Identify a story in your organization that helps explain issues that need to be addressed
A form meeting is held recently for organizing an event. With members from my department as well as representatives from other departments, it is expected that all members will contribute their fruitful advice and experiences to everyone during the meeting. Unfortunately, it is found that while everyone is delivering his/her speech in his/her responsible part for the event, only a few people decide to voice out their comments on others' work during the meeting. Besides, replies by everyone are rather gentle. Lack of informal discussion is the prime reason for that.
As a learning institution, thorough discussion should always be brought out, whether formally or informally, among all parties involved so as to encourage everyone to speak out and to learn from the others. We are human who cannot read others' minds, but we can ask for others' opinion to understand the others. This is why brainstorming is needed during a meeting. Otherwise, consensus is difficult to reach.
Jeff:
ReplyDeleteCould it also be that people are reluctant to speak out as they are fearful of criticising others?
Senge's notion of 'Team Learning' could be applied here. He argues that skills like dialogue and small group discussion are crucial for finding commonality in purpose and direction.
Dick McCann builds on Senge's Fifth Discipline work (http://www.tms.com.au/tms12-2c.html). He outlines some good ideas about how groups can manage discussions through the Margerison-McCann Team Management Wheel. Simply put it looks at creating different roles in the discussion based on their strengths. It's worth a look.
Hi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI can understand where you're coming from in terms of organisational communication being frustrated by overly formal meetings. My organisation experienced this as well - formal meetings consisted primarily of reports delivered by team leaders. No time was really given over to discussion.
This has changed recently, prompted by two factors. First (probably most important) was a new head of the organisation who was used to working in a different way, second was the real need for brainstorming new ideas with the impending advent of 334. Although meetings are still not perfect, they are much more effective as forums for the generation of ideas.
Hi Jeff
ReplyDeleteIt is so common phenomenon in mainland China. People always takes care of their own duty, it is not his business when talking about other peoples' event because old saying said "To be worldly wise and play safe"（In Chinese is 明哲保身).
sometimes in informal, people will willing to talk about their opinions maybe this is a good way to get what other people thinking.
Hi Jeff.
ReplyDeletePeople in the Chinese culture tend to go to either side on the spectrum when talking about others in front of a boss. They say it generally or they say the bad things about that person. Such culture is definitely not good for communication for an organization to learn. I agree with you that informal communication is important and it can help resolve the situation.
Edward (MITEChange)