The OBREAU Tipod: A Tool for Finding Gold among the Rubble
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This was presented for the Association of Leadership Educators annual conference as a highly interactive session in which participants gained experience in applying three practices - Working from Observation, Attributing Reasonableness, and Speaking with Authenticity (OBREAU) - to support conversations for change on tough issues. We began with discussion of a scenario applicable to leadership educators and used the scenario to introduce and illustrate the practices of the OBREAU Tripod. Then, participants applied the practices to personal leadership-related challenges they face and discussed the results in small groups. Large group discussion explored implications, opportunities and challenges for leadership action. Participants benefited through exposure to a framework they can utilize for more mindful, creative and deep-reaching engagement with others on virtually any tough issue.
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The OBREAU Tipod: A Tool for Finding Gold among the Rubble
- 1. The OBREAU Tripod: A Tool for Finding Gold Among the Rubble Presented by Eric K. Kaufman, Virginia Tech Don Dunoon, New Futures
- 2. What’s Your View of Politics? 2
- 3. Objectives for this Session • Recognize default patterns of interaction that can derail efforts toward shared leadership and productive conversations on tough issues; • Be able to identify and describe the three practices associated with the OBREAU Tripod: Working from Observation, Attributing Reasonableness, and Speaking with Authenticity; • Highlight opportunities for application of the OBREAU Tripod in leadership education; and • Apply the OBREAU Tripod in connection with a personal leadership challenge.
- 4. Connecting with Don Dunoon 4
- 5. The OBREAU Tripod: Enabling challenging conversations • Observation • Reasonableness • Authenticity Three practices to support challenging conversations for groups and individuals – on virtually any topic where there are differences of view 5
- 6. The Tripod is an Antidote, Counterpoint to 3 Default Behaviors Working from negative and untested assumptions about others Responding as if “we know” what the issue is Side-stepping or sugar-coating what needs to be talked about
- 7. Working from Observation Noticing – as far as possible without immediately reacting and judging Asking what is directly discernible – as distinct from inference and conclusion Intention is to open up possibilities; give ourselves a stronger platform to speak from; e.g. “Here’s what I notice. What do you see?”
- 8. Attributing Reasonableness Imagining what the issue might look like to those involved, allowing that they can be reasonable in this instance Here the focus is below the waterline of the iceberg The purpose is to develop possible interpretations to enable testing and exploration
- 9. Speaking with Authenticity Contemplating what is true for you on this issue Speaking to this while also connecting with observation, and holding open that others are acting reasonably You can say pretty much whatever you like (including asking questions) providing it is: •True for you •Consistent with presuming reasonableness •Connected with observation
- 10. Benefits of using the Tripod • Helps get beyond routine, default behavior patterns • Opens up new ways of seeing and framing issues (through Observation) • Fosters practical empathy (through Reasonableness) • Supports modeling of desired behaviors (through Authenticity emphasis) • Aids in making headway with issues that can otherwise seem intractable
- 11. Case: Yale Protests & Fallout 10/27/15 – Email from Intercultural Affairs Council about Halloween costumes 10/30/15 – Email response from Erika Christakis, associate master of Silliman College 11/05/15 – Student protestor confronts Nicholas Christakis, demanding resignation 11/17/15 – University president and dean of college email reaffirmation of support for Christakises 12/04/15 - Erika resigns from her teaching role & Nicholas announces a sabbatical for Spring 2016 05/24/16 - Nicholas and Erika resign from their roles with Silliman College to “pursue academic work full time” 11
- 12. 12
- 13. Don Dunoon 2008-16. OBREAU Tripod Worksheet A3 4.3. The OBREAU Tripod is based on concepts in Don Dunoon’s book In the Leadership Mode, 2008. For more information see www.dondunoon.com. This worksheet is licensed under Creative Common Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Applying the OBREAU T r i p o d Enabling dialogue, engagement with others and c h a l l e n g i n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s B r ie f outline of an in t e r p e r s o n a l or group / inter-group c o m m u n ic a t io n s - r e la t e d is s u e o r c h a lle n g e currently being f a c e d : 13
- 14. Don Dunoon 2008-16. OBREAU Tripod Worksheet A3 4.3. The OBREAU Tripod is based on concepts in Don Dunoon’s book In the Leadership Mode, 2008. For more information see www.dondunoon.com. This worksheet is licensed under Creative Common Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ O b s e r v a t i o n Reasonableness Authenticity The work here to identify, and record, a few key elements that are directly observable, noticeable – as distinct from inference or conclusion. We’re in effect trying to “peel away” our interpretations and judgments to get to what could be seen / heard directly. We can then potentially hold some of these data out to others for response. Try thinking about what an “invisible observer” could conceivably notice (that might include some of your own actions!). If the issue were an iceberg, what might be "above the waterline"? Focus particularly on observations that seem interesting and potentially open to different interpretations. This aspect requires you to switch perspectives and look at the issue from the standpoint of others, allowing that they are reasonable in this instance. (This is never about judging others.) Focus first on the individual/group that you most want to engage with. Ask, and make notes about, what this stakeholder, acting reasonably, might be: • Assuming (taking as given, true) • Interested in (valuing, wanting to advance or protect) • Feeling (emotions they might be experiencing) • Having relevant knowledge or experience in. Then, repeat the process for other stakeholders. The challenge here is to find words that: are true for you, are consistent with allowing others are reasonable, and make some connection with observation. Remember, you are preparing for a conversation, not writing a script. First, to gain more insight into what is true for you, think about and make notes on your own relevant assumptions, interests, feelings and knowledge. Then, consider and write down what might be: • A neutral introduction to the topic • One or more observations you could share • Some questions you might ask (e.g. to check or explore observations, or to test interpretations allowing reasonableness) • What else you might say that matters to you – and that is consistent with reasonableness and connects with observations. 14
- 15. Time Remaining: Jot notes about the Yale case, organizing them by each leg of the Tripod: •Observation, •Reasonableness •Authenticity
- 16. Imagine the issue or challenge as an iceberg. Observation focuses on what’s more explicit about the issue, what can be seen directly, what’s above the waterline.
- 17. Imagining what could be “going on” for stakeholders, presuming they are reasonable, in 4 dimensions: their possible hidden / unspoken assumptions, interests, feelings, and knowledge regarding this issue
- 19. What’s Your Challenge? • Unreasonable professor? • Increased demands at work? • Child demanding increased freedom? • Changes to program budget/funding model? • Organization leaders refusing responsibility? • Poor attendance record of colleague/student? • Demographic discrimination? • Unsatisfactory political candidates? 19
- 20. Share your issue or challenge, holding all three legs of the Tripod. Coach your partner on opportunities to improve Observation and Reasonableness. Time Remaining:
- 21. Benefits of the Tripod? • Helps get beyond routine, default behavior patterns • Opens up new ways of seeing and framing issues (through Observation) • Fosters practical empathy (through Reasonableness) • Supports modeling of desired behaviors (through Authenticity emphasis) • Aids in making headway with issues that can otherwise seem intractable 22
- 22. Desired College Outcomes (Hart Research Associates, 2015) “Nearly all employers (96%) agree that, regardless of their chosen field of study, all students should have experiences in college that teach them how to solve problems with people whose views are different from their own.” “Indeed, employers nearly universally agree that to achieve success at their companies, a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex programs is more important than his or her undergraduate major.” 23
- 23. How Will You Use the OBREAU Tripod? 24
- 24. Do you want discussion to be Vanilla or Neapolitan? 25
- 25. What Questions Remain? Eric K. Kaufman EKK@VT.Edu www.DonDunoon.com
- 26. OBREAU Tripod content licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. See www.dondunoon.com 27
Editor's Notes
- This will be a highly interactive session in which participants gain experience in applying three practices - Working from Observation, Attributing Reasonableness, and Speaking with Authenticity (OBREAU) - to support conversations for change on tough issues. We will begin with discussion of a scenario applicable to leadership educators and use the scenario to introduce and illustrate the practices of the OBREAU Tripod. Then, participants will apply the practices to personal leadership-related challenges they face and discuss the results in small groups. Large group discussion will explore implications, opportunities and challenges for leadership action. Participants will gain through exposure to a framework they can utilize for more mindful, creative and deep-reaching engagement with others on virtually any tough issue.
- Emailed me two years ago to share some resources he thought might be helpful. He is from Sydney Australia, and connected with me due to mutual involvement in ILA. Has been great to share resources; prepared introductory videos for classes I am teaching at Virginia Tech
- Don developed the OBREAU Tripod because he found people struggling to hand challenging conversations and believed a simple framework could help. Distribute handout on Tripod basics.
- Imagine the issue or challenge as an iceberg. Observation focuses on what’s more explicit about the issue, what can be seen directly, what’s above the waterline.
- Imagining what could be “going on” for stakeholders, presuming they are reasonable, in 4 dimensions: their possible hidden / unspoken assumptions, interests, feelings, and knowledge regarding this issue
- https://youtu.be/9IEFD_JVYd0?list=PLvIqJIL2kOMefn77xg6-6yrvek5kbNf3Z
- 5-Minute Timer Using this PowerPoint break timer (5 minutes) This PowerPoint slide uses images, custom animation, and timing to provide a countdown timer that you can use in any presentation. When you open the template, you’ll notice that the timer is set at 00:00. However, when you start the slide show, the timer will start at the correct time and count down by 1-minute intervals until it gets to 1 minute. At that point, it will count down in two 30-seconds intervals to 00:00. To insert this slide into your presentation Save this template as a presentation (.ppt file) on your computer. Open the presentation that will contain the timer. On the Slides tab, place your insertion point after the slide that will precede the timer. (Make sure you don't select a slide. Your insertion point should be between the slides.) On the Insert menu, click Slides from Files. In the Slide Finder dialog box, click the Find Presentation tab. Click Browse, locate and select the timer presentation, and then click Open. In the Slides from Files dialog box, select the timer slide. Select the Keep source formatting check box. If you do not select this check box, the copied slide will inherit the design of the slide that precedes it in the presentation. Click Insert. Click Close.
- Contemplating what is true for you on this issue Speaking to this while also connecting with observation, and holding open that others are acting reasonably
- 10-Minute Timer Using this PowerPoint break timer (10 minutes) This PowerPoint slide uses images, custom animation, and timing to provide a countdown timer that you can use in any presentation. When you open the template, you’ll notice that the timer is set at 00:00. However, when you start the slide show, the timer will start at the correct time and count down by 1-minute intervals until it gets to 1 minute. At that point, it will count down in two 30-seconds intervals to 00:00. To insert this slide into your presentation Save this template as a presentation (.ppt file) on your computer. Open the presentation that will contain the timer. On the Slides tab, place your insertion point after the slide that will precede the timer. (Make sure you don't select a slide. Your insertion point should be between the slides.) On the Insert menu, click Slides from Files. In the Slide Finder dialog box, click the Find Presentation tab. Click Browse, locate and select the timer presentation, and then click Open. In the Slides from Files dialog box, select the timer slide. Select the Keep source formatting check box. If you do not select this check box, the copied slide will inherit the design of the slide that precedes it in the presentation. Click Insert. Click Close.
- 15-Minute Timer Using this PowerPoint break timer This PowerPoint slide uses images, custom animation, and timing to provide a countdown timer that you can use in any presentation. When you open the template, you’ll notice that the timer is set at 00:00. However, when you start the slide show, the timer will start at the correct time and count down by 1-minute intervals until it gets to 1 minute. At that point, it will count down in two 30-seconds intervals to 00:00. To insert this slide into your presentation Save this template as a presentation (.ppt file) on your computer. Open the presentation that will contain the timer. On the Slides tab, place your insertion point after the slide that will precede the timer. (Make sure you don't select a slide. Your insertion point should be between the slides.) On the Insert menu, click Slides from Files. In the Slide Finder dialog box, click the Find Presentation tab. Click Browse, locate and select the timer presentation, and then click Open. In the Slides from Files dialog box, select the timer slide. Select the Keep source formatting check box. If you do not select this check box, the copied slide will inherit the design of the slide that precedes it in the presentation. Click Insert. Click Close.
- Invite participants to share their experience in applying the structure
- According to research conducted on behalf of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, “nearly all employers (96%) agree that, regardless of their chosen field of study, all students should have experiences in college that teach them how to solve problems with people whose views are different from their own” (Hart Research Associates, 2015, p. 4). “Indeed, employers nearly universally agree that to achieve success at their companies, a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex programs is more important than his or her undergraduate major” (Hart Research Associates, p. 6). Unfortunately, colleges and universities are failing to meet this demand. We need new models and structures to guide our practice in higher education. Emerging approaches to leadership and leadership studies may help us in that regard.