Bringing AoH into a historically command-and-control organization

[Amy Kay Watson]

I've found a "mate" among my coworkers!  *relief*.   We had a design meeting today and prepared for a conference call with the rest of our team, which will take place tomorrow.  

 

She had said something in a conference call yesterday that made me think that a hosted conversation and attention to harvest would help, so I offered to help her design the meeting.  I sent her a handful of pages out of our AOH journal (the Columbus 2011 journal, pages 26-29, 42-45) to look over beforehand, and then we talked  through need, intentions, who we're trying to benefit, how the conversation will serve, and what would be most useful to walk away with, then created our calling question and two discussion questions, and rounded out the conversation with check-in and check-out questions.  

 

I'm so excited!

 

Calling / Invitation question:  In shifting our culture, what path do we choose?

[Framing: We want to try to have a different kind of conversation.  Invite all to think about bringing their best selves to the conversation, to listen for understanding and to speak with intention.  We'll begin with a check-in question and ask that each of us consider and respond from your heart.]

Check in:  What are you willing to set aside in order to be present with this conversation?  Each take about a minute to respond.

[Framing:  Our purpose in this conversation is to choose a path, not to build it. In choosing a path, we'll identify which path has the beginning point where we are and the end point of where we want to go.  The conversation we have today will help us to build the path in our next conversation.]

Describing the beginning and end of the path:

• If you were to paint a picture of the Hertz culture, as it is today, what elements would be in the picture?

[Framing: encourage all to enter an imaginative state and release skepticism, realism, practical and incremental thinking.] 

• Imagine that tonight, while you are asleep, the entire current system is transformed into the ideal.  When you find out about it, tell us what you know is different:  What do you notice is the same, only better?  What is changed entirely?  Tell us everything you notice about this perfect system.

[Framing:  We've entered an uncomfortable stage in our process. Our inclination will be to jump into action. Creating action plans is the next step, not this step.  For now, let's bring this conversation to a close.]

Check out:  What are you taking away from this conversation?  Each take about a minute to respond.