naming elephants

Consider these two scenarios:

Have you had a constructive conversation lately? Think of the last meeting you attended. Was it productive? Did you leave the meeting knowing something you didn't know before you arrived? Did any new idea surface during the meeting? Did everyone participate in the meeting? Did action follow the meeting?

There's an elephant in the room that everyone knows about but no one is acknowledging. The elephant is implicit and undiscussable and lurks in every organization. Everyone talks around the elephant and thinks that everyone else knows about the elephant. However, until the elephant's presence is made explicit, the level of dialogue and therefore the quality of decision-making is limited. Sound familiar?

The Thin Book® of Naming Elephants, along with our supporting books, products, workshops, and resources, will help you:

• Learn how to have a constructive conversation; in order to share what you know, learn what you don't know, and perhaps find a point of innovation; and

• Identify, surface, acknowledge, discuss and act on the unnamed elephants in your organization.