#Clarify example free

The term clarifying question is also used in mentoring, coaching, and clinical contexts, in which it carries a different, but related, meaning. Sounds easy, but to our surprise, we initially found it quite tricky to make the distinction. It has to be a simple request for additional information or explanation. A clarifying question should not express an opinion or bias. A question round guarantees that a proposer is heard and that every proposal is fully understood before being subjected to critique. The Sociocratic decision-making process includes a step in which each participant has an opportunity to pose one or more clarifying questions each time a proposal is made - the question round. One of the appealing features of Sociocracy was the prominence given to clarifying questions in Sociocratic decision-making. Later, when Lectica (the nonprofit that owns me) was in the planning stages, my colleagues and I chose to use a governance system called Sociocracy.

But 2/3 were not so proficient in this area, and consequently, our decisions did not benefit much from their input. My second discovery was that about 1/3 of my colleagues were adept at ensuring that others were fully aware of their knowledge, insights, and opinions. “Yes, but don’t you think that would lead to trouble down the road?” Moreover, on those rare occasions when we seemed to ask for clarification, we were usually expressing our own opinions. In decision-making contexts - such as when making a decision about a policy or program - we rarely asked others to expand on their understanding of an issue or further describe an idea or perspective. My first discovery was that my colleagues and I rarely sought clarification from others, and when we did, our questions focused on practical things like the location of a resource or information about requirements around paperwork or roles. Curiosity won out, and pretty soon, I was listening in on conversations at work, trying to identify decision-making situations in which colleagues sought clarification. When I first learned about clarifying questions - questions designed to get clarity about an issue, idea, or perspective before making a decision - I thought, “No duh.” Fortunately, this attempt to weasel out of an opportunity for enlightenment wasn’t successful.

#Clarify example free

See our growing collection of free good-in-a-crisis micro-VCoLs at L ecticaLive. Clarifying questions support learning, decision-making, and conflict resolution.