©Partnering Designs, Inc The Power of Words How to apply ‘speech act distinctions’ to generate the results you want. Facilitator: Michael Worsfold

©Partnering Designs, Inc The Power of Words Agenda: 1.Generating context. 2.Navigating your experience. 3.Managing mood. 4.A framework for self-coaching and leadership. 5.Foundation principles. 6.Six speech act distinctions. 7.Conversation design template. 8.Integration: commitment to action.

©Partnering Designs, Inc Generating Context Context = meaning and motivation. Falling into conversations vs. navigating on purpose. Keys: Responsibility, intention and attention. Dyad: 1.What attracted you to this workshop? 2.What important results based context do you want to generate?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Navigating your experience 1.Visualize the end point of success for your result. 2.How you want to feel at the end point. Feel that feeling now. 3.Prepare mentally. 4.Prepare physically. 5.If anxiety comes up, reaffirm the feeling. 6.Enter the experience letting go of control. 7.Pay attention to clues of help. 8.Co-create the experience. Ref. Ref.

©Partnering Designs, Inc Managing Mood Mood is long term emotional state. Usually transparent. Moods predispose people for possibilities and action. Resignation> resentment >acceptance>ambition Action:What does the mood around your context result? Does the mood predispose you and others for action? Do you need to generate a mood of ambition?

©Partnering Designs, Inc OAR Model A Framework for Self –Coaching and leadership Observer lens: 1.Historical / cultural discourse 2.emotional imprinting 3.Education 4.language habits 5.human needs 6.body disposition 7.thought patterns 8.‘Way of being’ Observer (Meaning maker) Action Results “Doing”Conversation as action % Work Self Relationships “We don't see things as they are; we see things as we are." Anais Nin ‘Breakdown’

©Partnering Designs, Inc Foundation Principles We generate results through language—through conversation. This is generally transparent to us. Breakdown in results is symptomatic of breakdown in conversation. (Ineffective or missing conversations)

©Partnering Designs, Inc Observing your desired ‘Result’ through the lens of conversation as action Results Action conversations Observer What is the “narrative” ? What is the ineffective conversation? What is the missing conversation?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Work Application Principles: Organizations are networks of conversations and commitments. Operational processes are processes of conversations with measureable outcomes. Performance breakdowns are symptomatic of ineffective or missing conversations. Leaders can be managers of processes as conversations. Action:Map process. I D conversation breakdowns. Correct.

©Partnering Designs, Inc The Power of ‘Speech Act Distinctions’ Leaders generate results through language – through conversation. We cannot manage what we cannot see. All professions use language distinctions to give special meaning to words. Enabling them to “see what others cannot see and take action others cannot take”.

©Partnering Designs, Inc Six Speech Act Distinctions The Power to see what others cannot see and do what others cannot do. Descriptive language 1.Assertions 2.Assessments Generative Language 4.Declarations 5.Requests 6.Offers 7.Promises/commitments

©Partnering Designs, Inc Assertions Characteristics: Verifiable facts about what is being observed. Pitfalls: Lack of shared way to measure results (effectiveness) Lack of shared standards of effectiveness. Opinions / stories held as true facts. Action:What assertions can you make about your desired results? What pitfalls are present?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Assessments Characteristics: What the facts mean to people. Always present. Evident in conversation. Pitfalls: Ungrounded assessments (opinions) held or allowed as true. Allowed to limit possibilities. Getting stuck in “complaining and blaming”. Action: What are the assessments conversations around the result you want? What pitfalls are present?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Declarations Characteristics: Shifts conversation to generate action. Requires a person with appropriate authority. Empowers people to act. Pitfall: Often a “missing conversation”. Action:What declarations are required to generate action toward your desired results?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Requests Characteristics of effective requests: 1.Committed speaker 2.Committed listener 3.Mood is conducive 4.Context occurs as relevant 5.Clear future action & “conditions of satisfaction” Pitfalls: Sloppiness. Assumptions. Blind to possibilities. Action:What requests could you make to generate action toward your results?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Offers Characteristics: Same elements as Request Pitfalls: Blind to possibilities to make offers. Not aligning with customer needs. Making assumptions. Lack of attention to managing request quality. Action: What offer could you make to generate action for your results?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Promises/commitments Characteristics: The most powerful distinction for generating results. Pitfalls: Absent or assumed. Not requested. Poor quality (sincerity, capability and capacity) “No” is not acceptable. Trust breakdown. (No agreement to manage integrity) Action: How could promises/commitments help accomplish your results?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Context: generating shared meaning and motivation 2.Mood: generating predisposition for action 3.Assertions: facts 4.Assessments: what the facts mean. 5.Declarations: from the person with authority to generate action 6.Requests: to generate action 7.Offers: to generate action 8.Promises and commitments: to ensure action Template for designing and navigating conversations:

©Partnering Designs, Inc Integration What stands out? What action commitments are you prepared to make? What help could you request to keep to your commitments?

©Partnering Designs, Inc Thank you Contact Info: Michael Worsfold Transformational training & coaching. 604 – 989 – 3657 Skype: mikeonssc