Thank you for the insights. Good stuff !
----------
> From: RICHARD CORCORAN <
CORCORANRE@EXCELINC.COM>
> To:
MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
> Subject: Shyness
> Date: Friday, February 14, 1997 7:51 AM
>
> Dear list,
>
> How about the perspective from the Automotive Manufacturing group.
> I conduct a lot of training, often in some heavy philosophy
> surrounding the principles and concepts of Kaizen (Continuous
> Improvement Tools) and Employee Empowerment.
>
> I sometimes have a class of up to 55 people from manufacturing,
> many with less than a high school degree mixed with engineers with
> BS's, and other management with Masters degrees in Buisiness and
> Accounting, etc. There are often bosses of bosses of bosses in
> the room, so I feel that I hold most of the intimidation factors
> in one room, but have seldom had a quiet group...nor a group where
> there has been one or two dominating the discussion.
>
> During the first 20 minutes there is a lot of quietness on the
> participants part, but never yet has it been very long term. I
> have some ideas as to why it works for me and perhaps this might
> be beneficial for others with this concern.
>
> One the classroom is set up U-shape and not in a series of rows,
> so that the environment is more condusive to communications.
> There is no back row, so that is never an issue.
>
> I make clear guidelines and involve the group in making rules and
> guidelines too. One rule is no blaming, no criticism of people or
> ideas...take what you like about someones idea or thought and
> expand not debate over who is right or wrong. Another rule is
> that no one can take the floor and not share with everyone.
>
> I also ask only open ended questions if I am trying to generate
> discussion and closed ended questions if I am trying to end
> discussion. Maybe this is elementary to most of you, I don't
> know..but I never say "Are there any questions?", I ask instead,
> "What questions do you have...?" and I wait a considerably long
> time for them to think about the topic and formulate a question.
>
> I once heard a lecturer ask, "Any questions before we break for
> lunch?" who was then surprised that no one had any questions.
>
> I also have found that if I cover a lot of material before opening
> it up for discussion or questions, that most have signed out...I
> lost them by not involving them soon enough, so I ask questions
> early on and throughout the training session, there is never a
> question period or discussion period, if you will.
>
> I use a lot of overheads in my training. If my first overhead
> slide reads something like:
>
> Employee Empowerment is Teams using data and improvement
> processes.
>
> ...I will ask...what kinds of teams have you been on before?...and
> then What is the difference between a team and a group? Questions
> that I know they have an opinion on or the answer, I will ask.
> Discussion is frequent and short, not saved for a big chunk of
> time and detailed...I find this intimidating and unatural in a
> true learning process, because people are thinking all of the time
> and not just listening and then thinking within a 20 minute time
> period.
>
> Before I ask a question I ask myself...is this a question that
> they can answer? IF no, I won't ask, I will give the answer and
> then question how they understood it to work, or how they could
> apply it to their jobs.
>
> Another thing I have learned is how I respond to the first person
> who offers input or asks a question determines how the rest of the
> group will behave. I never disagree, correct or argue. I
> aknowlege someones comment, appreciate it (head bow, or a thanks),
> never rate it (i.e. Good question) and always open it up to the
> group...."so what are some other opinions?".. or "what are some
> other experiences with this?"
>
> Some groups are quieter than others and I will use an ice breaker,
> or some kind of game that directly ties in to the subject (never
> just for the sake of an ice breaker or game) and I have had great
> success breaking people down to small teams of 3.
>
> I never embarass, point out or humiliate anyone. I don't point to
> anyone who is not paying attention and ask a question...I take
> this as a clue that I am no longer being interesting and I look
> for a way to correct the moment, in my own process, not theirs.
>
> If I ever have an unusaully quiet group that has withdrawn, I do a
> couple of things... I ask them if they value what we are learing,
> if not then I need to help them find the value or uncover the
> issues preventing them from seeing the value..this usually yields
> more discussion that you had hoped for!
>
> If they understand the value, I ask them if they understand the
> concept...if yes, do they see how it applies to what they are
> doing...I have found that the cause of a lot of quietness lies in
> one of these questions...they either don't value the topic and
> could not care less to discuss it...do not see how it applies to
> them or their lives, so have nothing to discuss, or have no clue
> what I am talking about and can't even formulate a question or
> contribute to the discussion.
>
> Other times I have said, I just asked several questions and no one
> has responded. I know that you have the answer, why is no one
> saying anything...and this has opened a lot of discussion, usually
> more that what I had hoped for. From.. we know if we ask a
> question this is going to go past finishing time (not true I tell
> them, we leave on time!)...or we know you want the one right
> answer (if this is true then I caused the problem).
>
> In a nut shell, I think when there is a lack of participation in
> the room that you as the teacher or facilitator need to find out
> what is going on in the moment and go to where THEY are...you
> can't push people into learning, you have to go where they are and
> follow or entice them into learning. If you don't know where they
> are ASK...you will learn about how you are doing something to stop
> the input. I believe that learning is a process and the problem
> is always found in the process. If your process is not working or
> giving you the results you want, then for goodness sake change it.
> I don't think it is fair to hurt, blame or embarrass a student
> because YOU don't have a good process for enticing discussion.
>
> Thanks for listening,
> Rick Corcoran
> Employee Empowerment, Continuous Improvement Manager
> Mark 1
> Excel Industries
> INTERNET:
corcoranre@excelinc.com