#60303

For the purposes of learning how to give and receive feedback peer grading is a good tool. Even if we don’t become experts at providing constructive criticism in the timeline of the course, we at least have an entry point and a safe space to try it out. It cannot, however, be a replacement for engaging in dialogue by responding to each other’s posts because peer grading is not dialogue. It is a primarily one-sided interaction that may not even focus on the topic of the post, but rather writing style and form. In a self-paced online learning environment, it also has the potential for leaving some individuals out of the peer grading process.

For this assignment, I created a spreadsheet that outlined all the peer grading opportunities, filled in who graded me and who I graded, and then shared it with everyone in the class. Since this part of the assignment was extra credit, I hope we all get the credit due 😊 At the time of this writing Kristen, Lindsey and I were able to fill in our individual grading information and briefly share thoughts on why we chose to grade certain posts/peers over others. The primary reason was timing; that is, we graded posts that were published when we were doing our school work. This inherently leaves some out of the peer grading equation because they were not working to the same timeline. Other reasons for choosing one post/peer over another was the desire to rotate who was being graded, and needing to connect in some way to what the peer wrote. The analysis showed that Lindsey was graded 6 times, Kristen 4 times, and I was graded 5 times.

Hi fellow KMers! I am struggling with my final project, and thought I would reach out to get your thoughts on where I should go next.  My original idea for the project was to create a demo of a web-based CoP that we could eventually utilize so that our departmental stakeholders have a better way of connecting and are more able to quickly access the information they need. I really like this idea, but I have received several thoughtful comments from the group suggesting that I should consider changing my direction.  The question is, how do I pivot?  The goal is to solve some of our training and communication issues, which will hopefully lessen the number of mistakes and lessen workloads for all involved.

I’m feeling very frustrated trying to come up with a better focus for my project. Do I focus more on the use of existing tools? Write a detailed proposal/roadmap?  Write a report about best practices for use when the time is right?  I am just not sure what I should do. Any insights or suggestions you all have would be greatly appreciated!  

PS - I run my hands though my hair when I’m stressed or frustrated, hence the meme below. 

At first I liked the format, but now I’m finding it’s hard to keep up with the new posts from class or people writing notes on my posts. So forgive me if I seemingly ignore them!

Stuff just gets mixed in with these random posts Tumblr is showing me. I delete them but more keep coming. And I try to follow the class hashtag, but I don’t think every post shows up when I search it. 

Hi everyone:  I wanted to pose this question to my classmates (and class instructor) because I am not sure how to handle this problem.  I just completed an Organizational Culture Assessment in my organization last semester, and I do not think my boss will approve another one, even though I wouldn’t be assessing the same problem. Further, I do not think I would get much participation at this time (I had about a 60% participation rate previously).  

I know a few of my classmates also completed a culture assessment last semester.  How do you all plan to handle it this time around?  Is there something we can do in lieu of this? 

The best way to determine a client’s needs is to genuinely listen to them while asking thoughtful, purposeful questions about their struggles and concerns (Schein, 2016).  It’s important to set aside your own preconceptions about their issues and really take note of what the client is trying to communicate.  One should avoid the temptation to give advice, and instead guide the client to a solution of their own making (Schein, 2016). Relating our experience to another person’s is a natural part of communicating, but our past problems have little meaning to our client. It’s important to focus on the client and not ourselves because we need to show the client that we truly want to help them find solutions to their ailments. Otherwise, we will not have a lasting impact on organizational success.

An organizational assessment can be used as a tool during this process, but it cannot be the only tool utilized. Further, an assessment will be truly useless if it does not target the right problem. That’s why establishing professional trust with the client prior to any further action is critically important in any change initiative (Schein, 2016). Some consultants like to see themselves as the all-knowing expert who can fix any issue with their knowledge.  However,  we know that a one-size-fits-all approach to problem-solving rarely creates successful results. Using a pre-made survey without any customization for the client will only be helpful in the most general sense, such as determining broad cultural attitudes. A more personalized approach guided by the client themselves is the best way to ensure that an organizational assessment is truly effective.

References:

Schein, E.H. (2016). Humble Consulting: How to provide real help faster. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

In my opinion, the best way to determine a client’s needs is to ask. My opinion on this has not developed as much from Schein’s writing on consulting as it has from what I have learned about providing human centered services to the clients served by my organization. Although, Schein’s experience and perspective on consulting and his comments that humble inquiry is “the fine art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not already know the answer, of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person” (2014), is essentially the same in human centered services.

In the human services sector, human (or person) centered services simply means that the client is “at the centre of decisions and see[s] them as experts, working alongside professionals to get the best outcome” (What is Person-centred Care). The client identifies their needs and the case manager helps them set goals to address those needs. This may seem obvious, but it’s actually a significant shift in how services are provided in the human services sector. Human services of the past might have started with an interview with a client but would have ended with the case manager stating what services they felt were necessary to provide. The case manager determined what success looked like for the client. There is significant risk of value overlay in that older model, with success defined in a potentially white, middle income way.

This distinction between current and past human service models is similar to the differences between inquiry and organizational assessment. Organizational assessment has that potential for value overlay, with the consultant applying prescriptive goals to issues they determine are important. Humble inquiry puts the client at the center of the consulting process and highlights their experience and knowledge. An assessment can add helpful information in identifying solutions and goals, as it can be in the human centered model. But in my opinion, using an assessment alone will not help the consultant get at the right problem or the right solution.

 References

Schein, E. H. (2014). Humble inquiry: the gentle art of asking instead of telling. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler , Inc.

Work at my organization is described as service. We serve our clients, provide services to our employees, and are considered a community service organization. This language and philosophy of work stems from the organization’s Lutheran heritage, which was fairly described in the School of Life’s video depicting Martin Luther’s concept of work as a vocation reflective of God in the service of others (History of Ideas – Work, 2015).

Contrary to Keohane’s idea that “management types become giddy over the prospect of “scaling” meaning and purpose and “intervening” in the lives of their employees to foster compassion and improve outcomes” (2015), the concept of work as service is not a vision developed by management and pushed out to employees to increase productivity. The organization was founded by Lutherans, and certainly grew through a mission of “serving thy neighbor” in line with Lutheran theology. However, the majority of employees are not Lutheran, and may not even be religious. And yet, when asked why they choose to work at Ascentria, employees overwhelming answer that they find purpose in being of service to others and their personal definition of faith and meaning aligns with the organization’s definition.

References

[The School of Life]. (2015, July 17). History of Ideas – Work. Retrieved June 30, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKnSMCjzmco

Edgar Schein’s humble consulting methodology is not a form of brainstorming. Brainstorming is a no-holds-barred, say every idea you have, “there are no stupid answers” type of exercise. Schein’s humble consulting is reserved, careful, tactical, and sometimes does not even offer a solution to the client as the client derives a solution for himself.

Schein’s approach is personalized. The three components of his “HC attitude” (2016, p. 76) do not read like brainstorming because of the attention put into the problem, not the solution:

Commitment--you have to be emotionally ready to want to help (Schein, 2016, p. 76) 

Curiosity--you have to know “Who is this person?” and “What is the situation?”  (Schein, 2016, p. 77)

Caring--you have to get personal as quickly as possible  (Schein, 2016, p. 77)

Schein further explains different ways to respond to a client, and the responses are centered around asking different types of questions (diagnostic inquiry, circular questions and process focus, suggestive inquiry, process-oriented inquiry) rather than offering solutions  (2016, p. 81-85).

Therefore, since Schein focuses more on the problem and less on the various solutions he can envision, his approach to consulting is not a form of brainstorming.

Reference List: