Generative Relationships STAR

Five Structural Elements – Min Specs

1. Structuring Invitation

• Invite participants to assess their working group or team in terms of four attributes:
• S Separateness: the amount of diversity in perspective, expertise, and background among group members
• T Tuning: the level of listening deeply, reflecting, and making sense of challenges together
• A Action: the number of opportunities to act on ideas or innovate with group members
• R Reason to work together: the benefits that are gained from working together
• Invite them to jointly shape action steps to boost generative results

2. How Space Is Arranged and Materials Needed

• Tables for small groups of 4, with a STAR compass graphic and pens for each individual
• A STAR compass graphic on a flip-chart page for each small group
• A STAR compass graphic on a flip-chart page for the whole group

3. How Participation Is Distributed

• Everyone in a working group or team is included
• Everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute

4. How Groups Are Configured

• Individually to make initial assessments
• Small groups
• Whole group

5. Sequence of Steps and Time Allocation

• Participants individually assess where the team is in regard to each of the four elements (5 mins.):
• S How diverse are we as a group? Do we draw out our diverse perspectives among members?
• T How well are we in tune with one another?
• A How much do we act together?
• R How important is it that we work together? How clear is our purpose?
• In small groups, participants place a dot along each compass point, then talk with their neighbors (1-2-4) about their placements, looking for consensus and differences. 5 min.
• Small groups decide what type of results are generated by the pattern of interaction they have identified (e.g., high Tuning + no Action = we get along well but accomplish little, high Action + low Tuning = routine results with no innovation, high Tuning + high Separateness + high Action + low Reason = many false starts, etc.). 5 min.
• In small groups, brainstorm action steps to boost elements that need attention. 5 min.
• Whole group assembles list of action steps and decides “What first steps can we take right now?” 5 min.

WHY? Purposes

• Improve the performance of a team
• Help a team become more self-managing and autonomous
• Sharpen the purpose and identity of the group
• Help people step away from blaming individuals and move toward understanding their patterns of interaction
• Combine “diagnosis and treatment” without separating the planners from the doers
• Reduce frustration of people not happy with team dynamics and results

Tips and Traps

• Work up from the individuals to pairs, then table conversations
• Avoid making right or wrong judgments about where people assess the team
• Encourage team members to research, organize, and act on their own remedies
• Finish the activity with at least one specific action for each participant
• Make sure that who is going to do what by when is clear for all

Riffs and Variations

• String together with Liberating Structures that may boost low compass-point assessments:
• Separateness (Conversation Café; Shift & Share; What, So What, Now What?)
• Tuning (Wise Crowds; Troika Consulting; Agreement-Certainty Matrix; Heard, Seen, Respected)
• Action (25/10 Crowd Sourcing; 15% Solutions; Open Space; Min Specs)
• Reason (Nine Whys; What I Need From You)
• Use with virtual groups by inviting participants to place their STAR assessments with a dot on the chart on the whiteboard, then chat in pairs and with the whole group about the pattern that emerges. You may want to create a “synthesizer” role to help keep things moving. Generate action steps via a chat version of 1-2-All.

Examples

• For a strategy retreat, focusing attention on group dynamics and results
• For deciding the composition and purpose of a new team or task force to be formed
• For two people to use in mending their relationship