Coaching, feedback and behavioural tools - MBTI

So what tool or method do you use for your coaching practice or other organisational and improvement work?

Over my career I've been on the receiving end of a number and also tried a variety with different clients.  I've ended up using MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) as my main method for helping others - to help themselves. My main reason is this tool is well evidenced, has been in place for decades and is used successfully in many countries. The evidence base is important for me as I believe it is necessary for healthcare to demonstrate the use of evidence-based techniques and tools.  The techniques can't be administered or debriefed unless you've been accreditated which means there is a consistent standard world-wide.

Other reasons I prefer MBTI:

• it is more than a one-off
• it can be scaled from individual through the team and organisation
• it works well to support change processes
• the evidence base, being huge, allows greater depth of understanding
• it is common enough that it provides a "language" for staff to use in times of difficulty

Do you know of or use other behavioural techniques which have an evidence base similar to MBTI and can also be scaled up in their use?

When stories and Powerpoint clash

A mantra I keep hearing is "we need to tell stories to influence change." I agree with this, however, I do have a few provisio's

• if the story has no relevance to your message then why are you telling it?
• if you provide a personal story to illustrate your values then please make sure it connects with the audience at the time (please update and avoid repeating)
• when you use PowerPoint to tell your story there seems to be a dissonance - the method is not matching the intent

As a method of influence, especially for large scale change, stories work well because they contain the emotive meme that a PowerPoint presentation usually lacks.  So let's use stories, but let's use them advisedly and with care.

Positive Deviance recognised for MRSA reduction work

I blogged about Positive Deviance as a change and spread methodology a few months back. It is rewarding to see that the concept is listed in the 8th Annual Year in Ideas Issue of the New York Times Magazine http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/12/14/magazine/2008_IDEAS.html

What I like about PD is it provides a different, yet proven, methodlogy for large scale change that is less "problem" focused. It works on the positive rather than the negative and in my experience is a less stressful and more rewarding improvement process in which to participate.

One of the most famous uses of Positive Deviance is in the reduction of rates of MRSA in a network of hospitals in the USA. Details about this work can be found on the PD website (see below) or for a different perspective you can go to http://www.plexusinstitute.org/complexity/index.cfm?id=3

For more information about PD go to www.positivedeviance.org

Methods for involving people in large scale change

Every now and then I come across a really useful website with content that presses all the right buttons. If you're interested in the topic of large scale change or spreading good practice and are looking for participative methods that involve the users, consumers, clients and population base - then have a look here:

http://www.peopleandparticipation.net/display/Methods/Browse+Methods

This is a UK government funded site called peopleandparticipation.net and needs to be congratulated for its simplicity and focus.