Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Lead via Participation for Best Results




Do you believe that "Leading" means "telling people what to do?"

It's time to debunk that myth.

In posts over the last three months, we discussed that top performers (in all disciplines) share a commitment to preparationand the #1 mistake leaders make when they rehearse as well as the power of examples and stories.

We introduced the acronym PREP:

Plan
Rehearse
Examples
Participate

This month is about  P: Participate.  

Benjamin Franklin once wrote:

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

What do you want people to take away from their experience with you?

This is the starting place for you design a strategy for participation.

Do they need to be informed?  Reminded?  Inspired?  Persuaded?

What do you want them to do?

If you're dealing with adults, how can you make them partners on the journey?

Some ways to do this:

Discuss rich questions in pairs/trios/small groups.
  • Give a group activity that involves a forced ranking.
  • Have them tell stories about their own experience.
  • Have them teach back sections of information you've already covered.
  • Have them draw pictures/images of an ideal vision.

The possibilities are endless!

The key to whatever activities you ultimately choose: what is your desired outcome?  

Then pick the involvement strategies that will get you there smoothest and quickest.

Happy designing!

What interactive techniques do you find most useful?  Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.



To continue the conversation, connect with me on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/alainhunkins  and read my weekly blog at:

1 comment:

  1. Good article, Alan. I have always found that going in with the mindset of talking with people instead of at them brings out natural conversations and participation.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.