association comments-o-matic » Jeffrey Cufaude

Great question Jonathan. A couple of thoughts. I…

comments-o-matic — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:40:06 +0000

Great question Jonathan. A couple of thoughts.

I generally try to be pretty transparent and a presenter or facilitator. So if I'm presenting I might telegraph in advance that I'm going to focus most on "what if" creative conversation before moving into more critical thinking discussions. As a facilitator. I would ask for the group's permission to try and hold them in that same space longer than what they might normally do once I had discussed the benefits of doing so.

One other strategy I use when people start being critical around the specific of an idea is to restate the idea but focus on the concept behind the specific example (i.e. instead of talking about a chair talk about places where you and sit). The broader concept often invites more creative thinking. This is similar to Edward deBono's idea of green hat thinking in his Six Thinking Hats.
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I love what you said about how bringing people int…

comments-o-matic — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:40:05 +0000

I love what you said about how bringing people into "what if?" thinking makes for compelling conversation. The key here is that being in the "what if?" space allows people to be free to imagine and create new possibilities, free from what they already know, which is really exciting.

As a speaker or leader, generating this kind of environment can be really tough, and I'm interested in bringing this to presentations more consistently.

How can you bring this "what if?" thinking without actually introducing a new idea?
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Be careful about lowering prices for dues or assoc…

comments-o-matic — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:40:06 +0000

Be careful about lowering prices for dues or association programs.

Instead, add value for the same price. You'll give your members and customers more and won't reduce the perceived value of the product.
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David: I’m with you in spirit, but I don’t thin…

comments-o-matic — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:40:06 +0000

David:

I'm with you in spirit, but I don't think lowering prices has to reduce the perceived value off a program. In fact, it could raise the esteem with which the organization is held overall, enhancing its reputation as providing excellent value at affordable pricing.

If an association will never reduce the cost associated with an effort it could mean they also won't try to operate more efficiently or reduce actual programmatic expenses to drive down the costs of an initiative.

I think every organization, for-profit and non-profit, should ask "is there a way we can provide the same or more value for less cost?" on a routine basis while considering the potential shortcomings of doing so as you have noted.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

Thanks Ellen. I share your sentiment. In this po…

comments-o-matic — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:35:06 +0000

Thanks Ellen. I share your sentiment. In this post, however, I was merely offering broader principles to guide the design process. Your specific emphasis is embodied for me in spirit in making the connections more concrete, the usefulness more immediate, and the output more shareable, but I'm going to add "the learning more actionable" based on the great perspective you shared.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

Jeffrey — Thanks for getting us to think strategi…

comments-o-matic — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:35:05 +0000

Jeffrey — Thanks for getting us to think strategically about the designs of our meetings and workshops.

What I expected to see in your list but didn't, especially when it comes to workshops, is what every facilitator wants as an outcome: a learner's ability to apply what they discovered during the session in the real world.

So… how about:

"What would make the…

…learner most able to perform the session's learning outcomes so he or she can effectively apply them back in their workplace?"

Otherwise we haven't successfully facilitated a workshop that teaches anybody how to do something they haven't done before.

And if we haven't, what's the point?
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What would happen if we spent a solid hour in refl…

comments-o-matic — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:20:06 +0000

What would happen if we spent a solid hour in reflection each week on the direction of our organizations and then shared those thoughts with a small group of colleagues?

Are we too afraid of criticism/judgment from others?
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Phil: I think it is critical that individuals and…

comments-o-matic — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:20:06 +0000

Phil: I think it is critical that individuals and organizations engaged in regular and discipline self-reflection about the work being done and what is learned from the efforts. Our fast-paced environment is causing many to see regular reflection and debriefing as a luxury or even a distraction from "the real work."

When we only engage in infrequent and episodic discussions about our future, it shines a very bright spotlight on those moments, one whose glare may indeed make some uncomfortable with making their ideas public. But if we can make such conversations regular and routine, I think over time people will share more freely of their own ideas and be more generous in their openness to others' thoughts and the feedback they provide.
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Joan: thanks for passing on the question. For me…

comments-o-matic — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:40:07 +0000

Joan: thanks for passing on the question. For me, the influence we hold with others derives from our (1) competence, (2) our ideas, (3) our character, and (4) our positional authority.

If your colleague hasn't adequately developed/demonstrated the first three, drawing on the fourth to get him/herself heard will more likely come across as snooty.

Of course, this type of appreciation and understanding from others results from interactions over time and perhaps time is of the essence right now.

In a dialogue rather than a monologue or lecture, I'd be trying to demonstrate the validity of my knowledge and ideas, reserving the "I get to make the call because that's my job" until it's the only option that makes sense. And even then, speaking carefully can probably reflect well on one's character as opposed to coming across as pompous or arrogant.
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As we now live in such a diverse society how would…

comments-o-matic — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:20:06 +0000

As we now live in such a diverse society how would one go about planning an agenda for construction and management at a high school campus? I guess what I am asking is if there is a priority principle involved, and if so itemize them in order of preference.
Sincerely
rwlcoach
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