The document discusses collaboration and effective communication. It provides: 1) A 3-step process for more collaborative communication: engage, increase information sharing to identify agreements and disagreements, and problem solve to establish commitment. 2) Reasons for collaboration like producing innovative ideas and benefiting from diverse perspectives. 3) Prerequisites for effective collaboration like trust, focus on results not ego, valuing others' perspectives, and strong listening and clarification skills. 4) A technique called "5 Whys" to probe issues more deeply by continually asking "Why?". This increases the amount of available information and perspectives.

1. 3 Steps & 5 Whys
The Collaboration Challenge
Lin Kroeger CMC
PWD Consulting, Inc.
ajlink@earthlink.net www.pwdconsulting.com
917‐324‐6441

2. Topics
• Why collaborate?
• 3 Steps to more collaborative and effective communication
• 5 Whys, a technique to increase information
© Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 2

3. Are more minds better than one?
WHY COLLABORATE?
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 3

4. Why Collaborate?
• Collaboration produces innovative ideas – owned by more
creators ‐‐ based on quality thinking and conversation.
• Every individual has at least one
missing piece.
• Groups broaden breadth and depth of pictures and
possibilities.
© Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 4

5. Priorities
Values
Skills
PREREQUISITES TO EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 5

6. Priorities
• Trust
• Focus on results, not ego
– What are we creating?
– Why are we creating it?
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 6

7. Values
• Do you value the perspectives of other people?
• Do you want to create the best outcome more than you
want to see your idea move forward?
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 7

8. Skills
• Are you able to listen
carefully and clarify what
It sounds to me as if you you think you heard?
consider the higher priority
to be ….
• Are you able to probe
Help me understand that. statements sufficiently
How does that work?
What might that cost?
to fully understand
Who might have that someone else’s
skillset? perspective?
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 8

9. Key: Who Contributes First?
3 STEPS TO COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATION
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 9

10. 3 Steps – A Communication Process
Step One: Step Two: Step Three:
Increase
Engage; Confirm amount of Problem Solve;
willingness to available Establish
engage information; commitment
Confirm
Goal: Identify
Goal: Agree to areas of Goal: Agree to
have a dialogue agreement and next step(s)
disagreement

11. Step One:
Engage; Confirm willingness to engage
• Engage
– Is this a good time?
– WIIFY?
• Agree on purpose/outcome
• Agree to talk

12. Step Two:
Increase amount of available information; Confirm
• Explore and Clarify
• Identify points of agreement
• Share points of disagreement, tying to other person’s
points
– You are concerned about the costs, whereas I respect your concern , I
also think that…
– You seem to value the impact on the community. I value that impact,
too, and…
– You are focused on validity issues, and they are significant and will get
our attention. I think we need to asses the project form a different
perspective…

13. Step Three:
Problem Solve; Establish commitment
• Resolve Issues
– Swiss Cheese, Get more data, Involve someone else, Use techniques of
Creative Problem Solving as appropriate
• Reach agreement to move forward
• Do we agree that…
• We will do …
Tip: Ask other person to confirm the next steps

14. Problem Solve:
Increase the amount of available information –
and perspective
5 WHYS TO PROBE EFFECTIVELY
Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 14

15. Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?
© Copyright 2008‐2009. All rights reserved. PWD Consulting, Inc. www.pwdconsulting.com 15