SixSEED Partners

Six Seeds

Maximizing Team Development: Leveraging Theory & Application

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The Forming & Norming Team:

SixSEED Partners was invited to facilitate an executive council retreat for the Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) of a community-based medical center. The HVI recently re-structured their roles and leadership within the institute to better meet their mission. The Chief Physician Executive of the Institute, in partnership with the Business Strategist, wanted to provide a day of learning and development where the members could build trust, align around shared objectives and engage in establishing accountability. Amidst Covid-19, the leaders felt these objectives were so important to warrant an in-person gathering.  It was clearly as important to the executive team members, who showed up engaged and fully present during the full day team development process. As several of the members are also clinical physicians, it highlighted to us that proper planning can facilitate the space for them to join in this work, which is also important to them. 

Can we learn multiple tools and apply them in 1 day?  YES!

Do you believe it is possible to deliver four different tools in three hours and have participants feel they learned them and could immediately apply them for their benefit? Thanks to Petra Platzer, our COO, we know we can! In less than three hours, the administrative and physician leaders were introduced to Thinking Environments, DiSC®, the Team-Work Cycle®  and the Three Vital Questions®. Petra also facilitated experiential activities that had  participants immediately applying what their learnings to their own work and team dynamics. Joy Goldman further facilitated application of these tools through the team beginning to draft their team charter. Elements of focus were their interaction rules around meeting practices, communication, decision-making, communication, feedback and evaluation.

But was it effective? Yes

We modeled creating an environment for feedback & evaluation by dialoguing on feedback for us within the session. Each participant said the day was effective for them, some surprisingly so, in fact, as they often are skeptical about “these things”. Each also named how one or more tools were new and powerful for them, and immediately applicable in some way. Some spoke about their insights into their own behaviors and styles as compared with others on the team. Others especially enjoyed the powerful visuals by physically going through the team work cycle. They quickly identified gaps, and possible solutions, to some of their self-identified needs for moving more efficiently from ideas to execution. The visual exercise provided the gift of addressing these topics without  blame or personalization, which fostered trust and new understandings together. The best gauge for how effective they rated this was their assertion:  “we need more of this from you.”

How is your team developing together?

Whether your team has been working together for a while, is newly forming due to a re-structure, or is somewhere in between – how are they working together? Is there a benefit to focusing on their ways of interacting and learning additional ways for navigating what seems to be never-ending change together? Making the effort on this work is what makes teams perform higher and more productively, with much less wasted energy and re-work along the way.  Like this HVI executive team experienced, it is often a pleasant surprise and energizing to spend time developing together.  And, without doing this kind of work, teams can often experience side conversations, wasted energy and good, but not great performance. 

What are your experiences in teams for creating clear agreements on how you’re interacting so there’s greater productivity with less wear and tear on the system?  We’d love to hear from you about your experiences and challenges.  

To learn more about applying these frameworks with your teams, contact us at: www.sixseedpartners.com or by tagging us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Living Our Practices: SixSEED Partners Retreat

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Our commitment

SixSEED Partners applies the tools and processes we use with our partner clients, to ourselves. One way we did that recently was to take some “time-out” from virtual and the day-to-day to do some reflection and self-care in the process of our work. Cliff’s retreat and learning center, “Kayser Ridge” located in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia was the perfect place to “walk our talk.” Here are a few highlights from our SixSEED retreat, which focused on leveraging a few key polarities:


Take Care of Each of Us
AND
Take Care of SixSEED

Appreciate By Looking Back
AND
Grow By Looking Forward

Our Actions

Prior to gathering at Kayser Ridge, we divided the work of the retreat according to each of our “sweet spots:” signature strengths (matching work with the right resource to tap into natural energy). We met between October 2nd and October 4th and each partner facilitated a section of the retreat, with previously agreed upon outcomes.  Tapping into our CEO’s “big picture,” strategic thinking and passion for the application of non-verbal methods of learning and change, we stood in each of our Six SEEDS to celebrate our accomplishments and sense into future directions.  Shifting from a macro lens to a more micro lens,  we next designed and filmed sixty second video summaries for each of the Six SEEDS. 

We spent quality time exploring the challenges and opportunities from the perspective of our client partners, and how this period offers unique opportunities for us individually and collectively.  We agreed to an infrastructure that would allow us to leverage margin with our mission to provide “integrated solutions to heal healthcare”. 

Amidst working hard, we played.  We shared in the preparation and clean-up of our meals, and enjoyed each “breaking bread” experience – complete with stories, laughter, and a few tears. We appreciated and experienced the beauty of our surroundings – more laughter stories over a campfire, under stars, and in the glow of harvest moonlight. Up from behind the mountains facing east, Joy captured images of the sun rising amid and the mountain mist. And in those same moments, turned the tripod to capture the moon setting down behind the western mountains. We watched leaves fall and streams trickle on a valley hike. Lastly, tapping into Petra’s lovable “jester energy,” we posed for photos in our own version of Charlie’s Angels.

Our Results

We have scheduled discussions with two partners we’re most excited about working with in the future; we re-allocated our compensation structure to support our strategic goals; and we secured resources to finish our SEED videos for publication.  We have a renewed sense of purpose in our work around culture, wellbeing and leadership ecosystem capacity as it pertains to providing skills that support depolarization within healthcare and our country.  In addition to these business results, we affirmed why we chose to partner in the first place:  that we are much better together than alone and we truly enjoy each other’s company and find it life-giving.

Our Invitation to you

As Petra articulated in a prior blogpost on the first Vital Question:  “Where are you putting your focus?,” it is easy to get caught in the maelstrom of activity and crisis.  This problem- focus results in wasted energy without accomplishing your desired outcomes.  By holding ourselves accountable to our desired outcomes and allocating time to step back, assess, and plan, we maximized our own wellbeing, while also being productive in our desired results.

We’d love to hear from you about how you’re leveraging taking care of yourselves while you take care of your organizations and appreciate by looking back and grow by looking forward.  Contact us at: www.sixseedpartners.com or by tagging us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Shifting from Reactive to Proactive Work

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“How does our executive team become more proactive and less reactive? We are so busy putting out fires, but we’re not really moving forward on what the organization needs from us.”

If you have been asking yourself the same question, you are in good company. This year is a prime example that the one constant in life is change – which brings with it unknowns and an increasing pace of so many variables in the day-to-day and the big picture.

The Challenge

For the client who asked the question above, her clinical organization had acquired several other practices as a strategic move to keep each practice viable in this current economic climate. As a result, there were some key leadership changes, along with a need to establish a new organizational culture and vision. Instead of proactively working on those elements, the executive team was instead spending many hours reacting to perpetual fire drills, like EMR integration and compliance issues.

The Diagnosis

In an earlier blog, we introduced the concept of an Outcome Orientation. Just like a compass, this mindset puts our focus towards the results we want to achieve, instead of the alternate mindset of getting rid of the problem(s). One way to “diagnose” which orientation we are operating from, is by asking the 3rd Vital Question from David Emerald’s 3 Vital Questions™ (3VQ) framework: “What Actions are You Taking?” 

If the answer involves merely reacting to the problems of the moment, without any intentional actions focused on continuous improvement or forward progress toward the prioritized outcome, your diagnosis is clear: you are operating from the Problem Orientation. And just like the example, when we are operating from this orientation, we can feel stuck, frustrated, and burnt-out. We are also more likely to be experiencing and contributing to workplace drama from this orientation.

The Tension 

Once you have your diagnosis, you can proactively choose to take a different set of actions. 

How? By harnessing the inherent energy that is in the gap between the Outcome you want to achieve and the Current Reality that exists. This inherent energy, called Dynamic Tension follows the fundamentals of physics: to create movement between two points, tension is required. The pivotal key is developing the skill to “hold the tension” in a way that the rubber band doesn’t snap (too big a gap/tension) or fall off (too small a gap/tension) when the default reactive patterns show up again. In our experience, when clients become aware of the need and positive attributes for this kind of tension, this understanding can liberate them to work on becoming proactive.

The Shift to Proactive Actions

Once you’ve defined the Outcome you want and assessed your Current Reality, you have started working on the 5-step Action Planning Process to create proactive actions! Similar to climbing a ladder – one does not reach the top by starting at the first rung and jumping to the top rung. By using this foundational structure, however, you are able to identify baby steps – one rung at a time – resulting in incremental, deliberate, and long-term actions.

As we have been applying the planning process with the executive team from our client example, we can already see a lift in their individual energy, more cohesion as a team, and a change in their approaches for their expanded organizational culture. This is another great example of why we integrate the 3 Vital Questions™ framework within our SixSEED Partners solutions for all of our 6 service “seeds”!

Are you driving, or being driven, by change?

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In a recent blog, we highlighted the different stages of change and asked the first of 3 Vital Questions™ (3VQ) to help navigate the drama we can often feel within any Change Process:  “Where are you putting your focus?” 

Through working with clients, and in self-reflection, it’s always enlightening to notice how the answer to that first vital question drives our internal emotions, which leads to the type of actions we take next. A great example of this came from a recent conversation with a client, who was just starting out in a new role within his system. He shared he was feeling overwhelmed and didn’t feel in the driver’s seat. His strategy to gain control was to focus on de-prioritizing certain initiatives, but he was not feeling good about sharing that with his CEO. Through our conversation, we explored shifting his mindset to focusing on what he IS prioritizing during this timeframe. He instantly noticed his self-criticism decreasing and his energy enthusiasm for the meeting with his CEO increasing. He was amazed at the difference. 

The Difference

When you are inside a Change Process – whether it’s something big or small – have you ever noticed how you are feeling or acting in specific moments? Have you heard yourself think things like, “they didn’t even talk to me and just decided” or “these meetings just keep showing up, so I don’t have time for self-care”, etc.?

Have you had other times where you said things like, “it’s not ideal, but how can we all pull together to make this work?” or “the weather turned out different than I planned, so I’ll adjust to still get a workout in”, etc.?

Do you notice the different tone of who is in the driver’s seat in these examples? Taking notice of the tone and/or word choice is an important clue and vital skill to develop. 

“The way of seeing yourself and your life experience determines how you relate to the world around you. Your orientation defines your reality.” – David Emerald

The Second Vital Question

So, how can you develop this skill? By pausing to ask “How am I relating to myself/to the experience/to others?”

Try asking yourself the above question in your next opportunity and take notice of what you find. If you notice yourself more like a passenger – without the hope or belief you can do something in that situation – that’s an indicator you are relating from the “Dreaded Drama Triangle” (DDT), originating from work by Dr. Stephen Karpman. Inside this dynamic – both with ourselves and with others – we reliably take on certain roles, all of which create a cycle of toxic cycle in the experience.

Alternatively, if you notice yourself more like a driver – with belief you have some options for how you will get to the destination – then, you are relating from “The Empowerment Dynamic*” (TED*), developed by David Emerald. Operating from this dynamic, we again reliably take on certain roles, as shown in the diagram. However, unlike with the DDT roles, coming from the TED*. These roles, puts us in the driver’s seat to create action steps towards the long-term result(s) we want to achieve.

How to Shift Gears

By knowing about these different dynamics, we now can choose. For our client mentioned in the earlier example, he began by taking his foot off the gas pedal long enough for us to look at the 1st and 2nd Vital Questions. Once he saw where he was putting his focus (1st Vital Question), he was able to see from the 2nd Vital Question that he was still operating as a “passenger” in the situation. Once he put himself in the driver’s seat internally, he was able to approach his conversation with his CEO more effectively and confidently.

To effectively lead ourselves and our teams through any change, asking this 2nd Vital Question is another key step to shift gears into the driver’s seat to get to the ultimate destination.  

At SixSEED Partners, we work with our clients to navigate their current and future situations using each of the 3 Vital Questions™, which, when used collectively, improves the well-being of individuals, teams and the overall dynamics within a company’s culture.

What’s your Focus during Change?

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According to Benjamin Franklin, “Change is the only constant in life. One’s ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life”. 

Or maybe you have heard another famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi about being “the change you wish to see in the world.”

The Challenge

These quotes, while both motivating, are proving challenging  as we navigate this year, which has brought so much unprecedented change to everyone. 

What is our definition of success in this kind of complexity and uncertainty?

Our clients are searching for this answer as they navigate these unchartered territories. The answer to this question has several textures to it as well; whether looking at an individual leader’s capacity, a team’s effectiveness, an organization’s culture, or the well-being of people at all of these levels. And for an added layer of complexity – now within a virtual paradigm where children and animals are also co-existing. 

What Stage Are You In?

While Mr. Franklin is correct, it was work started by Dr. Prochaska and collaborators in the 1970’s that brought us more understanding about how we humans actually respond to change – it’s not a Yes or No response, and it’s not static. We go through stages of change in a sequential and dynamic process! 

The Stages of Behavior Change

As we look around at ourselves and others throughout the pandemic journey, there are classical examples of transitioning through each stage as we approached the necessary behavior changes for health-safety measures, like wearing masks, hand washing, and social distancing. As you look at the Stages of Behavior Change cartoon, you can narrate your own journey for those elements, beginning with not contemplating doing those things at the onset, to the stage you may be in currently. 

Understanding about these stages is one tool we use when supporting our clients to begin creating the behavior changes they want – for themselves and their teams. One way we discover with clients from what stage they may be operating is by using  3 Vital Questions™ (3VQ), developed by David Emerald at the Bainbridge Leadership Center. 

The First Vital Question

To do this yourself, begin with “Where am I putting my focus?”.  By asking this question, we can become aware if we are putting our focus on what we don’t want and are afraid of happening – or – what we do want and the possibilities of what we can create inside of the current conditions. While this may sound simple, there are sophisticated neurological maps and behavioral patterns that are in play within our “human operating system” to learn to identify. As our clients become more aware of how to answer this vital 1st Question in their own situations, they can identify their mindset and readiness for change. Then the 2nd and 3rd Vital Questions are important for understanding how they are relating to that focus and what steps they can take to get move along the change process towards their own success. Through this 3VQ process, we can not only transform our workplace drama, but also upgrade our own internal operating system to help us navigate increasing complexity and change. 

What Is Next?

If you find yourself in the same conundrum and questions for how to approach the changes you are navigating, internally and with others in your teams, we know from experience that working with all 3 questions can be a game changer! For that reason, the 3 Vital Questions™ and Stages of Change framework are one of SSPs integrated solutions within all of our 6 service “seeds”.

What dimensions do you or your team need to be grounded?

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As populations around the globe are now wearing face masks to adjust to the “normal” for today – and the foreseeable future, everyone has needed to adapt! Add on the additional stressors of economic instability, schooling uncertainties, politics and systemic injustices – the level of disruptions we are facing is unprecedented in our lifetimes.

As we’ve been working with our clients, we’ve been hearing their emotions during these past few months, such as overwhelm, fatigue, stretched, irritable, grieving, needing a vacation but having no idea how to take one safely, etc.  The metaphor of “difficulty taking a deep breath” seems all encompassing for these feelings during these times.

Our Response

This reality is what sparked Joy Goldman, CEO of SixSEED Partners (SSP), and Rick Auman¸ Exec VP of Consulting Services as Healthy Companies International (HCI), to come together and provide a webinar focused on how to return to being grounded and healthy – not just as leaders, but as people!

Participants from multiple industries joined this 90 min webinar, after which several commented “how quickly the time went by”. The reason? Joy and Rick masterfully integrated their facilitative skills and gave basic information about the 6 Dimensions of Grounded Leadership. This led into smaller break-out sessions for the participants to think and process their own meaning and fill-in a scorecard for how well they are currently balancing these dimensions themselves.

The Result?  

The self-assessment helped participants further understand and explore the meaning of these dimensions in their context. Several participants were not necessarily surprised to find that their Social and Physical Health were below a healthy threshold for them, but they were surprised to see their declining Spiritual Health. 

By seeing these in relative “imbalance”, participants were then able to create SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound) goals for one particular aspect that could immediately support their health and resilience. The real work there, naturally, comes after the webinar.

How important did participants think their being grounded is to effectively managing their current disruptors? Everyone said either Very Important or Essential! 

SixSEED Partners feels the same, which is a key reason we are certified deliverer of HCI’s Grounded Leader model. That, along with their Grounded Leadership online portal, is one of SSPs integrated solutions we deliver for leadership, team and systems development. 
We are grateful to the shared learning with Healthy Companies and all those who joined. We look forward to continuing to build on this foundation to make healthcare healthier – together!