“Brainstorming solutions!”
Aim: To solve an issue by focusing on the solutions and how they will be achieved. Thereby creating a pathway of action for the Seeker.
THE PROCESS
The Seeker:
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- Gives a brief summary of an issue they have encountered.
- Describes what outcome they would like to take away from the PRISM discussion.
- Listens to Peer feedback without entering into a dialogue. Then when requested, answers the questions asked of them.
Round 1:
The Peers discuss the following questions while the Seeker listens in and observes.
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- Brainstorm (at least) three possible solutions.
- Discuss the consequences of each solution.
- Consider any gains and risks. If there are risks, what are solutions to them, or ways to move around them?
Round 2:
The Peer advises:
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- Which solution they favour.
- What steps they need to take to implement the change.
- When and how they will evaluate the outcome has been successful.
Achieving Successful Outcomes
The true effectiveness of PRISM depends on how well groups keep to guidelines, common understandings, ethical considerations and organisational expectations. These are the ground rules which allow for a safe environment for all participants and assist in keeping the process on track.
Here are the top ten:
ONE : Agree to a common understanding that:
- Participants can learn and are capable of growth.
- Participants can receive value and are capable of contributing value regardless of experience and designation.
- Participants are self-directed and therefore can choose to take what is of value to them personally from a PRISM session, and leave the rest.
TWO : Have a group Facilitator:
The facilitator’s role is to guide the process within PRISM, and keep everyone on track.
THREE : Keep to one speaker at a time:
This ensures group members know who they should be listening to.
FOUR : Respect individual differences and perspectives:
All participants bring different perspectives, and therefore offer thoughts and experiences that could be of use to others.
The intention of the group is to foster an environment of mutual respect, understanding and trust.
FIVE : No dialogue between the Seeker and the group unless the process stipulates: This ensures there is listening, and it removes the opportunity for negative comments such as “I’ve done that before with someone else, it won’t work…”
SIX : Keep names and personal information confidential:
This focuses on the solution as opposed to the person and removes the ‘exceptions’ that might otherwise be given to certain persons.
It also does not predetermine failure about a person because they have a ‘history’ and helps keep to the core issue.
SEVEN : Speak in ‘I’ statements:
When speaking, participants should refer to themselves using ‘I’ statements. For example: “There was a time when I felt…” rather than “You should…”. Do not make judgement statements, give advice or make assumptions about the Seeker or others, unless the process requires it. It can feel uncomfortable at times not to jump in however the Facilitator needs to be strict about this!
EIGHT : Increase people’s choices and opportunities:
Provide feedback to others that is generous. It is meant for consideration and another way of dealing with issues, which increases the choices and opportunities available to the Seeker. The Seeker has the freedom to choose what is best for them, and decide what to do.
NINE : Declare conflicts of interest:
Where a participant feels they have a conflict of interest, they can declare it and choose to stay in the process or observe. This keeps communication transparent.
TEN : Be kind to each other:
Build others up and support everyone to be their best selves.
Don’t progress with deeply personal issues.
Wishing you well with PRISM.
Have fun, gain insight, laugh loudly and enjoy the process.
Questions
A list of questions to ask the Seeker during a session to help others gain clarity, evaluate their situation, brainstorm ideas and find solutions, etc.
Understanding the situation or context:
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- Could you tell me more about that please?
- Can you give me more detail about what you did specifically?
- What did [x] say or do?
- How did others see it?
- What happened after that?
- What exactly did you say?
- Is that all? Is there anything you have missed out?
- What have you tried so far? What worked? What didn’t?
- What else can you remember about…?
- What led you to…
- What eventually happened?
- What kind of feedback did you get?
- What was the outcome?
Defining the issue:
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- What do you think the problem is?
- What are your assumptions about…?
- How much do you assume to be true?
- How do you know that is true?
- What are the facts?
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- What is the evidence?
- What is the connection between…..and…..?
- What if the opposite were true? Then what?
- How might your assumptions about… have influenced
- how you are thinking about…?
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- Understanding their intention:
- What was your intention when…?
- What did you hope for?
- What did you wish for?
Understanding how they feel about themselves:
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- And how did you feel about that?
- What was your role in the outcome?
- How much of a problem is this really for you?
Brainstorming for options:
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- What are options for meeting your outcome?
- What else? And, then what else?
- What other alternatives are there?
- What might others suggest you can do?
Choose a Value
Accountability
Accuracy
Achievement
Adventurousness
Altruism
Ambition
Assertiveness
Balance
Being the best
Belonging
Boldness
Calmness
Carefulness
Challenge
Cheerfulness
Clarity of mind
Commitment
Community
Compassion
Competitiveness
Consistency
Contentment
Continuity
Contribution
Control
Correctness
Cooperation
Courtesy
Creativity
Curiosity
Decisiveness
Determination
Diligence
Discretion
Diversity
Dynamism
Economy
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Elegance
Empathy
Enjoyment
Enthusiasm
Equality
Excellence
Excitement
Expertise
Exploration
Expressiveness
Fairness
Faith
Fitness
Fluency
Focus
Freedom
Fun
Generosity
Goodness
Grace
Growth
Happiness
Hard work
Health
Helping society
Honesty
Honour
Humility
Independence
Ingenuity
Inner harmony Inquisitiveness
Insightfulness
Intelligence
Intellectual
Intuition
Joy
Justice
Leadership
Legacy
Love
Loyalty
Make a difference
Mastery
Merit
Openness
Order
Originality
Patriotism
Valor
Vision
Vitality
Perfection
Playfulness
Positivity
Practicality
Preparedness
Professionalism
Prudence
Quality
Reliability
Resourcefulness
Restraint
Results oriented
Rigor
Security
Self-actualisation
Self-control
Selflessness
Self-reliance
Sensitivity
Serenity
Service
Simplicity
Soundness
Speed
Spontaneity
Stability
Strategic
Strength
Structure
Success
Sustainability
Support
Teamwork
Temperance
Thankfulness
Thoroughness
Thoughtfulness
Timeliness
Tolerance
Tradition
Usefulness
Vitality
Vision
Your values
Your org’s values