Philip Pogson reminds us about common sense -- and his example of creating
an initial exercise by having the farriers just talk with each other
demonstrates the value of keeping people within their comfort zones.
There are times when it is appropriate, even vital, to stretch people's
comfort zones -- but the beginning of a meeting or the first time people
get together is not one of them! Even when you do ask people to stretch
their comfort zones, it is important to take them only to a stretching
point, not a breaking point. A professor at Michigan State University
(whose name I've forgot - sorry) had a model of comfort zones with stretch
points and a breaking point. He believed, and it matches my experience
with groups, that once people stretch their comfort zones (without
breaking -- i.e., no terrible consequences occur) that their comfort zones
expand. The next time the stretch can take them further without danger,
and the next time even further.
On a slightly different theme, I was impressed by a colleague (Tom
Connellan) who began most of his meetings by taking out a crisp $100 bill
and laying it on the table in front of him -- declaring, "This will go to
the first person who asks a dumb question." Of course it never takes long
for some smart-alec to try for the money by asking something really
stupid, whereupon Tom would say, "That's a good question....By the way,
did I mention that I am the sole judge of what makes a question stupid?"
He would consistently respond to every question thereafter by beginning
with "That's a good question." People quickly learned that it was in
their comfort zone to ask questions.
--"John Gunkler" <jgunkler@sprintmail.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>