Not all tools work on all problems. Years ago, Bryan Smith laid out a tell-sell-test-consult-co-create framework. It’s useful in all sorts of different situations. Just remember to lead differently in those different situations:
- Tell with clarity of direction and the basics of delegation
- Sell with strength of persuasion and the basics of positioning
- Test with real openness to what you get back and the 4/6/90 rule
- Consult by ratcheting up your current best thinking
- Co-create by leveraging the rules of improvisational theater
Tell with clarity of direction and the basics of delegation
Telling is delegating. As laid out in my earlier article on Digging into the Art of Delegation, the basics of delegation include:
- Inspiring Direction: Objectives/desired results/context/intent – what and why
- Enabling Resources: Financial, information, technical or operational, people, time
- Empowering Authority to make mission tactical decisions within cultural, strategic and operational boundaries/guidelines/intent – different than superior would have made
- Credible Accountability and consequences (standards of performance, time expectations, positive and negative consequences of success and failure)
Sell with strength of persuasion and the basics of positioning
Selling is persuading. Think in terms of strategic selling and pivot off your positioning to the person you’re trying to persuade. The basics of positioning are:
- To the specific BUYER/person you’re trying to persuade (Economic, User, Technical, Coach)
- X (What you’re trying to persuade them to do) is the brand/choice of
- FRAME OF REFERENCE (Other alternative choices)
- That delivers the BENEFIT (Result for organization, win for buyer) – that best matches their concept/need/hope/desire
- Because of SUPPORT (attributes)
Test with real openness to what you get back and the 4/6/90 rule
As one CEO explained to me, 90% of the decisions in the organization would be made by others and he had to support them. 4% of decisions were his to make and he expected others to support his choices. 6% of decisions were shared.
Thus, you can only truly test the 6% of choices that are shared. “Testing” the 4% of decisions you’ve already made or are going to make yourself is disingenuous. “Testing” the 90% of decisions others make is intrusive.
Consult by ratcheting up your current best thinking
The heart of Roger Neill’s current best thinking approach starts with the best one person or a group can do on its own. It then calls for explicitly inviting others to add their knowledge and perspective to ratchet it up to a new “current best” level. This is somewhere between starting with a “straw man” proposal that you don’t believe in or trying to persuade others to accept your fully-baked proposal. It allows you to be open to new ideas without being defensive in any way.
Co-create by leveraging the rules of improvisational theater
As previously discussed in my article on When and How to Tell, Co-Create, or Delegate, at best, telling yields compliance. If you want contribution, sell, test, or consult. If you want people to commit. They have to co-create.
The rules of improvisational theater work well for this with slight adjustments. Let me suggest three core rules with a slew of sub-rules:
Say “Yes, and…” Always accept what your scene/exercise partner establishes and build upon it. This rule encourages agreement (including repeating back key points) and progression of the scene/exercise.
- Don’t block. Avoid denying or contradicting your partner’s ideas, as this hinders the flow of the scene/exercise.
- Avoid asking questions: Instead, make statements to add information and drive the scene/exercise forward.
- Embrace change (and intelligent failures). Allow the scene/exercise to evolve and take new directions, enjoying the ride and laughing together.
- Add new information. After accepting your partner’s premise, contribute something new to advance the scene/exercise.
- Be specific. Provide colorful details to enrich the scene/exercise.
- Make active choices. Engage in activities rather than just talking.
Focus on the present. Stay in the moment and use what’s happening in the scene/exercise.
- Listen actively. Pay close attention to your scene/exercise partners to respond appropriately and build on their ideas.
- Establish the location and relationship. Quickly set up the who, what, and where of the scene/situation to provide context.
Commit to your character/brand/instincts. Maintain your character/brand’s perspective and play to the top of their intelligence/strengths.
- Trust your instincts. Follow your intuition and have the self-confidence not to overthink your contributions so others can leverage their strengths and play their roles.
