This is your IdeaShape newsletter, March/April 2002,
with ideas on leadership and life for executives, managers,
consultants, and executive coaches.
By Pam Fox Rollin, IdeaShape Coaching & Consulting
http://www.ideashape.com

Contents
A. Big Idea
B. Action Challenge
C. Resources
D. Note from Pam

KNOW ANYONE WHO MAY ENJOY THIS?
Feel free to forward this newsletter to interested
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A. Big Idea: What's your point?

"You may sit, walk, or run, but don't wobble."
- Zen proverb

"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
- Albert Einstein

What's your point of view?
How simply can you state it?

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B. Action Challenge: How will you get to the point?

1. Boost your influence with the Crucial One-Pager. 

I've found that the most influential person in a meeting is usually
the one who is most clear about his/her own thinking and about 
decisions that are needed from the group. 

The Crucial One-Pager is a one simple page that captures your thinking
or questions about the topic at hand. It may be a sequenced set of questions, a draft of decision criteria, a matrix, a process flow diagram, whatever.  The point is you've got a point... or at least you know what questions you want to raise to the group.

Note that you may choose during the meeting to keep that page to
yourself. (I find that I bring it out or re-create it on a white board
about 80% of the time.) 

If your thinking is too befuddled to allow a few bullets or a simple
diagram, STOP! Before marching fuzzyheaded into that meeting,
consider #2 and #3 below...

2. Unmuddle your thinking. 

What's the one message you want to make sure people walk away with?
What are the most compelling reasons they should believe the message?
What evidence do you have that those reasons hold water?

3. Map it.

Often I see people trying to explain in words concepts that are
easily communicated through a simple diagram. By mapping your point,
you can check that you yourself understand the reasoning. Plus, once an
idea is represented on paper or a whiteboard, others can more easily
follow and usefully contribute to your thinking.

4. Find the courage to speak your point. If you're ambivalent, say so.

There's information in ambivalence. So, resist the temptation either to ramble or remain silent. Instead, simply offer the best of your thinking... "I'd like to us to do X, but I'm hesitant because of Y. What are your thoughts on how we can solve Y?"

5. Manage the paradox: have your point of view and stay open.

Studies on leadership are clear: we respect people who
a) have a point of view, and
b) are open to influence.

So, what do you need to do to stay open? 
And, what do you need to do to communicate that you are open?
Often, clients discover from 360 assessments that their team and peers
perceive them as more entrenched and less open than they believe they are.  It may make a huge difference in your effectiveness to experiment with ways of encouraging input and work with your peers, coach, or manager to refine your approach.

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C. Resources

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, by Peter Senge, et al, 1994
-- See the chapter on Systems Thinking to help unmuddle your thinking
about causes and effects. See the section on Advocacy and Inquiry to
help you clarify where your thoughts differ from others.

The Mind Map Book, by Tony Buzan, 1996 
http://www.mind-map.com/mindmap/howto.htm
for a quick and slightly confusing intro (the book is better)
-- Terrific method for getting issues out of your head and seeing
connections among them

The Pyramid Principle, by Barbara Minto, first: 1987
http://www.pyramidprinciple.com/book.htm
-- Still the best resource on structuring your thinking for clear communication

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D. Note from Pam

I have few soapboxes. The Crucial One-Pager is one of them.

Perhaps my other soapboxes -- terrific education for kids of
all backgrounds, treating nature and fellow creatures with respect, etc. --
are more noble. Yet, we spend millions of precious hours in
meetings that go nowhere slowly. (Heh, just imagine if we re-allocated
that time to mentoring kids!) The best cure I know for time-sink meetings
is the Crucial One-Pager (see #1 above).

Of course, creating the Crucial One-Pager demands that we are
thinking clearly. If I can't think clearly enough about the issue in
front of me to write a few cogent bullet points or draw one simple diagram,
I'm not really ready to take up your time in a meeting.

I am all for collaborative inquiry, in which we co-create meaning,
but I think it's my job to be aware of my own starting point of view.
The catch is, I must also be willing to take a completely different tack,
based on what we create together. If I can do all three steps --
be clear on my objective, tap my own understanding of the situation,
and be fully open to influence from our interaction -- then I've made
good use of our time together.

If this sounds too basic, audit your meetings this week --
simply be aware of whether all three steps are present on your part and
the part of people you're meeting with. Notice to what extent this
correlates with time-efficient, insight-rich conversation and useful follow-up.

You receive this email every month or two with ideas and resources
you can use to shape your success. Some of these ideas may
strike you as obvious... I invite you to step back and look at
how this is actually working in your life. Others may seem
far out... I invite you to consider how much choice you
actually have. If you'd like to get in touch about any of this,
please email me. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Warm regards,
Pam

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