This a deck for a workshop on clean language - much of which was practice oriented. The effect of using clean language is better thinking and better listening. It shifts your way of relating to people quite radically with just a little practice.

1. C L E A N L A N G U A G E
Q U E S T I O N S F O R A S P I R I N G
A G I L E L E A R N E R S
Andrea Chiou
July 27, 2014
A G I L E 2 0 1 4 W O R K S H O P

2. Andrea Chiou, agile coach
@andreachiou
Blog: www.adaptivecollaboration.com
Virginia Satir
Gerald Weinberg
David Grove
Walker
Influencers
Caitlin
andrea.chiou@santeon.com

3. W H AT I W O U L D L I K E T O H AV E
H A P P E N
The essence of clean questions
Demonstration and practice
Clean Feedback
Resources and Community
!
Q&A

4. L A N D S C A P E
! Interruptions
Feeling safe
!
Being listened to well is rare
Need for clarity
!
Metaphor

5. C L E A N Q U E S T I O N S
For listeners: get a
more accurate
understanding of the
words being used.
For speaker: room to
expand, think, finish,
and new insights

6. N U RT U R E T H I N K I N G I N O T H E R S
by separating away our
reactions
assumptions
interpretations
need for contribution
pre-suppositions
advice
biases
judgements

7. Metaphor is the modulator
between the
conscious and
subconscious
that fosters
understanding
between
people

8. F I V E S E N S E S WA R M U P
See an elephant
Taste lemon
Hear music
Feel hot sand
Smell perfume

9. D E M O
W H E N Y O U A R E L E A R N I N G
AT Y O U R B E S T, Y O U A R E
L I K E W H AT ?

10. 3 C O R E C L E A N Q U E S T I O N S
AND…IS
THERE
ANYTHING
ELSE ABOUT
X?
AND…WHAT
KIND OF
X IS THAT X?
X is a word or a phrase that your partner
used
AND …
THAT’S X….
LIKE WHAT?

11. W H E N Y O U A R E L E A R N I N G
AT Y O U R B E S T, Y O U A R E
L I K E W H AT ?
P R A C T I C E S E S S I O N # 1 - PA I R S

12. 3 C O R E C L E A N Q U E S T I O N S
AND…IS
THERE
ANYTHING
ELSE ABOUT
X?
AND…WHAT
KIND OF
X IS THAT X?
X is a word or a phrase using the exact words of the person you
are talking to…
only use the questions, nothing else
AND …
THAT’S X….
LIKE WHAT?

13. PRACTICE SESSION #2 - PAIRS
Learning at your
best
Parenting at your
best
Coding at
your best
Coaching at
your best
Studying at your
best
Designing at your
best

14. C L E A N F E E D B A C K *
What worked well for you?
1.)
!
2.)
What did not work as well for you?
1.)
!
2.)
O B S E R VAT I O N / W H AT Y O U I N F E R F R O M T H AT / W H AT WA S T H E I M PA C T O N
*This is but one of many of the Systemic Modeling tools of Caitlin Walker for group interaction

15. J A M E S L AW L E Y A N D P E N N Y T O M P K I N S
The original book on
modeling via Clean
Language
See cleanlanguage.co.uk

16. J U D Y R E E S A N D W E N D Y S U L L I VA N
!
!
!
This book is a gentle introduction
to Clean with plenty of exercises
and examples for everyday use
See learncleanlanguage.co.uk

17. M A R I A N WAY
This book is an
excellent guide to
Clean. Laid out
simply with beautiful
illustrations and
examples.
See cleanlearning.co.uk

18. C A I T L I N WA L K E R
15 years of
pioneering work in
clean at various
institutions
See www.trainingattention.co.uk

19. W H E R E H A S I T B E E N U S E D ?
interviews
hiring
coaching
research
ITschools
doctors
geriatric care
large organizations
therapy and social work
police
investigations
ISO 9000
audits

20. W H O I S U S I N G I T ?
http://www.leanpub.com/whoisusingclean

21. Q & A

22. S O M E M O R E C L E A N Q U E S T I O N S
Intention
…what would you like to have happen?
Developing:
…what kind of X (is that X)?
…that’s X like what?
…is there anything else about X?
Location:
… where is X ? or whereabouts is X?
…does X have a size or shape?
Time or Significance:
…when X, what happens next?
…when X, then what happens?
Time or Source
…where does (or could) X come from?
…what happens just before X?
!
Prior to asking the questions on the left,
you summarize and focus attention with
the following.
1.) And X (stuff they said, in their words)
….
2.) And when X (specific word or phrase
you want to focus attention on),
3.) clean question about some word or
phrase (could be something other than X)
!