signs that say, "Dog- walking business," or "Real-estate for the rich and famous," or "Coffin upholsterer," or whatever they're actually thinking of starting. Those that have signs hold them up, and people attach themselves to the ones they're interested in to make teams.
Does this help?
RHONDA: Yes!
Labels:
business,
conferences,
consulting,
exercises
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Life-Changing Experience for You
In one month, Esther, Johanna, and I will be starting our next Problem Solving Leadership (PSL) workshop here in Albuquerque. Thus, the timing was just right for several new blog posts about people's experience in PSL.
First to appear was David Barnholdt's blog entry about what happened for him at the most recent PSL, in Sweden. (Read David's post.)
Then, today, Selena Delesie's post about her reactions two years after her PSL experience here in New Mexico. (Read Selena's post.)
And then David followed up with a post about an extremely successful exercise he designed for his own courses, based on his learnings in PSL. (Read about David's exercise.)
So, why am I suggesting you visit these blogs? Nothing to hide: I'm trying to convince you to come participate in PSL in March. I know times are hard for many of us, but hard times are just the times we most need life-changing experiences like Selena and David and many others have had.
You can find out more about PSL at Esther's website, and contact Esther Derby or me or Johanna Rothman
Also, if you know of any other blogs about PSL experiences, let me know, and I'll add them to this post. I'll do almost anything to encourage people to join us in the March PSL.
Added on 27 February 2009
Henrik Kniberg was in the Sweden PSL class and wrote another blog entry building on David's experiential exercise.
First to appear was David Barnholdt's blog entry about what happened for him at the most recent PSL, in Sweden. (Read David's post.)
Then, today, Selena Delesie's post about her reactions two years after her PSL experience here in New Mexico. (Read Selena's post.)
And then David followed up with a post about an extremely successful exercise he designed for his own courses, based on his learnings in PSL. (Read about David's exercise.)
So, why am I suggesting you visit these blogs? Nothing to hide: I'm trying to convince you to come participate in PSL in March. I know times are hard for many of us, but hard times are just the times we most need life-changing experiences like Selena and David and many others have had.
You can find out more about PSL at Esther's website, and contact Esther Derby or me or Johanna Rothman
Also, if you know of any other blogs about PSL experiences, let me know, and I'll add them to this post. I'll do almost anything to encourage people to join us in the March PSL.
Added on 27 February 2009
Henrik Kniberg was in the Sweden PSL class and wrote another blog entry building on David's experiential exercise.
Labels:
career,
exercises,
leadership,
problem-solving-leadership,
PSL,
team-building,
teams,
training
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Developing Emotionally, Part 3
William Responds to Melissa:
Melissa, my secret is this: I have learned to really enjoy interaction on the emotional level. Perhaps "being emotional" was an innate need, but before and during high school I only had 2 close friends (ever), and I was very controlled–I didn't let anything out (if I could help it). Then I had a life-changing experience: I went to a summer program for high-ability science students, and the program director wanted to develop our little personalities as well as our big brains! So he included a simulation–we were stranded (in groups of 8) on a desert island, and had to solve all sorts of problems, which grew more and more personal. I was lucky enough to land in a very supportive group where we related to each other on a very personal and emotional level...and I was hooked! I realized that personal interaction needed to be a part of my life.
This experience really was life changing. For example, it resulted in my changing my college goal to a small liberal arts college instead of the US Naval Academy. And it resulted in my adding a second major to my academic program, Psychology as well as Computer Science. But the experience itself was relatively simple: 16 4-hour sessions over a period of 8 weeks.
Since that time, I have participated in a number of self-development groups, of all flavors. I have worked to develop my consulting skills and my counseling skills (quite related!). And this stuff is learnable: it just requires practice. Perhaps I had an innate ability for empathy–I get it from my mother! But when I was in college, I participated in a basic training session for drug counselors (lay people, not professionals), and the model they used involved practicing empathy. For several hours a day. That's what got me started in that direction. And believe it or not, practicing this stuff really can help to improve your ability to detect and "process" signals that other people are sending out. At least, that has been my experience.
Today, I really enjoy relating to people as people. I find it most satisfying when I am in a situation where it is "permissible" to relate on an emotional level. (I admire Jerry W., who seems to be able to establish this permission in almost any situation!)
So, I guess my secret was participating in a number of self- development exercises in "safe" situations, where I could take more and more risks and learn to enjoy being more open. I have done this at various times over the past years, and even PSL counts in this direction, because it shows you your emotional limits and helps you to realize what you might need to work on.
Like I said, I don't know if this helps, but it is my story...
Forest Responds to William's Story:
I am so grateful that you shared this story with everyone. It was wonderful to read, and allowed me to feel a number of things that I had recently closed off again.
I identify with how you are most comfortable when you can relate emotionally in a situation. I used to struggle more than I do now in balancing my desire to relate emotionally, with what those around me were comfortable with–or, perhaps it is what I perceived the situation to allow. In the 'professional' world, I have perceived that emotions are frowned upon, and that people are to keep them out of the office. My inclination is to balance emotion with the rest, but I tended to lock them up in many situations.
At my first AYE conference, I learned that the emotional aspect is necessary to connect with people. And notably, that it was okay. During that experience I allowed myself to be more open in connecting with people and to be myself emotionally. I prefer to operate in an environment like that, so I give myself permission to create environments in my life where I am able to (work included). I feel like my true self when I am able to, almost like the mask comes off. I have found the AYE and PSL communities to be extremely supportive and safe in this realm. Which is why I keep going back... I can be myself, and I can recharge my energy to continue to be myself in my day-to-day life.
And William Replies to Forest:
Thanks very much for the affirmative feedback. It is music to my ears, balsam for my soul, etc.! [The writers among you are cringing at the cliches, I'm sure... :-) ]
Theoretically, the workplace is devoid of emoitions. But in real life, that's never the case. And in fact, emotions often have a much higher effect on productivity than almost anything else. I really enjoyed my 5-year stint as an internal consultant, because one big part of consulting skills is being aware of your own emotions and (trying to) understand what is triggering them. It is almost always something in the current situation. Identifying that cause can often lead to a breakthrough in consulting. My favorite book about this is "Flawless Consulting" by Peter Block, which has a prominent place on my bookshelf, right near "The Psychology of Computer Programming." And acting as a consultant, you (often) have permission to name or surface those underlying emotions in one way or another. In fact, sometimes that is your #1 job.
Many management trainings also concentrate on identifying your emotional reactions and using those in the workplace. It is often more OK to be yourself than we realize. In fact, sometimes openness is what is needed to break a "logjam". But I agree, for many people this is very unexpected, and it is a risk to be the first to try it.
Perhaps you can give yourself permission to establish yourself as a "whole person" in your new job, able to relate to your new colleagues and employees as a real and open person. I must admit, I am not currently doing that in my job! So I don't claim it's easy. But perhaps it can be done. (Then again, on the other hand, I just recently read an article from a German psychologist that claimed that being open and authentic is career suicide, and that the guys who get ahead are the ones who manipulate the best! In my cynical moments, I believe this might be true, but I prefer to ignore it...)
Jerry Comments
If this is what "getting ahead" requires, I would question whether it's really "ahead" at all. You might make more money, and have more authority to order people around (which they'll ignore as best they can), but you're really falling back. And, for a consultant, "ahead" and "up" are not synonyms anyway.
In any case, whatever direction you want to travel, studying your emotional system and practicing to improve your understanding of it—those are keys for most consultants to improve their effectiveness. The emotional system is your priority analyzer. Without it, you don't know what's important. And with it, if you don't know how to understand it, you'll act like a robot who doesn't understand the difference between the important and the trivial.
Labels:
congruence,
consulting,
emotions,
exercises,
training
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Developing Emotionally, Part 2
A client, let's call him Robert, who wishes to remain anonymous, writes about the body inventory:
"This was one of my key "lessons learned" from the Problem Solving Leadership workshop (PSL): acknowledging my feelings/emotions. As an INTP myself, this didn't make much sense at the time. :-)
Even though it was some years ago, I recall Jerry mentioning during PSL that INTPs have very fragile feelings which is why we need to protect them and appear to others as if we didn't have any.
After PSL I have been doing the exercise Jerry describes every morning at my desk in the office while writing in my journal. I close my eyes and write down what I feel. I just acknowledge it to myself on paper. In my case though, I don't start at my toes. I have learned that my emotions get trapped in 3 very specific places in my body: my stomach, my chest, and my throat. So, I just aim for those. If I listen closely, I hear what I am saying... emotionally. That helps me balance myself to begin my day at work.
In dealing with others, I also often find myself "not understanding why others feel the way they do". That is my trigger to stop trying to figure it out and just be. I am just there for the other person. I just acknowledge their feelings. I don't try to change them. Sometimes I catch myself not being able to do that. I realize that, in those situations, I am emotionally out of balance. I am trying to "fix" the other person when, in fact, what I really want is to balance myself."
I'm so glad he wrote this, for his experience is as a valuable model for others of how the body inventory works, and how working on yourself first helps you understand others.
And, how helping others helps you, for when I asked Robert for permission to use his feedback, he wrote:
Jerry, please go ahead and use it on the blog.I am already thinking that once I see it on on your blog, it will help me be less afraid of sharing my thoughts in a larger audience. I'll get there. :-)
And, it is already helping other people. Melissa wrote:
Robert, I appreciate you for your insights. I have discovered my emotions are showing up in my stomach mostly. I will have to check in with my chest and throat. My stomach has been tense during my situations and could overwhelm different bottlenecks elsewhere.
Your second description about being out of balance perfectly describes my situations as well. You phrased it better and more deeply than my current level of understanding. Thank you for those insights. Being centered myself helps me be more present for the other person. As my centering improves I even get better at meeting new people. :-)
I also like the idea of doing The Body Inventory at your desk. I tried it yesterday for the first time while lying down. I almost fell asleep. (Though maybe that is what my body really needed then.)
The post also elicited a profound and helpful comment from Doris Hernandez, a "life coach." I recommend my readers take a look at her blog, Building the Life You Want, as well.
"This was one of my key "lessons learned" from the Problem Solving Leadership workshop (PSL): acknowledging my feelings/emotions. As an INTP myself, this didn't make much sense at the time. :-)
Even though it was some years ago, I recall Jerry mentioning during PSL that INTPs have very fragile feelings which is why we need to protect them and appear to others as if we didn't have any.
After PSL I have been doing the exercise Jerry describes every morning at my desk in the office while writing in my journal. I close my eyes and write down what I feel. I just acknowledge it to myself on paper. In my case though, I don't start at my toes. I have learned that my emotions get trapped in 3 very specific places in my body: my stomach, my chest, and my throat. So, I just aim for those. If I listen closely, I hear what I am saying... emotionally. That helps me balance myself to begin my day at work.
In dealing with others, I also often find myself "not understanding why others feel the way they do". That is my trigger to stop trying to figure it out and just be. I am just there for the other person. I just acknowledge their feelings. I don't try to change them. Sometimes I catch myself not being able to do that. I realize that, in those situations, I am emotionally out of balance. I am trying to "fix" the other person when, in fact, what I really want is to balance myself."
I'm so glad he wrote this, for his experience is as a valuable model for others of how the body inventory works, and how working on yourself first helps you understand others.
And, how helping others helps you, for when I asked Robert for permission to use his feedback, he wrote:
Jerry, please go ahead and use it on the blog.I am already thinking that once I see it on on your blog, it will help me be less afraid of sharing my thoughts in a larger audience. I'll get there. :-)
And, it is already helping other people. Melissa wrote:
Robert, I appreciate you for your insights. I have discovered my emotions are showing up in my stomach mostly. I will have to check in with my chest and throat. My stomach has been tense during my situations and could overwhelm different bottlenecks elsewhere.
Your second description about being out of balance perfectly describes my situations as well. You phrased it better and more deeply than my current level of understanding. Thank you for those insights. Being centered myself helps me be more present for the other person. As my centering improves I even get better at meeting new people. :-)
I also like the idea of doing The Body Inventory at your desk. I tried it yesterday for the first time while lying down. I almost fell asleep. (Though maybe that is what my body really needed then.)
The post also elicited a profound and helpful comment from Doris Hernandez, a "life coach." I recommend my readers take a look at her blog, Building the Life You Want, as well.
Labels:
congruence,
emotions,
exercises,
training
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Developing Emotionally
Melissa, a client, writes: "As you recall I got booted from my job when you were consulting here a while back. In the congruent model I was too self-oriented and neglected the needs of the Presidential Other and the Context. I recently exited another situation in similar fashion (but recognized the self-orientation problem right away). In my analysis I have discovered my INTP self has built a huge ability to work through and understand problems rationally and a minuscule ability to comprehend problems or situations emotionally. So far I realize I need to build emotional awareness, both of my self and of others. I think they go together. Seeing emotions in myself helps me see them in others. I think I also need more emotional problem skills. A friend pointed out humans are quite often irrational and I get confused trying to deal with those situations rationally. I guess I am looking for ways to develop emotionally. I appreciate any emotions or ideas that you and others are willing to share. Thank you."
I'd like my readers to post any help they can give to Melissa. Let me start by offering an exercise I found extremely useful in learning to perceive my own emotional state:
Sit down by yourself.
Close your eyes and mentally perform an inventory of your physical state.
Start with the tip of the big toe on your right foot. Is it feeling anything? Quiet? Itchy? Painful? What kind of pain?
Acknowledge the feeling, then move on to the next toe and repeat the process.
Finish your right toes, then do the left. Then do the parts of your feet, then your ankles and up your legs.
Continue the process up your body, inside and out, until you finish at the top of your head.
If you're pressed, the entire process can take as little as one minute, though if you can spare a couple of minutes, that would be better. You can almost always get a couple of minutes. For example, if I'm in a stressful client meeting, I ask for a health break and head for the men's room (in your case, Melissa, the ladies' room). I can hide out in a booth and perform the inventory. When I'm finished, I not only know my physical state (and perhaps something I want to do to improve it), but I usually have some insight into my emotional state and the emotional states of the others in the meeting.
Give it a try.
Any other suggestions?
I'd like my readers to post any help they can give to Melissa. Let me start by offering an exercise I found extremely useful in learning to perceive my own emotional state:
The Body Inventory
Sit down by yourself.
Close your eyes and mentally perform an inventory of your physical state.
Start with the tip of the big toe on your right foot. Is it feeling anything? Quiet? Itchy? Painful? What kind of pain?
Acknowledge the feeling, then move on to the next toe and repeat the process.
Finish your right toes, then do the left. Then do the parts of your feet, then your ankles and up your legs.
Continue the process up your body, inside and out, until you finish at the top of your head.
If you're pressed, the entire process can take as little as one minute, though if you can spare a couple of minutes, that would be better. You can almost always get a couple of minutes. For example, if I'm in a stressful client meeting, I ask for a health break and head for the men's room (in your case, Melissa, the ladies' room). I can hide out in a booth and perform the inventory. When I'm finished, I not only know my physical state (and perhaps something I want to do to improve it), but I usually have some insight into my emotional state and the emotional states of the others in the meeting.
Give it a try.
Any other suggestions?
Labels:
congruence,
consulting,
emotions,
exercises,
training
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