Choice-Creating
What is Choice-creating?
The best way for a group to solve a problem or reach consensus is to have a breakthrough. When you experience a breakthrough in a meeting…
- Reaching consensus is fast and easy.
- The results are win/win — better than anyone thought possible.
- Each person feels brilliant and involved, knows what to do, and is committed to helping.
- The thinking process builds individual capabilities, enthusiasm and empowerment.
- The group builds trust, the spirit of community—a feeling of “We.”
“Choice-creating” is a heartfelt, creative quality of thinking where these non-linear “shifts” and breakthroughs are natural. It is an energy-based process where the “real” issues are identified and solved, and where consensus is normal. Choice-creating is particularly well-suited for addressing and solving ‘impossible to solve’ problems. Plus it does so in a way that builds trust and celebrates the unique perspectives of each person.
On the other hand, decision-making is a process that typically eliminates the possibility of breakthroughs. See chart comparing Decision-Making with Choice-Creating
When is Choice-creating appropriate?
When…
- Facing crises, conflict, values-laden issues, or “impossible” issues.
- Seeking true quality… i.e. what is REALLY best.
- Everyone must agree and trust is needed.
- Building trust and community through meetings.
- Addressing normal issues that have hidden dimensions (e.g. where the presenting issue is not the real issue)
Traditional meetings encourage transactional conversations rather than transformational conversations. View a chart comparing qualities of transactional and transformational conversation.
The Criteria… How do we recognize Choice-creating?
In a meeting, people are addressing the really important issues and each person is:
- Authentic… there are no roles or hidden agendas
- Open-minded… people are interested in different ideas
- Open-hearted… feelings and attitudes grow
- Learning… each person gains in capability
- Engaged… everyone is involved and wants to be part
- Efficient… decisions are reached with less time and effort
- Creative… breakthroughs are normal
- Respectful… each person and his/her uniqueness are appreciated
As with any creative process, Choice-creating involves periods of seeming chaos, punctuated by enthusiasm and closure with far better results. Progress happen in quantum leaps – with new ideas, jumps in trust, shifts in capability, or changes of attitude.
How it works…
The dynamic facilitator orients to group energy instead of extrinsic factors like agendas, guidelines, or objectives. He or she uses four charts — Solutions, Problem-statements, Concerns, and Data — to help people feel and be fully heard. No one is judged, each comment is valued, as the group starts thinking creatively together. The process builds trust as everyone seeks win/win conclusions.
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[...] Choice-Creating [...]
[...] overcome in practice. It works because the CIC facilitates a quality of talking and thinking called “choice-creating,” where people are open minded and open hearted, where they face the most important issues, and where [...]