INTERVENTIONS
An intervention is the process of improving office functioning when there are unresolved issues, misunderstanding, and lack of alignment. The process occurs in several stages:
- Day One: Interviewing and Assessment -- confidential, individual interviews to gather data about perceptions, the history of the office, and how to move toward a more functional environment. These data are shared only in the aggregate, without attribution, as trust is a critical factor in establishing a relationship between the consultant and the participants.
- Days Two and Three: Reporting and Facilitated Session -- the aggregated data are shared, and the group is introduced to concepts and skills appropriate to the data. The focus is on reaching agreement on operating norms and creating a shared vision of the future. The envelope for this stage: What do we need to keep, start, and stop doing in order to create a more productive and functional environment in our office? Depending on the outcome of this session, coaching and individual assessment and development may occur.
- Day Four: Benchmarking and Fine Tuning -- The group reconvenes 30-60 days later to chart progress and to re-examine their goals and relationships. At this point, the group chooses to end the intervention, to maintain contact with the consultant in an advisory capacity, or to schedule additional sessions.
FACILITATED SESSIONS
Strategic Planning, Generating a Vision: Where do we want to go? Where do we not want to go? How can we keep our focus on the future? What steps do we need to undertake to make this happen?
The consultant serves as a listening post and process expert so that all views are heard, differences do not lead to positional arguments, and the focus is on reaching agreements that are inclusive and worthy of commitment. In addition, the consultant will provide a written report on action items as well as process observations within one week of the facilitated session.
Change Mapping: How do we market our vision of change to the population of our organization? How can we acknowledge resistance to change without letting it bog down the process? What do our people need (and there will be a range of needs) in order to feel involved and invested in moving forward?
The consultant conducts interviews (individually, through focus groups, electronically), shares collected data with the change team, then assists in mapping out steps for helping the organization support moving toward a new model.
COACHING
Coaching can be part of a management development program, a piece of an intervention, or simply a one-to-one arrangement that provides candid, neutral feedback and allows participants to clarify barriers to their expectations, as well as understanding their impact on others.
In our experience, most supervisors' problems with their employees come from not understanding their impact on others rather than from a lack of competence or relational ability. Coaching may involve any of several assessments (the MBTI, La Monica Empathy Profile, any of Glenn Parker's Team Player assessments, or assessments from The Translucent Organization®
The process includes several sessions for feedback, interviews with employees, and a benchmarking process for reaching the coachee's goals.
KEYNOTES
Mything Leaders
What we don't understand about leadership and what we need to find to spread leadership throughout our organization. When asked who comes to mind when we hear the word "leader," most of us name dead, famous people. Since most of us are neither dead nor famous, this puts leadership out of our reach. This keynote speech helps us accept and practice leadership behaviors throughout our careers. This session is an eye opener for supervisors, employees, and anyone in your organization who needs to rediscover the adventure of leadership.
Learning Chaos
We're raised in the "Funnel/Vomit" mode of instruction: teachers pour information down our throats; if we can regurgitate accurately, we're considered good students. "Learning Chaos" is the title of Mac Bogert's new book, and this session is guaranteed to shake up your assumptions about teaching, training, and learning. It is interactive, energizing, and fun. You can click on this link to read an excerpt of Learning Chaos. Feedback is welcome!
Different Dictionaries
None of us speaks the same language. Every organization struggles with communication issues, including families and community group. Why do we so often misunderstand each other? How come other people don't seem to "get it" when we are sure we're being clear? "Different Dictionaries" will bring a delightful new perspective to the process of communication.
MEDIATION
When a conflict seems unsolvable, especially when it seems to have a life of its own, an outside, neutral mediator is often the best solution. Mediated agreements are potent and more successful than any other formal agreement, including courts and arbitration. The mediation process respects all participants viewpoints, makes no imposed judgment, and seeks solutions that all can support.
The process is confidential, and agreement is generated by the participants, in an atmosphere of trust and collaboration.
Mac Bogert has extensive experience in all fields of meditation, including workplace conflicts and community issues. He also provides instruction in anger management and serves as a trainer of mediators.