Monday Kickstarter: May 4, 2020

Monday Kickstarters is a working session designed for everyone on the call to figure out how to have conversations worth having when faced with a tough situation or problem. You can listen live on the Conversations Worth Having YouTube Channel.

Here are the topics and generative questions that were developed on Monday, May 4!

The Challenge: Organizational-burn out, poor workgroup collaboration.

Reframe:

• Groups are working productively together
• Engaged, resilient
• Focused, aligned
• There is good workgroup collaboration and good inter-team collaboration (good organizational function).
• How can we increase positivity and energy in this team?
• My colleagues are actively experimenting with online learning tools.
• Tell me a time in the workplace you were most engaged and thriving?
• What is going on? Who are we when we are at our best?
• When your team is most energized and engaged what is different?
• When was the last time you as a team felt engaged?
• Tell Me about a time you were your most resilient self?

The Challenge: Team leaders want to stay focused on the situation we are in and the dreary nature of it

• What are some of the good things that you have noticed or experienced during covid-19?
• In this time what are we really successful at.. what strengths are we seeing in each other
• Is there anything that we can do as a team to be bright spot during covid-19?
• Recommend this article: https://www.careersingovernment.com/tools/gov-talk/covid-19/reinventing-your-team-in-the-midst-of-covid-19/
• Silver Linings…
• Remember to use relational rituals with teams…

The Challenge: Starting a conversation when the belief is “There are things you don’t discuss; politics, religion, and vaccinations.”

• How do we help everyone find their voice?
• Book Recommendation: Permission to Feel Marc Bracket. Marc Brackett is founder of the Yale Center for Intelligence affiliated with the Child Study Center at Yale
• Establish norms
• Ask people how they feel.
• And be aware that “thinking oriented” people may “feel with their thoughts.”
• Best virtual norms
• Intentional about relational rituals
• Draw upon Brene Brown and Vulnerability

The Challenge: My colleagues are facing challenges with using online learning!

• Do a check in with your team before diving into the Agenda
• Connection before content
• How can you see this as a place that is exactly where you’re suppose to be. Why is it important for us to be here? “Why is this the place you want to be?”
• Take the time for connection
• Ground why this is the place to be before moving on.
• Purpose!!!
• “conversations are the work right now” and positive rituals when connected
• listening to understand
• Has anyone had some great experiences with online learning … what was it, how did you connect, what made it a great learning experience?
• Think about a time you had a positive experience when you were challenged having to learn something new…co-create the new?
• Wait a bit on them and share your experiences…they may be just “five minutes” from learning it.
• What are some great easy to use platforms?
• How would you like to stay connected while we all work from home?
• I can hear you
• How might we support one another through this time?
• How might we foster leaning, growth and development during this time?
• Brian: possibly asking them what is it that is stopping them on a deeper level, what it that fear? Not being able to master the technology? Followed up by the offer to help.

MONDAY KICKSTARTER

Watch the video to hear more generative questions that were not captured in the chat by visiting our YouTube Channel for May 4, 2020.

Learn More at https://conversationsworthhaving.today

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Bring your own challenging situation! Please register through the Center for Appreciative Inquiry.