Five Questions: Circle of Impact Conversation Guides

Five Questions: Circle of Impact Conversation Guides: "

This is one of a series of posts
that describes the purpose and use of my Circle of Impact Guides.

This guide is the most practical of the set. It is because it doesn't try to explain a set of concepts, but rather asks questions to gain clarity and direction. The value of these questions is dependent upon the consistency of their use. By this I mean, you can use them once, and gain some value, or you can use them on a regular basis and begin to see the Circle of Impact in the midst of circumstances everyday.

Using the Five Questions provides a way to both focus and broaden one's perspective. It focuses your attention on Impact. It broadens awareness by bringing the Three Dimensions of Leadership - Ideas, Relationships and Social & Organizational Structures - together in a unified picture. In addition, it provides a way for teams to stay on track by asking the same questions on a regular basis.

The Five Questions cover five categories that are important for organizations.

Change or the pattern and pace of Transition.

Impact or the Difference that is made by your Ideas, Relationships and Structures.

Who is being Impacted.

The Opportunities that come your Organization's Impact.

The Problems that are your responsibility to resolve.

If your team can answer these questions on a regular basis, you'll find that you see problems before they reach a critical stage, and are able to act on opportunities more quickly.

The Five Questions That Everyone Must Ask guide is a tool. As a tool, it becomes more useful through use. The guide can be used in three different ways.

As a Planning tool:

What is the Impact that you want from your Ideas, Relationships and Social & Organizational Structures in 18 months?

What will be the Impact of the Opportunities that we now have 18 months from now?

As an Assessment tool:

Currently, what is the Impact of our Communication with our constituents?

What are the constraints that inhibit us from fulfilling the potential Impact that we identify in Opportunities?

As a Problem-solving tool:

Is our Communication problem an Idea problem, a Relationship one or a Social or Organizational Structure issue?

Who is our ideal market for the Impact that we wish to have?

How To Use This Guide:

Take a copy of the guide, and transpose the questions to a blank sheet of paper.

Answer each of the questions the best you can.

Answer them first in the Assessment mode, then from a Planning perspective, and when the Fifth Question identifies a problem, answer the question to solve the problem.

Act on what you learn each time you answer the questions.

The guide will work for you if you give it your attention on a regular basis. The late Galba Bright used to answer the question every Sunday evening in preparation for the week ahead. Over the course of a year, Galba's website - Tune up your EQ -became the most visited Emotional Intelligence website in the world. He attributed this success to the focus that he gained through the use of the questions.

The Five Questions have no magical properties. They are just questions. But they are questions that lead to awareness and perspective, and from that position decisions can be made and actions taken that can enhance the Impact creating abilities of an organization.

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