Building Relationships that Work , Wellesley MA Step-change improvement in organizational effectiveness depends on the competence of individuals and groups to reflect critically on their own reasoning and action and to test their insights in action. The medium of organizational intelligence is conversation in which people inquire into diverse perspectives, recognize and question assumptions, name difficult truths, and commit to joint action. But conversation too often is superficial, timid, repetitive, or otherwise unproductive. Whether as a leader or member, as a consultant, facilitator, or coach, to make a difference we must reason, talk, and act competently with others on the most important and difficult issues.
Competence is first an attribute of individuals.
But conversation is a team sport. To develop competence in this domain an individual must work with others who think differently, who can offer feedback, who do not have the same blind spots, and who can serve as practice partners. People often come to the Action Design workshops described here as individuals, but virtually all the work is done in small groups. Action Design also supports workshop alumni in creating ongoing practice groups. Organizational results are most often created by groups.