Fostering Flow in Dialogue
In teams, making decisions is driven in large part by the urgency and pressure to come up with a solution. Yet so often, for all concerned, the whole experience of team decision making is dissatisfying. “If only there were more time for dialogue, maybe we could have found an even better solution; if only our insecurities and the taking of sides had not flared up again we could have been more efficient”.
To avoid these situations, and to create the best outcome for the business and for the team, the right environment needs to be fostered for better team decisions. Elemental to this is a free flow of dialogue, where ideas and perspectives are respected, and a focus on the higher aim of the whole group. By adopting a mindset of “Coach Position”, the team leader can ensure this environment is achieved.
In coach position, a leader guides the team discussion to be inclusive and respectful, where ideas build on each other. He or she asks questions to help the team consider the “outcome beyond the outcome” to see what could emerge. What if we looked at the other side of an opinion? What would be true? Through these questions, the team is encouraged to examine their own assumptions and perspectives.
One of the challenges of taking on coach position for a team leader is to personally stay out of the details of the discussion. Here, the leader must stay above the discussion to see the big picture. The pay-off is that by encouraging a flow of ideas, like leaves on a stream, the team can capture the largest set of possibilities, and gain greater understanding. This optimizes decision making and it moves the needle on team growth.
Adopting Coach Position Encompasses:
Keeping the flow of dialogue going to prevent the digging in of heels
Bringing out viewpoints and disclosure of opinions, by “agreeing to disagree”
Resisting the assigning of labels; all participants are colleagues - not adversaries.
Treating each other as being accessible to questioning. The desire for dialogue means that we accept the risk of vulnerability.
Visualizing the possibilities for the group to consider, to see what the desired outcome would look like.
Helping the team shift from problem state to solution state.