Leadership Skills in the Workplace

Maintaining Gains Made

LEADERSHIP BRIEFS

17 Think "Dumb"

(This exercise is also included as Activity 12 on the Workshop Activities page on this website.

Objective

To solve organizational problems using simple questions.

Lesson

People often have either the belief that their organization’s problems are simply to be accepted and negotiated but never to be solved (we just have to live with them). Or they have a different reaction: the issue could probably be corrected but it would take an expensive and nosy consultant (somebody from outside the company) to do it.

Either of these common notions may discourage people from naming and tackling their own problems. In truth, many of the problems leaders face with employees in any and all organization can be “solved” (i.e., situation improved) with a simple exercise done on a regular, or even intermittent basis. It’s called “Think ‘Dumb’.”

For this exercise, ask people to jot down a few of the problem situations they commonly confront. What are their problems/challenges? They can think in terms of “this job would probably be okay IF, or this company would probably run much better IF…” (Tell them to scratch “fire the boss” off the list!) Then they need to select one of their ideas for the purpose of this exercise.

Pair each person with someone in the training group that they work with least or work with less directly (preferred method), or simply use a counting off system, pairing ones with ones, etc. One member of the pair presents their problem to their partner for half the available time (10-15 minutes is recommended, so you need a total of 30 to 40 minutes for this Activity). The question/challenge for each pair is: How can you look at this problem from a new angle?

The job of the “Dumb Consultant” is to ask the presenter all kinds of simple questions about the situation, as if he/she did not know anything at all about the company, the department, or the people involved. Let the dumb one generate their own questions, if possible, but if they protest that they can’t think of anything, get them started with a few of the suggestions in the list below.

When does this situation happen? When is it most challenging?

Who is involved? Whose fault is it?

Who really cares about this?

Why do you do it like that? Why do you do that?

What is not working about this?

How is it affecting you? …other people in the department? …the entire company?

Why does it bother you?

Who else recognizes the problem?

What have you tried already to do to address this issue?

What communication issues are involved?

How can you improve the motivation for those involved to change?

Once they get started the questions and answers will probably flow easily. The idea is for the dumb person not to give advice but just to keep asking dumb questions, like a young child would. Let the presenter get his/her own ideas from the questions raised. Challenge all assumptions.

The job of the problem presenter is to take notes, record any insights, and be prepared to briefly share these insights with the entire group at the end of the Activity.

Once half the allotted time has passed, get the partners to change roles. The other partner presents a new problem (even if it’s related to the original one, discuss it anyway). The first presenter now becomes the “Dumb Consultant” continuing to ask questions, which the presenter takes careful notes.

Discussion

When the partner time is completed, allow three minutes for each person to go round-robin to share with the group the problem they presented and any new information and insight they gained from being questioned. Each participant should be prepared to make a pledge in front of the group to take one immediate action in regard to this problem.

Agree on a reasonable date for the actions to be taken, and set another time for reporting back to the group on any and all progress in regard to the issue presented.

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