Leadership Solutions Blog
|
10/3/2020 0 Comments Planning Your Q-and-A SessionAs your organization prepares for change, consider conducting Question and Answer Sessions. Your Q and A sessions will help you measure your organization’s climate, gather information useful in planning, and identify influential voices of both agreement and dissent. This article takes you through planning a Q and A session and perhaps allay some of the anxiety that accompanies them. Prepare for Questions You’ll want to prepare your responses to both supportive and dissenting comments; and responses to unanticipated viewpoints. Preparation will help you overcome your defensiveness and awaken your curiosity about other points of view. Prepare to seek information and clarifications; and allow dissenting points of view to contribute to your knowledge-base, continued planning, timely implementation, and avoidance of potential obstacles. Prepare to Receive, Plan, and Respond Just as an MLB pitcher in the bullpen makes catching and pitching look easy, with practice, you’ll also seem to receive and respond with ease. You’ll receive each question or comment, plan your feedback, and respond. The structure described below allows time to prepare your thoughtful responses. Receiving Dissent During your Q and A session, ask specifically for dissent if it is not readily offered. But, understand that no matter how extensive and rational your message, some recipients may not agree that the problem you intend to solve is worth solving. They may lobby for more pressing issues. There may be outliers you’ll attempt to convince that a problem exists to help assure that they will agree to participate in a solution. Provide the data and the bottom-line value of what you propose to do, and include the necessity for everyone involved to participate fully in the effort. Use a Note-taker to Organize All Comments and Questions During the session, your note-taker will visually organize participants’ questions, comments, and suggestions. The group’s offerings will be topically clustered. Only after all information from the group is collected, you’ll prepare your thoughts and provide your organized and cohesive responses. This method is a time saver. You’ll avoid being overwhelmed by the volume of comments. And because you’ll undoubtedly be asked the same question more than once, you’ll present organized responses. Your Q and A Session Begins Introduce the purpose of the session and request input associated with the proposed change. Your note-taker will record the group’s ideas using a method that allows participants to view the note-taking as it occurs. You’ll confirm your understanding of the key point of each comment. Your note-taker will topically cluster all ideas as they are presented. After all ideas are presented, you’ll address the group’s issues with organized clusters of responses. Respond to Divergent Ideas In terms of your response to divergent views, listen to the emotional tenor of the group, and provide reassurances to those not in agreement with the proposed change. Inquire regarding their trepidation. Remain calm. Be sure to thank the group for their participation in the Q and A process. Plan Next Steps Lastly, after addressing all of the group’s comments, make commitments to keep employees abreast of the organization’s progress. Assure the group that follow-up will occur that includes timely, open, and honest communication that takes into account, as much as possible, the group’s recommendations and concerns. Portions of this article are excerpts from my book “Lead or Someone Else Will: A Coach’s Guide to Leadership”. It can be found on Amazon.com. Would you like more information about leadership communication strategies? Let’s have a brief no-judgement discussion of your current situation. Contact my offices at (336) 999-4533 or email me at DonnaColes.Coach@gmail.com and we’ll schedule a time to discuss your leadership dilemma and identify some options that will help. Or, Click the following link to schedule your discussion with me. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=18102228 Until then…
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
To schedule a private and confidential Coaching appointment,
Click Here for the appointment scheduler
Coaching appointments are available by phone or secure video.
© 2018 TotalExecutiveCoach.com All Rights Reserved
Click Here for the appointment scheduler
Coaching appointments are available by phone or secure video.
© 2018 TotalExecutiveCoach.com All Rights Reserved