Ascent facilitator mixer Dec '13

THINK DIFFERENTSteve Jobs 1955-2011

Spirit of Engagement today !

Reflect, Share, Ideate&

Let’s make it happen,Together !

Facilitator’s Mixer & Check-in !

ASCENT Check-in

ATG Check-ins

Open House

AGENDA Today

Overview Key Observations

Highs/Lows/Discoveries ATG View

Member View

Re-initiation Process

Moving Ahead

Check-in

ASCENT 1.0 – First Steps MVP (Minimum Viable Product) phase

Concept – Process – Execution

Validating self-sustainability of TGs with minimal intervention by ASCENT

Building “Bench of Faith”

e.g. Facilitators & Member initiators

Check-in > Overview

We are learning as well !!

ASCENT 2.0 – Firm Steps forward Consolidating & Strengthening our ATGs

Setting-up ourselves for Longevity

Active Focus on Content & Value Extraction

Within and Across TGs

Member Inclusion

Regular exchange between ATGs

Deploying Collaborative Systems

Scaling up in Mumbai and Delhi

Check-in > Overview

Its Still Early Days, Lots more is possible !

Key Observations

Check-in

• Group A (i.e. Early Stage businesses) are a lot more volatile due to operational challenges. Need more elasticity– Group B & C are a relatively more stable

• Optimal Group Size = 11 members

• Process Adherence is emerging as critical to derive effective Value

• Offline Conversations – to be got back into the Group– Can lead to Groupism within Groups

• Red-Flag – Disengagements earlier

Check-in > Key Observations

• Absenteeism–Build stronger accountability e.g.

• Absent member should Share reason which could be reflected upon by the TG• Discipline of Advance Notice

• Late Coming & Fees – Should be seriously collected in Advance to minimise accounting hassles. Can also help in building accountability.

• Presentation Structuring– Facilitator or a member should engage with a Presenter to maintain

objectivity clarity, and length of content. Helps in overall takeaway for TG & presenter

Check-in > Key Observations

23 ATGs

Check-in > TG View

7

9

3

4

PerformingNormingStormingForming

Tuckman’s Group Stages

OurGoal

What is Working

• Intense, unrestrained discussions & Sharing

• Bonding & Friendships

• Individual Participation

• Excitement and urge to derive value

Check-in > TG View

• Sharing of experiences

• Diversity in group composition

• Discipline in the group is exceptional

• Trust level in the group are very very high

What is not Working

• Casual attitude of some members– Not responding to calls and mails regarding

meetings, feedbacks etc.

• Logistics & Scheduling - venue etc.

• Switching off mobile phones during the meeting

• Drop-outs -- we have lost two, maybe a third will go

• Finding topics which are highly relevant to most of us– Covering key challenges of group as a

whole

Check-in > TG View

• Still not got into experience sharing conversation pattern

• Less No. of members in TG

• Absenteeism & last minute changes

• Fun element is on the lower side

• Not able to meet Socially enough

• Structure of the 3 hours is in flux

Highs/Lows/Discoveries

Member View

Check-in

Check-in > Member View

Members' commitment to attendance

Members are sharing openly and demonstrating

Trust

Meetings are following process & structure

Presentations/Discussions are structured and well

prepared

Roles are well defined and understood

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

LowAverageHighVery High

TG Activity & Dynamics

Check-in > Discoveries > Member View

Trust Group – Overall

Learn

ing

BondingFun

Confidence on Gro

up's Health

and Continuity

Over-all V

alue to your b

usiness

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

LowAverageHighVery High


Feedback on Facilitation

20.90%

52.24%

23.88%

2.99%

Very EffectiveGoodCould get betterI am not enjoying


Enjoying your Trust-Group ?

26.87%

2.99%70.15%

PartiallyWant to move outYesNo


Enjoying ASCENT?

31.25%

59.38%

7.81%

1.56%

I am Loving itEnjoyingNot EnjoyingWant to opt out

“It has helped me enormously to scale up in the last 18 months. Thanks Ascent!”

“At a personal level it has brought about major changes. It has provided the support structure which I was actively looking for”


Extreme “High” Voices

“I have learnt a lot, also I started opening up, fantastic group”

It helps me deal with many issues I can't deal with myself

Business has almost doubled since we started ascent

This is a beginning of a long journey, and its been a thoroughly enriching experience, learning and sharing with peers.


Moderate Voices

I have understood the overall concept of a TG. I am not sure everyone has in our TG. It is being confused with networking, business possibilities amongst members and so on. During the last 2 to 3 meetings members have now started taking more interest in improving the structure so that every person can benefit out of it and at the same time improve their understanding knowledge during the course of offering their advice/experience to others' challenges.

“So far nothing extraordinary has happened. but overall it looks like a step in right direction”

“The meetings are not achieving any objective”

“have hardly had any meetings and hence frustrated”


Extreme “Low” Voices

“Learning and take away is stagnant or declining”

“less commitment from members and no value addition”

Re-Initiating ATGs Pause, Reflect & Re-Focus

Check-in

Session 1

Revisit Mission of the TG

Following the Elements of the Constitution

Specific Learning's/Contributions received by TG Members

What is enabling Contributions from TG Members

What could have helped get Higher Contributions

Specific value addition / contribution areas desired

Changes to be made to get more value

ACTION PLAN – BASED ON ABOVE

A recent Re-Initiation Conversation

With a Trust Group

• On mission The team has not defined a mission statement

• On Constitution Elements (rating on a scale of 1-5 ) Consequences on absenteeism Conflict of interest Confidentiality…etc.

• Specific contributions got Pressure for accountability on business plan Goal tracker etc.

Contd…

• Enablers to contributions Practices – Goal Tracker, Buddy Concept Behaviors – Not taking Feedback as criticism Resources – Knowledge Guru, Facilitators Training

• What could have helped higher contribution? Commitment (Low Absenteeism) Late leverage of Knowledge Guru etc.

Contd…

• Specific value addition/ contribution areas desired Higher frequency of webinar/ mixer

• Changes to be made to get more value Revisit the constitution Selection of facilitator

• Actions from next meeting Build firmness on absenteeism/ late-coming Improve agenda setting process Start process of taking feedback at end of meeting

Moving Ahead

Check-in

• Member Inclusion– Involve Members in planning and executing ASCENT activities

(encourage non-facilitators to minimise burden)

– Start by defining a couple of Focus Groups• Annual Member Off-sites• ASCENT Communities (e.g Family Biz)

– Each Focus Groups could include 4-5 members (each nominated from a TG as per fit)

– ASCENT will define guidelines to maintain sanctity of process and content

Check-in > Moving Ahead

ASCENT Resource Portal Schematic representation

Public website

• Check-in improvisations• accommodate extended discussions on few

Check-ins• Combine Business + Personal Check-ins

• Gestation Period - It takes Time for Trust to Set in !!

• TG is not going to add value overnight !• Value itself will be a moving target

• Fixed Day for ASCENT Mixers well in advance

Facilitator Open HouseKey Highlights

• Growth is good, but should be based on sound building blocks

• Gain Perspectives Through Experiences

• Conversations are a lot more useful than presentations and Gyan

• Sharing Vulnerabilities builds Trust


• Put in a Rupee Value to takeaways

• Identify top contributors

• Closing the Loop on problems
