Discover Minneapolis


How to Handle Critical Conversations - Part III

THE SHARED POOL OF MEANINGmeeting. Whoever makes the decision will
A skilled professional will find a waybenefit by having the most information
to get all of the free flow of relevantavailable. We aren't saying we want a
information out into the open, It's theconsensus opinion, or that the president
principle of the "Shared Pool ofdoesn't make the final decision. As a
Meaning". This is the synergistic poolmatter of fact, a good idea is to state
of ideas and feelings of the entireup front that there will be 2 phases to
groupthe conversation. First, a Discussion or
Getting ideas into the "pool" have 3Dialogue phase where all of the ideas
major benefits:are added to the pool of meaning.
1. The larger the Pool, the better theSecond, after all ideas are shared,
decisions.discussion is shut off and the Decision
2. The time you spend up front is morephase begins with decisions made by
than made up by faster, more committedwhoever is in charge.
action later on. An extra 20 minutesUsing these skills will make you a
spent drawing thoughts out of reluctantbetter communicator and leader in the
individuals might save hundreds of hoursMulti-Housing community. It will give
over the next few years.you insights into others that you never
3. People who don't get their ideas intowould have received any other way. It
the pool are rarely committed to thewill help you to listen and respect
solution & silently criticize theothers in ways that 99% of the rest of
decisions. People that have at least athe population never truly understands.
small part of the decision will workThis article written by Steve
harder to make it succeed.Hoogenakker Steve has 20 years in the
Let's think of this with a planned boardlandscaping field.



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