Tim Clark tjclark@aol.com writes:
>A technique that has worked for me is that when someone brings up a
>problem or solution that they need help with, I ask them to identify the
>degree of control that they believe they have to resolve the issue. The
>classifications of control are: direct-control (they have the power),
>some-control or little-control. This technique helps to clarify and
>identify ownership or lack therof and often raises the need to improve
>communication and/or "empower" more people.
Tim- The process your describe sounds very similar to charting roles,
tasks and authority. RTA charts are a tool used by organizational
dynamics consultants trained in the Tavistock, AK Rice Institute model of
intervention. When done with a workgroup, or manager-staff diads, it is a
very powerful way to uncover mental models about roles, tasks and
authorities. Even better, it is a tool that forces individuals and teams
to learn how to negotiate across work boundaries when RTAs conflict.
The chart lists all of the group or individual functions or tasks down the
left side of a table. The names of all team members are across the top.
In each intersecting box, the person's view of their role is captured.
There are several capture approaches. The easiest is 1 if I own it and am
accountable for it, 2 if I have some accountability, but do not own the
responsibility for the deliverable and 3 if I really don't have either
accountability or responsibility. There is also a 7 point scale to the
same effect.
[Host's Note: My friends at Innovation Associates make a similar matrix,
but distinguish one person as "Accountable," others to play supporting
roles, some who need to be consulted, and any who must approve plans for
the task. I find this works quite well. ...Rick]
Thanks.
Mike.....
Michael A. Gort
Gort@mail.com
(203) 316-9454
--Michael Gort <gort@mail.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>