Questioning Formats

When selecting questions to ask, there is a broad range of questions from which to choose. Each of these question formats achieves a slightly different outcome.

Fact-finding questions are targeted at verifiable data such as who, what, when, where and how much. Use them to gather information about the current situation.

e.g. "What kind of computer equipment are you now using?"
"How much training did staff receive at the start?"


Feeling-finding questions ask for subjective information that gets at the participants’ opinions, feelings, values and beliefs. They help you understand views, and they contain words like think or feel.

e.g. "How do you feel about the effectiveness of the new equipment?"
"Do you think the staff felt they received enough training?" 


Tell-me-more questions can help you find out more about what the participants are saying. They encourage the speaker to provide more details.

e.g. "Tell me more." "Can you elaborate on that?"
"Can you be more specific?"


Best/least questions help you understand potential opportunities in the present situation. They let you test for the outer limits of participants’ wants and needs.
 
e.g. "What’s the best thing about receiving a new computer?"
"What’s the worst thing about the new equipment?"

Do More with Less Stress

1. Sculpt out time to do the things that you love.
Make sure that you regularly find time to do the things you really love. If it’s reading, going to the movies, playing with your kids, or traveling, you need to make it a priority in your life. It allows you time to relax, reflect, and re-energize for the challenges ahead in the coming days.

2. Address issues early and immediately. 
One of the main challenges that I hear from leaders is the stress levels they face knowing that the weight of the organization rests on their shoulders. Thus, one of the best ways to minimize stress is to address issues early on. In many cases a small issue, when addressed early, will not become a bigger problem down the road. Also, this will eliminate the anxiety of knowing it needs to be addressed but hasn’t yet. When you face problems head on, you can move on to the more positive aspects of your organization.

3. Hire good people and empower them. 
The best organizations have a leader that hires smart people and allows them to do their jobs. It is fine to be a part of the process, but you are not helping yourself or the organization when you are micro managing the work. The stress of trying to do everyone’s job, plus your own, is not only challenging but frankly dumb. Employees want responsibility and autonomy, and you as a leader should allow some latitude in both. This will ensure loyalty and longevity, which will eliminate the stress of having to replace them.

Best and Worst Facilitation Practices

Some of the best things that facilitators can do include:

- carefully assess the needs of the members
- probe sensitively into people's feelings
- create an open and trusting atmosphere
- help people understand why they are there
- view yourself as servant of the group's needs
- make participants the center of attention
- speak in simple and direct language
- work hard to stay neutral
- display energy and  appropriate levels of assertiveness
- champion ideas not personally favored
- treat all participants as equals
- stay flexible and ready to change direction if necessary
- make notes that reflect what participants mean
- listen intently to understand totally what’s being said
- periodically summarize related ideas into a coherent summary
- know how to use a wide range of discussion tools
- make sure every gathering ends with clear next steps
- insure that members feel ownership for agreed-to actions
- end on a positive and optimistic note.

Some of the worst things that a facilitator can do include:

- remain oblivious to what the group thinks or needs
- never check group concerns
- fail to listen carefully to what’s being said
- lose track of key ideas
- take notes or change the meaning of what is said
- try to be the center of attention
- get defensive
- get into personality battles
- put people down
- ignore or avoid conflict
- let a few people or the leader dominate
- never check how it’s going
- be overly passive on process
- push ahead on an irrelevant agenda
- have no alternative approaches
- let discussions get badly sidetracked
- let discussions ramble without proper closure
- be oblivious about when to stop
- be insensitive to cultural diversity issues
- use inappropriate humor

The Four Existential Human Needs

1. The need to be connected to others, especially loved ones
2. The need to be a part of something greater than ourselves
3. Freedom with personal responsibility and accountability
4. The need to be of value and be able to make a difference

Making Lean Six Sigma Stick

Lean Six Sigma is a powerful set of process improvement tools that bring people together to solve problems. Yet it doesn’t mean much if it is not supported by leadership and your employees. Here are the five powerful steps that you can apply to get people at every level engaged and excited about Lean Six Sigma.

1. Create a Team of Change Agents

One of the very things you should do when you set up a Lean Six Sigma project is to create a team of change agents. This is a critical component in any change model. The team is composed of 6-8 people representing all parts of the process that are well liked and respected and are considered influencers within the organization. Select a cross-section of employees at various management levels who are proactive with great communication skills.
The Change Agent team is tasked with developing and implementing all communication and change management plans, processes and activities. The change agent team is educated in the area of Lean Six sigma and are educating and updating their peers on the initiative throughout the project.

2. Get Senior Leadership Engaged, Not Merely Supportive

This is the key.  Get the buy-in and support of management (especially corporate level executives) to successfully implement a Lean Six Sigma initiative.  Management not only has to support the initiative, but they also have to believe wholeheartedly in the initiative.
As part of educating senior-level managers on Lean Six Sigma, ask their peers from other organizations who have implemented Lean Six Sigma to speak to the management team about their successes and lessons learned.
In addition, management will need to be armed with a powerful and convincing communication message that not only inspires employees, but also creates the sense of urgency for the project.

3. Get Employees Engaged At All Levels

One of the best and easiest ways to create engagement across the organization is to get employees from all levels involved in the initiative. Throughout the life cycle of a Lean Six Sigma initiative, there will be ample opportunities to hold working sessions in which it will be beneficial to have the participation of both management and frontline employees.
In addition to the valuable information that is obtained from the working sessions, employees and management will be able to gain a better perspective of the enterprise value stream.