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Taking Our Online Courses as a Work Group
A MESSAGE FROM RALPH KILMANN
The members of the same work group (whether a department, task force, project group, cross-functional team, or process improvement team) will gain extra benefits from taking our series of online courses AS A GROUP. Instead of members of an organization taking our online courses separately and thus independently, learning key principles and practices with your workplace colleagues will not only enhance what every member learns from our online courses, but will also make it much easier to apply what is learned back on the job—where it counts.
Basically, when all group members (1) learn the same language and the same concepts, (2) review the same assessment tools and their personalized results, (3) analyze and discuss the same business cases, and (4) follow the same guidelines for effective behavior—BECAUSE all these principles are fully shared in the group, they are more likely to be put into practice when challenging problems and conflicts appear in the workplace.
On this page, I outline how a work group can take full advantage of all the valuable materials in our series of online courses. The numbered lists provide the steps for learning the material as a group, while the non-itemized paragraphs describe what members are asked to do on their own. Naturally, depending on the unique circumstances and needs of your group, these steps can be adjusted or expanded. But they do serve as an effective framework for group learning.
Many times I am asked: What constitutes a work group? Although organizations often assign people to a work unit (whether full-time or part-time assignments), the key question is: Whom do you interact with on a daily basis? Often times, it's worthwhile to include people who informally participate in your group meetings, even if they are not "officially" assigned to your team.
But here is the really challenging question that's best to address up front: When should the immediate supervisor, manager, or "boss" be included in the group's learning process?
When the health of the culture is in doubt, I suggest that only peer groups participate in the first four online courses (up to and including the Critical Thinking Course). Why? For effective learning to be achieved, it is imperative that every member feels safe to voice his true opinions and feelings during all group discussions that take place in these foundation-building courses. Otherwise, the leader might wind up doing most of the talking, while other members (to protect themselves from either real or imagined repercussions) might keep their views to themselves. Such withholding of participation, and thus withholding of different perspectives, would severely limit the potential benefits of taking these four online courses as a group—whether as a work group, project team, task force, or cross-boundary group.
The safest approach, therefore, is to use peer groups at the start: Non-supervisory members meet in peer groups for the first four online courses, just as their supervisors meet in their relevant peer groups. And the department heads then also meet in their peer groups, and so on, all the way up the management hierarchy. (Perhaps only the senior management team would necessarily meet in a non-peer arrangement by including the senior vice president or president of the business unit or whole organization.)
Naturally, if it's apparent that a healthy, open, and candid culture already exists, then all group members, including the relevant leader, can take our series of online courses from the start—as a whole group. But if it's evident that using peer groups is the best way to ensure effective learning during our first four online courses, keep in mind that our fifth course, Team Management (coming soon), will provide a carefully planned series of action steps (including detailed work sheets) for reuniting leaders with their group members in a very gentle, smooth, and effective manner. Following this planned merging of leaders and peers, the work group then takes all our remaining online courses as an intact team.
Occasionally, as implied, the "boss" can effectively guide his or her work group through our online courses (including all group discussions) in a candid and forthright manner. Most times, however, an expert consultant, trainer, or facilitator will be in the best position to ensure that the work group gains the most knowledge and skills from taking our series of online courses. In the end, it's up to the "powers-that-be" whether the immediate boss or an expert facilitator guides members through the learning process. Hopefully, such a far-reaching decision will be based on an accurate assessment of the culture of the group and the skills of its leader.
NOTE: During the online courses themselves, I suggest when it’s a good time to take a ten or fifteen-minute break from my presentations and the group discussions. But please feel free to either skip or add breaks, depending on what works best for your learning process. And during the group activities outlined below, I also suggest the typical amount of time that might be necessary for each group discussion. But please adjust these meeting times to best suit your needs—which will depend on the size of your group and the depth of the discussion.
STARTING WITH BASIC TRAINING IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Because BASIC Training in Conflict Management is only eighty minutes in length (not counting the additional twenty to thirty minutes for taking the TKI assessment and then reviewing your TKI personalized report), I recommend that all group members first complete this course if they haven’t had much previous exposure to conflict management. Our BASIC course is a great introduction, a warm-up if you will, in preparation for the more advanced material contained in our additional online courses.
When group members have watched the eighty-minute video, while following along with the Course Manual for Basic Training in Conflict Management, I recommend they discuss the following items in a one-hour group meeting:
1. As a group, members spend a little time making sure everyone understands the TKI Conflict Model, especially the dimensions of assertiveness and cooperativeness, and the integrative, distributive, and protective dimensions of conflict behavior. Then members share examples of using each of the five conflict modes effectively and suggest whose needs get satisfied in the process. Next, members review the eight key attributes of a conflict situation that determine when each mode is most likely to achieve the most satisfaction for all key stakeholders (internal and external to the organization). Then members discuss the best approach to conflict, given all the principles and practices discussed in BASIC Training in Conflict Management.
2. Based on each person’s TKI report, make a tally of how many group members scored highest or tied for highest (in the high 25%) on each of the five conflict-handling modes. Also make a tally of how many members scored lowest or tied for lowest (in the low 25%) on each of the five modes. Then plot these results on the TKI Conflict Model on pages 16 and 17 in the manual. What do these group results say about which conflict modes are probably being used too much or too little in the way that group members address their workplace conflicts?
3. Discuss why approaching workplace problems with a different set of conflict modes (having ALL five modes available to every group member) would likely result in different experiences and outcomes for the group. And how would the organization and its external stakeholders benefit if group members used different modes for their recurring workplace conflicts?
4. Develop an action plan to encourage more discernment in using conflict modes more consciously—and purposefully—in the workplace, so as to maximize personal satisfaction and value-added contribution to the work group and the organization. TAKE NOTE: Which variety of conflict modes did members use to develop this action plan—and what were the consequences of using these modes on group performance and member satisfaction?
5. How will the work group implement its action plan and then monitor the results for the purpose of ensuring that workplace conflicts are being managed effectively and efficiently? In the next online course, group members will recognize these processes as the steps—and errors—of problem management.
PROCEEDING WITH ADVANCED TRAINING IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
If your work group has already developed considerable wisdom in conflict management, it can bypass BASIC Training in Conflict Management and directly proceed with ADVANCED Training in Conflict Management. But if your group first took BASIC Training, it’s still necessary to proceed with ADVANCED Training, since this higher-level course provides the essential knowledge of psychological type, group process, problem management, and the Problem Management Organization (PMO)—all of which are woven into our subsequent courses.
On their own, group members watch the first few video sections in the ADVANCED course, up to and including page 37 in the Course Manual for Advanced Training in Conflict Management.
6. As a group, members discuss the five items listed under the heading: STARTING WITH BASIC TRAINING IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT. (The group's tally of its high 25% and low 25% conflict modes can be plotted on pages 22 and 23 in the Course Manual for Advanced Training in Conflict Management.) NOTE: Even if the group first took BASIC Training, it might still be worthwhile to review what they had previously discussed before moving on to the more complex material in ADVANCED Training.
On their own, group members watch the next video section on Foundations of Psychological Type, which covers pages 38 to 63 in the manual. Afterwards, the group meets for about thirty to forty-five minutes to discuss the following items:
7. As a group, members spend some time making sure that everyone understands the dimensions of psychological type (extraversion–introversion, sensation–intuition, thinking–feeling, and perceiving–judging) and especially the four middle two combinations: ST, NT, SF, and NF.
8. Based on each person’s MBTI results, make a tally of the variety of psychological types in the work group. Indicate how many ST, NT, SF, and NF types are present, by writing the numbers onto the figure on page 41 in the manual. Knowing this distribution of types will be invaluable for the subsequent online courses as well as for all workplace discussions.
9. Make sure that all members examine how their psychological type might compel them to overuse or underuse one or more of the five conflict modes (see page 56 and 57 in the manual). With this knowledge, it will be much easier for group members to compensate for their natural tendency to rely on some modes more or less than others.
On their own, group members watch the video section on Group Process on pages 64 to 80 in the manual. Following, the group spends about thirty minutes discussing these items:
10. As a group, members review the ten key principles of group process and the Process Observer (PO) Form (especially pages 77 to 80). Consider how to recognize the specific behaviors that either support or undermine those key principles in workplace meetings.
11. Discuss the process by which your group will appoint a Process Observer (PO) for every meeting and how the group will make the best use of the feedback that the PO provides at the end of the meeting (as outlined on page 76). The group should also consider the sequence by which members will take turns serving as the PO during workplace meetings. And the group should discuss what it means if they “forget” to assign a PO and thus fall back on their habitual (typically dysfunctional) group behavior.
On their own, group members watch the video section on Introduction to Problem Management on pages 81 to 103 in the manual. Also on their own, they watch the video section on the Paul Marshall’s Case, which reviews the Work Sheets on pages 103 to 114. But members hit the PAUSE BUTTON soon after the video shows a beautiful clearing in the forest with a single wooden chair. If members haven’t done so already, they next read and study the case itself on pages 104 to 110. Afterward, they individually complete the work sheets on pages 112 to 114. Next, the group reconvenes and discusses these items in a one-hour meeting:
12. As a group, members review the instructions on page 103 (A Group Discussion on Problem Management), appoint the Process Observer (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 77 to 80), and then plan how the meeting will be conducted. Next, each group member shares the problems that were sensed and how to define them (page 112), what solutions are expected to close the identified gaps (page 113), and how to implement the chosen solutions and evaluate the results (page 114). After the individual sharing has concluded, the group members develop a consensus on their approach to problem management on this case study.
13. Toward the end of the group discussion, in five to ten minutes, the PO shares his or her assessment of how well the ten principles of group process were applied during the meeting (including what improved, stayed the same, or became worse since the last meeting). The group as a whole then discusses how it will improve its group process the next time it meets.
On their own, group members return to the video and hit the PLAY BUTTON, which was previously paused on the scene of a clearing in the forest with a single wooden chair. As the video begins, the scene switches to a serene path in the forest with a wooden fence on the right side of the path. At this time, I present my analysis of the Paul Marshall’s Case—which will have the most value not until AFTER the group has already completed and discussed the Work Sheets on Using Problem Management.
14. As a group, members list the similarities and differences between its consensus analysis and my analysis of the case study. The group then summaries what it learned through this comparison (taking special note of any gaps) and then agrees on how to approach its workplace problems with these same principles and practices.
On their own, group members watch the next two video sections, The Nature of Problems and The Problem Management Organization (PMO), on pages 115 to 131 in the manual. Next, they discuss these items in a thirty-minute meeting:
15. As a group, members review the process by which a PMO minimizes the most damaging errors in problem management for the most complex problems and conflicts facing an organization. Why is it so important to first magnify differences across the C-Groups before resolving those differences within an S-Group? Outline the key principles for designing and using a PMO, so it has the best chance to succeed with all five steps of problem management.
16. How can these same principles be applied in one work group of just three to ten members (or whatever the size of your work group)? List some recurring workplace problems that would benefit from making use of these PMO principles and practices.
17. How will the work group implement some version of the first three tracks in order to make sure that it has a healthy behavioral infrastructure for problem management—and a PMO?
18. Did your work group remember to assign a PO and plan the process BEFORE it proceeded with the content of this meeting? Did your work group remember to allocate a few minutes toward the end of the meeting to receive and discuss the PO’s feedback? If the answer is “no” to either question, why did your group forget to incorporate these necessary steps for improving group process?
On their own, group members take the Final Exam for Advanced Training in Conflict Management, as described on page 132 of the manual and explained on the last video section of the course: Graduation. Upon successful completion of the Final Exam (receiving at least 88 out of 100 total points), each member receives the Certificate for Advanced Training in Conflict Management. Obtaining this certificate signifies that the designee has learned the key principles and practices—and is now ready to apply them in the workplace.
PROCEEDING WITH CULTURE MANAGEMENT
After having compared your group’s analysis with my analysis of the Paul Marshall’s Case, the importance of the culture track (the first of the eight-track program of quantum transformation) usually becomes apparent to all members. Moreover, without first developing an open, supportive, and innovative culture, group members won't be able to transfer what is learned in an online course (or any workshop) back into the workplace where it belongs. But by taking our Culture Management Course as a group, not only will members better understand the nuances of culture-gaps (the difference between dysfunctional and desired cultural norms), but they will also learn how to close these gaps—making use of the five steps of problem management.
On their own, group members watch the first three video sections in the course, learning the material through page 17 in the Course Manual for Culture Management. Next, members watch my overview of the Work Sheets for Identifying Culture-Gaps (pages 19 to 40). Members then complete just the first part of the Work Sheets (pages 19 to 36), which allows each member to itemize his perceptions of the ACTUAL NORMS that are currently operating in the work group as well as the DESIRED NORMS that would help to improve performance and satisfaction—which thus define the group’s culture-gaps. When members have completed their lists of actual and desired norms, the group convenes for a sixty-minute meeting to discuss these items:
19. As a group, members review the instructions on page 18 (Group Discussion on Identifying Culture-Gaps), appoint the Process Observer (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 41 to 44 in the manual), and then plan how the meeting will be conducted. Next, each member shares his or her list of norms on pages 21 to 36. Naturally, it depends on the group’s plan whether all actual norms are first shared before sharing all the desired norms, or if each pair of actual and desired norm is presented as a unit—before going on to the next culture-gap.
20. The group discusses and then lists its five to eight largest culture-gaps on page 37.
21. Group members then design their sanctioning system on pages 38 and 39 of the manual, which will help them close their largest culture-gaps. And on page 40, the group considers how to ensure that it, in fact, will USE its sanctioning system back on the job.
22. Toward the end of the group discussion, in five to ten minutes, the PO shares his or her assessment of how well the ten principles of group process were applied during the meeting (including what improved, stayed the same, or became worse since the last meeting). The group as a whole then discusses how it will improve its group process the next time it meets.
On their own, group members watch the video section on the Kilmann-Saxton Culture-Gap® Survey and then take the survey on pages 45 to 55, score their responses on pages 56 to 57, and graph their results on pages 58 and 59. Also on their own, group members view the video section on Defining Four Culture-Gaps on pages 73 to 82, the video section on Problem Management and Culture-Gaps on pages 83 to 87, and the video section on Work Sheets for Closing Culture-Gaps on pages 89 to 96. (When members have a chance, they might find it worthwhile to review the interpretive materials on pages 64 to 72 of the Culture-Gap Survey.) The group then reconvenes for a one-hour meeting to discuss these items:
23. As a group, members review the instructions on page 88 (Group Discussion on Closing Culture-Gaps), appoint the Process Observer (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 41 to 44), and then plan how the meeting will be conducted. After discussing the four culture-gaps and reviewing the Work Sheets, the members calculate and graph their group’s Culture-Gap Profile on page 90 and then follow the steps of problem management on the rest of the Work Sheets. On page 96, they consider how to expand the use of their sanctioning system in order to close their largest culture-gaps.
24. Toward the end of the group discussion, did the group remember to receive and discuss its PO’s feedback? If not, why is this vital step not yet internalized in the group’s culture? Does the group also forget to use a PO back in the workplace? If so, what additional safeguards and steps can be taken to make sure that the group actively applies the key principles and practices of these online courses?
On their own, group members watch the video section on Kilmanns Organizational Belief Survey and then take the survey on pages 97 to 105, score their responses on pages 106 and 107, and graph their results on pages 108 and 109. Also on their own, group members view the video section on Defining Three Beliefs on pages 119 to 129. (When members have a chance, they might find it worthwhile to review the interpretive materials on pages 112 to 118 of the Organizational Belief Survey.) Next, the group convenes for a thirty-minute meeting to discuss these items:
25. As a group, members appoint the Process Observer (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 41 to 44) and plan how the meeting will be conducted. Group members then proceed to calculate and graph their Group Profile on page 110 and 111 in the manual. The group next discusses the meaning of its results, including the variability in individual scores—and considers why some members have a stronger belief in Internal Control than others. Some time should then be spent on outlining the actions steps for developing a stronger—collective—belief in Internal Control, so the group will enhance its self-empowerment and thus will be more likely to achieve higher levels of improvement.
26. Toward the end of the group discussion, in five to ten minutes, the PO shares his or her assessment of how well the ten principles of group process were applied during the meeting (including what improved, stayed the same, or became worse since the last meeting). The group as a whole then discusses how it will improve its group process the next time it meets. Has the group internalized this process, so these PO instructions are no longer needed?
On their own, group members complete the online course by watching the last video section, Congratulations, on page 130 in the manual.
PROCEEDING WITH CRITICAL THINKING
After having identified and then closed the work group’s largest culture-gaps, the skills track proceeds (the second track in the eight-track program of quantum transformation). Building on a shared understanding of the five steps and errors of problem management (as covered in ADVANCED Training in Conflict Management), the skills track now helps all members learn critical thinking skills: How to surface and revise their false assumptions for their most complex problems and conflicts. Indeed, just as the group has learned to surface and revise its dysfunctional cultural norms, a similar process is used to write out assumptions that previously were hidden, which made them inaccessible and thus not manageable. (Incidentally, surfacing unwritten norms and hidden assumptions is an excellent way of fostering a collective belief in Internal Control.)
Furthermore, learning critical thinking skills (using the method of assumptional analysis) will enable all group members to make even better use of a Problem Management Organization (PMO), by learning how to debate assumptions across C-Groups before the S-Group can synthesize these assumptions into a new conclusion. The result? The likelihood of committing a defining error or an implementing error (the two most devastating errors of problem management) will be minimized for the benefit of all internal and external stakeholders, short term and long term.
On their own, group members watch the first few video sections in this online course, including A Brief Review of Problem Management (pages 6 to 14), Two Inquiring Systems (pages 15 to 21), and Introduction to Assumptional Analysis (pages 22 to 49)—as covered in the Course Manual for Critical Thinking.
On their own, group members read—and study—the case, Atwater County Hospital East, on pages 52 to 56 in the manual. The members then watch the video section that provides an overview of the Work Sheets on Using Assumptional Analysis on pages 51 to 66. But members hit the PAUSE BUTTON soon after the video shows a beautiful mountain scene with these instructions: Study the Case…Analyze the Case…. The group then reconvenes for a one-hour meeting to discuss these items:
27. As a group, members review the instructions on page 50 (Group Discussion on Using Assumptional Analysis), appoint the Process Observer (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 67 to 70), and then plan how the meeting will be conducted. After the group has had a chance to review its understanding of the case study, the group proceeds to complete the Stakeholder Table on page 58, according to the initial conclusion: “The culture of the hospital will be changed and improved as a result of sending a copy of the executives’ letter to every employees.” The members then complete the Assumptional Table on pages 59 to 61 by writing one or more assumptions for each stakeholder. Next, the group plots its assumptions on the matrix on pages 63 and 64, according to the importance and certainty of each assumption. Focusing on the assumptions that are known to be false, the group revises those assumptions on page 65 and deduces a new conclusion on page 66, thus completing its assumptional analysis of the case study.
28. Toward the end of the group discussion, in five to ten minutes, the PO shares his or her assessment of how well the ten principles of group process were applied during the meeting (including what improved, stayed the same, or became worse since the last meeting). The group as a whole then discusses how it will improve its group process the next time it meets—whether for this online course or for a workplace meeting back on the job.
On their own, group members return to the video and hit the PLAY BUTTON, which was previously paused on that beautiful mountain scene. Now I present my analysis of the assumptions surrounding the case study, which will have the most value not until AFTER the group has already completed and discussed the Work Sheets on Using Assumptional Analysis.
29. As a group, members compare their discussions and tables with my analysis of the case—with respect to listing stakeholders, writing assumptions, plotting assumptions, revising assumptions, and deriving a new conclusion. Although there is no right answer per se, the group will benefit by noting the gaps between its case analysis and my case analysis, so all the important lessons about the technique of assumptional analysis will be learned and internalized by every member in the group, and thus by the group as a whole.
On their own, group members proceed to watch the video section, The Problem Management Organization (PMO), on pages 71 to 80 in the manual. Although some of this material was presented in ADVANCED Training in Conflict Management, this review of the PMO highlights how assumptional analysis is used by the C-Groups and the S-Group in order to further minimize the errors of problem management. The addition of assumptional analysis to the PMO will improve the likelihood of fully satisfying—both short term and long term—the needs of all key stakeholders. Then the members watch my overview of the Work Sheets on Applying What We Learned on pages 81 to 94 in the manual—including, on page 95, how assumptional analysis affects “Seeing the Big Picture.”
30. As a group, members appoint a PO (who makes use of the PO Form on pages 67 to 70), plan the meeting process, and then proceed with completing the Work Sheets on Applying What We Learned. Naturally, toward the end of the meeting, the PO provides feedback and the group discusses how to further improve its process—making effective use of all the lessons learned from these online courses.
On their own, group members take the Final Exam for Critical Thinking, as described on page 96 of the manual and explained on the last video section of the course: Graduation and Certificate. Upon successful completion of the Final Exam (receiving at least 88 out of 100 total points), each member receives the Certificate for the Critical Thinking Course. Obtaining this certificate signifies that the designee has learned the key principles and practices—and is now ready to apply them in the workplace.
YOU ARE NOW READY FOR THE TEAM MANAGEMENT COURSE
The topics of Team Management include:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Holistic Team Management
- Introducing Time Management
- Taking the Time-Gap Survey
- Defining Five Time-Gaps
- Closing Time-Gaps
- Reuniting the Work Group
- Taking The Team-Gap Survey
- Defining Four Team-Gaps
- Identifying Team-Gaps
- Closing Team-Gaps
- Congratulations