When a project team or management committee gets "stuck," valuable time and
resources are wasted. When a way forward is not evident, the path of least
resistance is to throw more data at the problem. However, more information
is not necessarily what is needed. Sometimes re-framing the problem or
seeing alternatives from completely unanticipated sources is essential.
Disciplined Inquiry™ is a facilitated process developed by SFB Associates
which provides clarity and focused support for a person wanting to gain new
insight about a specific business dilemma. While working to shift
perspectives or deepen understanding of a difficult challenge, group members
also learn to ask more powerful questions.
As a result individuals achieve break through ideas and uncover new ways of
working persistent problems. They engage the wisdom of the group in a
structured group activity that requires thoughtful framing of questions
rather than more advice.
One person "holds" the dilemma - a problem or challenge - which is shared
with participants. Following guidelines provided by the facilitator, the
group uses two decks of cards to prompt more powerful questions and suggest
more responsive behaviors. There are three phases to the activity:
(1) Inquiry: group members may only ask questions of the holder of the
dilemma
(2) Reflection: holder of the dilemma uses suggested tools to review
questions asked and insights gained
(3) Dialogue: holder re-engages with entire group for discussion of the
dilemma and shares new insights.
Disciplined Inquiry...
efficiently harnesses the power of existing resources to deliver focus,
clarity, and solutions.
rewards and invites on-going collaboration by allowing people to become
vested in each other's success.
builds effective communication by focusing on productively interacting,
listening, and thinking.
Clients have worked dilemmas ranging from Open-Sourcing to questions of Lab
morale to developing top technical talent in an increasingly market-driven
business environment. Disciplined Inquiry can be used to anchor a
stand-alone workshop to address recurring issues in the organization or
team. And it can be propagated throughout your organization as part of a
leader's tool kit of innovative resources to spark awareness and prompt "out
of the box" thinking.
Train-the-Trainer sessions and Disciplined Inquiry Facilitators' Kits are
available only through SFB.
Please contact us for more information. |
| |
