"Jack"
Jack is a chief executive of an organization with a small budget and staff. Jack's overall goal in his circle was to communicate with other executives about projects and challenges they face, including brainstorming solutions together. He mentioned numerous challenges that he faced in running his organization, some of which needed specific, technical information to address.
In the first meeting, he mentioned other issues that he wanted to address. In comparison to other members in his circle, he had the most issues. He also wanted help managing his time more effectively and he wanted to improve the effectiveness of his board. He stated, "They don't even know what we're about. They just sit there when we meet." And he wanted to improve his understanding of his role as a chief executive. He asked, "How do I know what I can ask the board to do?" "What is my role with them?" In another area, he said he wanted some ideas about how to expand his organization's revenue.
In the first meeting, members asked him many questions, mostly to obtain additional information about his issues. Jack responded that his most pressing project was time management. Another member responded, "I'd challenge you on that," and asked Jack if he would have more time if he got more support from his board. Jack laughed and answered, "I suppose so." Other group members concurred. From his first meeting, he took away actions including listing and ranking his issues, scheduling a time management course, and identifying a course that would provide an overview of the chief executive's role. One member asked him to also list and rank his issues for the next meeting.
In the second meeting, Jack produced the following list: improving his understanding of the chief executive and ...