Facilitating conversations to reach concordance
Who and why mind@work?
"mind@work is not merely a set of techniques for improving organizations, enhancing communications, building consensus, or solving problems. It is based on the principle that conception and implementation are intimatelylinked, with a core of creating common meaning."mind@work VOF facilitates group decision making. We also supply methods, applications (minds2gather), tools and techniques to improve change processes by improvingteam creativity, resolution or decision making and getting results.
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| Brainstorming | Printing | Clustering | Deciding |
Welcome to our English home page
Thank you for your interest in our products/services.We are an organization dedicated to better decision making by groups or teams,something you may call Decision Groupware, Electronic Boardroom orGroup Resolution Methodware. The methods are aimed at better socialinteraction through, amongst others, computer supported brainstorming, clusteringor categorizing using cards or hexagons and various techniques for buildingconsensus. We've specialized in problem definition, because:
- - If you're not part of the problem, you're not part of the solution
- - The definition of the problem is part (about 80%) of the problem
- - People tend to bypass the process of problem definition, because it is connected to negative emotions, like frustrations, anger, sadness, loss, envy ; it requires people to become open about their feelings and - Argyris - the process of bypassing problem definitions is also undiscussable.
- - 'The wrong solution for the right problem is preferable over a right solution for the wrong problem'. In both cases the solution doesn't work, but only in the first case one will surely innovate in the right direction.
- - Companies fail not because of a mistake, but because they continue to make the same mistake over and over again.
- - As facilitators, we're not involved with the implementation of the solution (see 1).
Talking about problems requires a level of communications, that can only be attained in a same place, same time meeting. Openess can be enhanced by using computers for brainstorming, while communicating 'is' a social process and can be enhanced by using cards. Click here for more....
We have developed a four step process
We have developed a four step process. Starting with an acceptance phase, we move to an information phase. The third step is clustering and evaluating. The fourth phase is action!.
The steps are:
- Accepting the situation andeach other: green
- Informing each other aboutthe different views on the situation or issue: yellow
- Ordening the ideas, have aconversation on the results and prioritizing clusters and ideas: blue
- Action planning on alternatives,options or solutions: red (and green,yellow, blue and red again).
The session has to designed. In the designof our interventions we take into account:
The sessions and meetings move from problemdefinition to action planning in a consistent way. The facilitator designsthe processes and is not involved with the content. Most of the time thegroup works so fast, you cannot even become involved much. In the end wealmost always have a concrete, specific results, although sometimes not theresults you'd have expected beforehand.
Computer and cards for better decision making.
The advantages are:
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| Everybody treated equally,less hierarchy All ideas visible: more creativity, greater speed Working at their own speed, no pressure More emotions shown, less politics Evaluation anonymously Focus on idea not on owner | Every idea readable Proportional printing: smaller font with larger texts Use of different shapes and colours Multiple copies for parallel processing Professional Usuable on table top, brown paper or electrostatic board | Lots of items: betteroverview Actual exchange of ideas Colour activates integration Movement stimulates left and right brain hemisphere Joint, dynamic discussion, dialogue and conversations Intuitive understanding Fractal, chaotic, social, easy | Consensus on problemswithout emotional or group pressure to conform Freedom of choice and participation precedes committed choice Creative, innovative and implementable solutions Fast reporting on session and action plan |
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We are creating a network organization inThe Netherlands that will be able to deliver better roads to change throughminds2gather for for-profit and not-for profit organizations. Atthis moment in time we're concentrating on doing business in The Netherlands,but we're interested in expanding our network.
More information: see the questions asked at the 8th European Facilitators Conference. For information and documentation in the English language, please contactus through Contact mind@work VOF or janlelie by telephone (+ 31 70 324.34.75). You can also skype us at 
mindatwork