A632.8.3.RB - Reflections on the Cynefin Framework

Working on a team over the past few weeks has been a lesson in patience and reflecting on what did and didn’t work on this team.  Everything that we have read and learned so far in this course has come in handy for figuring out how to make this team work and work well.  One of the biggest assumptions I feel we made with this team was that we all thought it was going to be simple, easy and straightforward without actually looking at all the dynamics at work here.

Using multiple contexts I can see that one of the mistakes we made was that it was not going to be a cookie cutter process like we thought.  First we had to deal with the fact that we all have strong personalities and different ways of looking at how to get the project going.  Communication is key and though we were communicating it was all done through email and email doesn’t convey tone so things were misunderstood and attitudes started to flare.  I suggested that we meet several times face to face to air out any conflicts so that we could move forward and continue on the project.  Each time there was a reason for why we couldn’t meet by one of the team members.

Looking back I realize that one of team members became defensive because she felt that her idea was shot down though it was all in her approach for why it was shot down.  After that she didn’t really want to listen because she was defensive so she was combative after that.  Finally after much back and forth we were able get back on track because we realized we all wanted the same thing and that was a great project to turn in.

Another area I can use the multiple contexts is with my upcoming verification training.  Most of the counselors have gone through this training before and there is a temptation to fall back on the old ways of completing verifications and how they were taught years ago.  By involving the counselors in training and having them ask questions and even do hands on training there will be more interaction and perhaps a better understanding of how these changes affect a student’s financial aid.

There are many changes to verification this year so helping everyone understand that there are may be more than one right answer and it is a matter of stepping back and reflecting on the best way to approach it.  Sometimes it will take an expert in this area to review and walk the counselors through how to ask more probing questions of the student in order to come to the best resolution. 

I feel that are 5 ways I can improve on my decision making skills that will allow me to become a better leader in both my personal and professional life:

·         Don’t assume things are simple just because they appear to be

·         Be patient and allow time for reflection

·         Create open communication channels on both sides

·         Think outside the box

·         Use approaches that encourage interaction

By incorporating these steps in the multiple contexts I can critically assess various situations and come to the best resolution that works for everyone.