October 24, 2013 at 16:22Management tools: How to explain when you feel in one place?
Good day to all!
Have you ever had such a thing that you thought for a long time about some kind of working (or personal situation), and then all of a sudden! and everything seemed to be laid out on shelves? This happened to us more than once.
Instead of a prologue. Moreover, in a sense, it is our profession to sort through difficult situations. Because for the past 7 years, my colleagues and I have been training IT professionals and managers in people management skills and what is called soft skills.
During our work, we have accumulated a certain number of tools by which we solve various management cases. And we decided to share these tools.
Firstly, because the tools are useful. Secondly, I want to collect them all in one place, then to send everyone there. Thirdly, we clearly understand that we are limited by our own context, and we will be very grateful if you will complement us. Fourth, we do not really believe in advertising. We believe in simple things - that if we do something useful for people, then people will recommend us. Why not write some useful articles?
All the tools that we will write about are very simple. Either this is a 2 by 2 matrix, or 4 questions, or something like that. Since we work a lot with managers, we found that it’s already difficult for some managers to perceive 3 by 3 matrices (hey, we were managers ourselves, we know what we’re talking about :)), and 2 by 2 just right, they’re great.
We came up with some tools, some we borrowed from other smart people, some we don’t know where we came from in our head. But they are all useful, yes.
Are these tools silver bullets? Clear as no. But they definitely help to clarify the situation, bring about distinctions and understand which way to think. And you still have to come up with solutions. Until, finally, a directory of young marmots on management appears.
So, quite a few extra words, let's move on to the first tool (in total we plan to parse about 15 different useful concepts):
This 2 by 2 matrix shows:
Imagine you hired a student with no work experience, but seemingly sensible. And now you give him the task to design the architecture of some module of your system. “It’s not a question of what to do there?” The student says and leaves. What square of the matrix is it in?
Perhaps square A. A person does not have work experience, he is familiar with your system superficially, whether he did tasks of a similar type - most likely not. Moreover, his phrase “What to do there” suggests that the person does not understand the whole depth of the task before him. And this condition is called:
A. Unconscious incompetence. A man is trying to do something, he does not succeed. The architecture turns out to be bad, does not withstand the load, is not expandable at all, does not comply with SOLID principles, and what else happens with architectures?
What does the student think at this moment? If he is more persistent than prone to self-reflection, then he thinks: “I'll try again.” For the fifth time, when it again failed, the student begins to suspect something. That, probably, humanity has already accumulated some knowledge about architecture, because a specific representative of humanity, Vasya, from the neighboring department can do it quickly and the first time.
At this moment, a person mystically moves to the state:
B. Conscious incompetence.In this state, the very necessary question “What is it?” Arises in a person’s head and he goes to Google, to a seminar or conference, buys books, puts beer to a more experienced colleague. And sooner or later (if the person is trained, of course), he manages to make his first successful architecture. And this means that he has passed into a state:
C. Conscious competence. Do you drive? Remember how you set off for the first time. They didn’t stall, namely they started. Most likely, you controlled your every action:
Oh miracle, a ton of metal has moved! Before that, she stood, and then she moved on - mysticism!
When you can do something right, but do it slowly and controlling your every step - this is a state of conscious competence.
if you continue to practice the skill, then over time you will move to the state of:
D. Unconscious competence. If an experienced driver in the middle of the road is patted on the shoulder and said: “Please tell me why are you driving in 3rd gear and in the 2nd lane now,” he will sometimes get scared: “Who is here?” And will not always be able to explain.
He drives a machine (automatic machine, not a machine box). The skill is fully automated. so much so that a person can easily do something else while driving.
Where do labor conflicts come from? Some work conflicts can be explained just by this matrix.
An experienced uncle (about 45 years old) once stood up at one of our reports and shared his situation:
If there are no facts, but you want to convince a person, then “authority”, “best practices” and other corporate ships that plow something are used:
What does the young student think at this moment? About the following:
The chief architect is also dissatisfied with the student: why are they not listening to me, although I am so experienced? .. There
is a natural question:
What should I do? The answer to it is not as simple as it might seem. Obviously, an experienced architect needs to either return to square C himself or find someone who can explain the facts about architecture.
And besides, the student needs to be raised to a level of awareness. Either letting him fill the cones, or sending him to a good training, or using simple techniques, such as checking the solution for stability [1]. But for the latter, you still need to remember the facts.
Question to think about. In your opinion, in what squares are people coming to any training?
This is an interesting point, because in the next article in a couple of days we just wanted to talk about the model of David Kolb about how to build the training of our colleagues.
Alexander Orlov
Stratoplan.ru
PS Friends, if it seems to you that the idea with articles about similar tools is worthwhile and useful, then somehow mark it. For us it will be a clear sign that we must continue.
PPS If you have your own example when there were conflicts explained by this matrix, share and tell us how you managed to resolve the situation. Your experience will be clearly interesting to other members of the community.
- Since I’m writing for the habra almost the first time, I have not figured out how to use footnotes yet. So be it:
[1]Article by A. Orlov “And what will happen if ... or How to help the interlocutor to give birth to the right decision”
Have you ever had such a thing that you thought for a long time about some kind of working (or personal situation), and then all of a sudden! and everything seemed to be laid out on shelves? This happened to us more than once.
Instead of a prologue. Moreover, in a sense, it is our profession to sort through difficult situations. Because for the past 7 years, my colleagues and I have been training IT professionals and managers in people management skills and what is called soft skills.
During our work, we have accumulated a certain number of tools by which we solve various management cases. And we decided to share these tools.
Firstly, because the tools are useful. Secondly, I want to collect them all in one place, then to send everyone there. Thirdly, we clearly understand that we are limited by our own context, and we will be very grateful if you will complement us. Fourth, we do not really believe in advertising. We believe in simple things - that if we do something useful for people, then people will recommend us. Why not write some useful articles?
All the tools that we will write about are very simple. Either this is a 2 by 2 matrix, or 4 questions, or something like that. Since we work a lot with managers, we found that it’s already difficult for some managers to perceive 3 by 3 matrices (hey, we were managers ourselves, we know what we’re talking about :)), and 2 by 2 just right, they’re great.
We came up with some tools, some we borrowed from other smart people, some we don’t know where we came from in our head. But they are all useful, yes.
Are these tools silver bullets? Clear as no. But they definitely help to clarify the situation, bring about distinctions and understand which way to think. And you still have to come up with solutions. Until, finally, a directory of young marmots on management appears.
So, quite a few extra words, let's move on to the first tool (in total we plan to parse about 15 different useful concepts):
Matrix of Awareness and Competency
This 2 by 2 matrix shows:
- How does an adult learn a skill
- Where do the roots of some work conflicts grow
- How to convey your point of view when you feel in one place that your opponent is wrong
- What to do if you explain something to a person, but he still does not agree and / or does not understand
Imagine you hired a student with no work experience, but seemingly sensible. And now you give him the task to design the architecture of some module of your system. “It’s not a question of what to do there?” The student says and leaves. What square of the matrix is it in?
Perhaps square A. A person does not have work experience, he is familiar with your system superficially, whether he did tasks of a similar type - most likely not. Moreover, his phrase “What to do there” suggests that the person does not understand the whole depth of the task before him. And this condition is called:
A. Unconscious incompetence. A man is trying to do something, he does not succeed. The architecture turns out to be bad, does not withstand the load, is not expandable at all, does not comply with SOLID principles, and what else happens with architectures?
What does the student think at this moment? If he is more persistent than prone to self-reflection, then he thinks: “I'll try again.” For the fifth time, when it again failed, the student begins to suspect something. That, probably, humanity has already accumulated some knowledge about architecture, because a specific representative of humanity, Vasya, from the neighboring department can do it quickly and the first time.
At this moment, a person mystically moves to the state:
B. Conscious incompetence.In this state, the very necessary question “What is it?” Arises in a person’s head and he goes to Google, to a seminar or conference, buys books, puts beer to a more experienced colleague. And sooner or later (if the person is trained, of course), he manages to make his first successful architecture. And this means that he has passed into a state:
C. Conscious competence. Do you drive? Remember how you set off for the first time. They didn’t stall, namely they started. Most likely, you controlled your every action:
- Turn on the left turn signal
- Look at the mirror
- Buckle up!
- Damn, the handbrake!
- Listen to the instructor muttering there
- Gently release one pedal while pressing another
Oh miracle, a ton of metal has moved! Before that, she stood, and then she moved on - mysticism!
When you can do something right, but do it slowly and controlling your every step - this is a state of conscious competence.
if you continue to practice the skill, then over time you will move to the state of:
D. Unconscious competence. If an experienced driver in the middle of the road is patted on the shoulder and said: “Please tell me why are you driving in 3rd gear and in the 2nd lane now,” he will sometimes get scared: “Who is here?” And will not always be able to explain.
He drives a machine (automatic machine, not a machine box). The skill is fully automated. so much so that a person can easily do something else while driving.
Where do labor conflicts come from? Some work conflicts can be explained just by this matrix.
An experienced uncle (about 45 years old) once stood up at one of our reports and shared his situation:
I am the chief architect at the company. To me, a student brings his architecture. I look at her and see that she is bad. But I already forgot why. How can I explain to a student that he is wrong?
If there are no facts, but you want to convince a person, then “authority”, “best practices” and other corporate ships that plow something are used:
I have SEVEN YEARS of EXPERIENCE in creating architectures, I tell you. that SHE IS CURVED! What's not clear?
What does the young student think at this moment? About the following:
Mdaaa, obviously, age ... Our already completely detached from reality ...
The chief architect is also dissatisfied with the student: why are they not listening to me, although I am so experienced? .. There
is a natural question:
What should I do? The answer to it is not as simple as it might seem. Obviously, an experienced architect needs to either return to square C himself or find someone who can explain the facts about architecture.
And besides, the student needs to be raised to a level of awareness. Either letting him fill the cones, or sending him to a good training, or using simple techniques, such as checking the solution for stability [1]. But for the latter, you still need to remember the facts.
Question to think about. In your opinion, in what squares are people coming to any training?
This is an interesting point, because in the next article in a couple of days we just wanted to talk about the model of David Kolb about how to build the training of our colleagues.
Alexander Orlov
Stratoplan.ru
PS Friends, if it seems to you that the idea with articles about similar tools is worthwhile and useful, then somehow mark it. For us it will be a clear sign that we must continue.
PPS If you have your own example when there were conflicts explained by this matrix, share and tell us how you managed to resolve the situation. Your experience will be clearly interesting to other members of the community.
- Since I’m writing for the habra almost the first time, I have not figured out how to use footnotes yet. So be it:
[1]Article by A. Orlov “And what will happen if ... or How to help the interlocutor to give birth to the right decision”