Talk Lean
(by Interactifs)
The Challenge
Who doesn’t worry that their meetings and conversations take far too long – and produce far too little? Who hasn’t put off broaching a difficult subject or announcing difficult news because of the discomfort in doing so, or because of the risk to the relationship? Who hasn’t baulked at asking for what they really want, saying what they really think or expressing how they really feel? These concerns can be particularly acute in family businesses, where relationships are both professional and personal.
How can you address these challenges and greatly increase the productivity of your meetings, in terms both of concrete results and enhanced relationships?
How can you address these challenges and greatly increase the productivity of your meetings, in terms both of concrete results and enhanced relationships?
The Solution
Talk Lean is a revolutionary approach. It liberates you from having to make a choice familiar to anyone in business – the choice between trying to be clear, direct and straight to the point but with a significant risk of appearing curt or rude; or trying to be polite, courteous and friendly but with a significant risk of beating around the bush and lacking impact and focus. Talk Lean squares this circle and introduces you to a simple set of verbal frameworks and principles which allow you to be consistently direct yet respectful, concise yet courteous, concrete yet empathetic - whatever the context, whatever the relationship.
The impact is immediate. If you can learn systematically to combine directness and concision with courtesy and respect, you will produce concrete results faster and whilst generating the trust, respect and confidence necessary for building long-lasting, highly productive relationships.
The impact is immediate. If you can learn systematically to combine directness and concision with courtesy and respect, you will produce concrete results faster and whilst generating the trust, respect and confidence necessary for building long-lasting, highly productive relationships.
About the trainer
Alan has shared this approach in his best-selling book “Talk Lean: Shorter meetings. Quicker results. Better relations.” (short-listed in 2015 for the UK’s ‘Management Book of the Year Award’) and has taught it at INSEAD and on Harvard’s Summer School programme.
Alan Palmer : How to deploy arguments effectively
Case Studies
Meeting with MD to
reallocate some of a family executive’s roles without losing his goodwill
or commitment
Family:
Investments and operating businesses (North America)
Investments and operating businesses (North America)
Challenge:
An enthusiastic family executive has taken on additional responsibilities on his own initiative. However, the family Managing Director (MD) wants him to step back from some roles, in order to reallocate them to other executives. The MD wants the family member to accept this decision with good grace and without impacting his motivation or commitment.
An enthusiastic family executive has taken on additional responsibilities on his own initiative. However, the family Managing Director (MD) wants him to step back from some roles, in order to reallocate them to other executives. The MD wants the family member to accept this decision with good grace and without impacting his motivation or commitment.
Result:
After careful preparation, a successful meeting achieved both objectives (handing on to others but continuing commitment to the firm and other key projects)
After careful preparation, a successful meeting achieved both objectives (handing on to others but continuing commitment to the firm and other key projects)
Difficult
meeting between CEO and his niece, combining clarity with courtesy,
achieved commitment to change whilst maintaining relationship
Family:
Diversified (Middle East)
Diversified (Middle East)
Challenge:
High-performing family executive expects year-end promotion. However, Family CEO must tell her (his niece) that her interaction with her team must improve first. How can CEO announce the decision, maintain the relationships (niece and her mother) and secure niece’s commitment to work on specific management skills?
High-performing family executive expects year-end promotion. However, Family CEO must tell her (his niece) that her interaction with her team must improve first. How can CEO announce the decision, maintain the relationships (niece and her mother) and secure niece’s commitment to work on specific management skills?
Result:
Difficult conversation held between CEO and niece, yet results were achieved in terms of behaviour and relationship, via a rigorous focus on requests for the future rather than reproaches about the past
Difficult conversation held between CEO and niece, yet results were achieved in terms of behaviour and relationship, via a rigorous focus on requests for the future rather than reproaches about the past