Foundations of Team Leadership Four Player Model

Four-Player Model The Art of Moving a Conversation Forward Move Bystand Follow Oppose Source: David Kantor

The Four Practices of Moving a Conversation Forward Completing the Missing Voices/Roles Voice: “What needs to be said?” Move Bystand Suspending: “How does this work?” Follow Listening: “How does this feel?” Oppose Respecting: “How does this fit?”

ROLES of the Four Player Model Movers, are not necessarily leaders Followers, are not weak Opposers, are not ‘devil’s (devil’s advocates) Bystanders, can be like “Big Picture Synthesizers and Team Paraphrasers”

Potential Impact of the Four Player Model Without movers, there is no direction Without followers, there is no implementation Without opposers, there is no correction Without bystanders, there is no perspective

Stuck Groups Opposers are punished by the group, or they dominate Individuals get locked into a single action Opposers are punished by the group, or they dominate There are no strong Movers, or no one ever Follows a move The Bystander is disabled Individuals attach double messages to their moves The team is unable to reach closure and produce results Lack of capability or flexibility to engage in all four action behaviors

The Art of Moving a Conversation Forward In the Flow of an Effective Group Conversation…. Follower Completion Opposer Correction Bystander Perspective Mover Direction Proposing Inquiring Agreeing Synthesizing

Applying the Four Player Model Review conversations and meetings to identify which roles are present and which are absent. Assess your own contributions. Are you dominating one role? Are you avoiding any roles? Consciously choose to adopt a particular role to influence a conversation positively

Benefits of Flexible Roles In well-functioning teams, the group can engage in all 4 ROLES in observable, balanced sequences Individuals in the group have the flexibility to engage in more than one of the behaviors The group and individuals in it don’t tend to get caught in repetitive, ritualized patters of behavior The group has an active, enabled bystander function which helps it stay unstuck The group is able to reach resolution and produce results

Team Leadership A Skilled Juggling Act

Merging 4 Player Roles /Advocacy & Inquiry Completing the Missing Voices/Roles Advocacy Follower Completion Opposer Correction Inquiry Bystander Perspective Mover Direction