Lab Learning: Day 12

Today we spent the day with half the group meeting vendors, and the other working on detailing the model.
Under the stress of trying to meet our deadline, our personalities are being thrust forwards and knowing the personalities at play it became easier to manage the dynamics.
Our group is complementary. As we were struggling with trying to move forwards, one of us walked to the board, and simplified the solution. Each of us have our strengths. We just need to stand up and show it when the need arise and not hope someone else can do it.

Lab Learning: Day 11

Today we continued to refine and detail our model.
I was called into a discussion over an issue unrelated to the lab, and I realized the real power of our approach.
As the parties centered over what's currently wrong and how it affects our image, and how we need to show to the regulators that changes need to be done, I realized how our approach would really be helpful.
Formulate, syndicate, sell. Instead of arguing over what's wrong, we could very well formulate what we want and already syndicate and sell to the regulators. In doing so, we would already be communicating to them our intent and commitment to change. And we could cover a whole group of internal and external parties over seven days and move forward with it.
No doubt there were the cynical ".. Some people want a lab for everything" comments, but as I listened, I realized that hey, we have the approach to give the maximum impact.
There were already people in that discussion already working on a solution, but they expect to be done in June.
It would probably take up till June for a lab to come up with a solution, too but the difference is, within the first week of the lab launch, the people who matter would probably be engaged already.
Wow.

Lab Learning: Day 10

Today marks day 10 of our Lab. I learnt that the profiling we did is quite accurate. The discourse and exchanges were quite as the profiles suggested. Its heartening to See barriers coming down and the team starting to gel. Having the profiles done is a real big help. I understand now the approach used by our lead facilitator: experience, reflect, learn, apply. Ive learnt this as a theory and used parts of this experiential learning model, but alaways I've been too quick ro jump in and help them. Here, very clearly, he's led us to experience the discomfort, and, little by little, as we can't take it anymore, he'll throw in the lessons. Even then, some get it, some don't. As all great teachers do, he patiently guides us until we really can't figure it out, then he rolls up his trousers and jump right in with us. He's done that with our model building, and he's done that with my inability to play my role properly. Today he's pulled me aside and told me where I need to play my role. He's hinted at it before, but since I haven't picked it up, the recourse is to grab me by my collar and tell me spot on. Ive looked at our story wall again and now realize my storylining skills are really needed here. If we can put our thoughts in a story line, then people can see where our lab is headed and wont need us to be there explaining stuff. As we build our basis, we can just update the storyline. I learnt also today that we're not really clear what we mean when we say "model". A model needs to be a representation of a working set of systems. Thus if we can identify what systems (management systems, not IT) thus we can test the components needed to make it work. And to determine the systems, we need to come back to basics: purpose, picture and profit. We list out descriptors for the purpose that we want, and then brainstorm systems to deliver it. Using an interelation matrix we can then map out how the system will influence the purpose. Then we test the model against what is existing, and test with syndicates to ensure it works. Of course we will need a strategy, its important that we plan the syndication from here onwards so we can efficiently test our models. Come day 11, things are going to be really interesting.

Lab Learning: Day 9

Today I conducted the morning reflection, and found that once again, I'm not guiding the team towards learning and drifting into debriefs. It's frustrating, no doubt, but I must stand my ground and earn.my place as a facilitator. It's especially frustrating when members of the group starts their own conversations. It shows that's have yet to earn my place as their facilitator.
We learnt also today what the procurement chess board is and found it to be a useful guide to determine the kind of strategy to consider based on the power of supplier and the power of demand.
I'm particularly excited when axiata suggested that there should be a procurement portal for glc; I can imagine how easy analytics on procurement spend and common spend can be. It would take supplier management to a whole new level.

Lab Learning: Day 8

I haven't anything to post for day 7 as I wasn't there :-P I took to start the day with reflection, but I found myself drifting towards debriefing and got collared for it. I realize that it's important to maintain focus and keep the group focused on thinking about what they learnt and not on what they found out. Because of the heavy syndication, when we met in the morning, everyone was like waiting to offload their syndications,as a result I lost control and the group drifted. It's important to stick to learning and separate from the debrief; The faciliator, more that anything has to keep that in focus. I learnt also today that we don't rely very much on data. We acknowledge that data is important, but we work more on perceptions and feelings than the data itself. We found instance where data is being collected,confidence level on the data is very low,the data itself is very narrow and non representative. From the data we knew how many instances a particular event happened, but we couldn't tell if this event was the most significant amongst other events. And pilots were launched on items which was not reflected by the data. Adding to this was that we didn't see steps being taken to improve the data quality. Thus, if we really depended on data, we should take efforts to improve the quality first. This also means that given that there are 500 registered vendors, speaking to 5 isn't enough. We would need to speak to a large enough group that can provide a representative view of the community I learnt (was reminded?)today how the first page of the Lab charter is organized: That the fundamental question is a summary of the case for action, the hypotheses were things that needed to be tested while the assumptions were the givens. Also today I learnt that there are a lot more to be learnt; we are kept thirsty by feeding us lessons a little at a time. As we scramble around trying to figure out what's going on, the answers are there, kept away till the moment arrives. I'm a little less uncomfortable now that I know that this is a concept lab, where our group is expected to deliver the model as a concept and not delve into the design details and implementation concerns. And by model we mean we need to come up with a representation of a working system and we need to identify the sub systems that make the part whole. In day 9 we will start defining the model. The plan is to define requirements based on the fundamental questions, list out systems required in the model to deliver the fundamental question requirements.We're gonna divide and conquer, so I think from now onwards the pace is gonna shift one notch up. And the profiles will come in handy to help us break the groups. "The answer is in the Question". We have all the answers. When do we need consultants? When we have a blindspot, need best practice, need subject matter experts or are short handed.

Lab Learning: Day 6

Today we start the second week of the 4 week Lab. It's scary, coz we still dont seem to be clear on where we are headed. We've syndicated quite a lot of people, and we have developed quite a few model, but I see the team beginning to strain at the seams with the uncertainty as each try to take the leadership and figure out what's next. We have received a lot of information, but we are getting uncomfortable as we aren't sure where to go next. Tomorrow, we're going to take stock of what we have. we struggled all day today, but I learnt that the secret (as we are going to do tomorrow) is to go back to the fundamental question of the lab. The information we now know, and the answer to the fundamental question, will guide us in deciding that functionality we want to put into our model. Today, I learnt that the approach we take is through appreciative inquiry. It is the approach that takes a positive approach within the topic. Instead of asking what's wrong, we ask what's right, what should be there, what will be there and finally what must be there. In the many approaches, Appreciative inquiry falls into 4 things: Discover: to value the best of what is being done, Dream: to dialogue and converse of what might be, Design: distil these ideas into something thought provoking and appealing,and finally Destiny: craft the future you want thru innovative approaches. Possibility = Conversation and storytelling I also discovered that SME corp has come up with a Entrepreneur Development assessment frame work, which they use to assess small medium enterprises and provide the education and assistance to become good. They will be sharing this with us in more detail this Thursday. This lab has been a great challenge for me personally as I try to learn the means of facilitating a group towards an undefined future, while managing the strong opinions and conflicting personalities all the time realizing as well that as far as the team is concerned, I'm very much a member learning the ropes, and not the all knowing, wise facilitator. Every day the Lead facilitators pull something out of a hat, and god knows there's a hell of a journey I have yet to traverse to become like that. So just as we turn foes into allies through syndication, I too must syndicate my abilities and build my army of allies. Until then, it will remain a challenge to facilitate this group.

Lab Learning: Day 1

Here is the learning from the first day: This is what I learnt today from Lab approach. 1. The lab is a useful way to build a new culture for TNB, but to do so, we need to continue with holding labs until we reach a critical mass to change culture. 2. Working in the lab forces you to change the way you work, and if enough people were to experience this, naturally TNB’s culture would change. 3. The principle behind the lab as the enabler of change: Q relations lead to Q conversation lead to Q collective thinking lead to Q plans lead to Q results. Thru labs, we build the Q relationships and enable the Q conversations. 4. Prior to setting up the lab, we conducted participant and facilitator profiling using the Myers brigg questionnaire. This is to help us understand/ predict the behavior of the participants. 5. To help with the behavior change, each facilitator has a role to play. One will challenge the team to raise the bar – push for radical solutions – while another will talent spot 6. To ensure learning, we end the day with agenda for tomorrow, and begin every morning with time for reflection. 7. The sponsors had a one to one with the facilitator to learn their role to enable the change. At the launch today, the sponsors reiterated “that they do not have the answer and that the lab must find the answer it thinks best”. 8. Being the first day today, we spent the day in great detail setting expectations on how the lab should run. In the afternoon, the lab began planning activities. 9. We also have identified the stakeholders to be syndicated. Each lab member has been assigned to contact stakeholders and get appointments. Each stakeholder will have appointments over a few days. The pace of the lab will be dictated by the stakeholder appointments 10. Being a 4 week lab, we have identified the deliverables of each of the 4 weeks. First cut of the model will be ready Friday. We need to avoid talking about current issues, and instead begin with the vision of the future. This will begin tomorrow. The vision is created by considering 6 P: Purpose, picture, profit (WIIFM), Plan, Part (my role in the picture) Program Management. 11. The lab was moved to kilat club to give it accessibility to everyone and anyone interested in the lab findings. Everyone is free to observe. Lab progress will be displayed on the wall for everyone to see and comment starting tomorrow. That’s it for now. More tomorrow. In the meantime, Low, Dr Wong, do come by to observe if you want to plan for your OSH lab.