2011 Meryl Runion

Communication kata

Practices to build communication excellence

Meryl Runion

2011 Meryl Runion

What is a kata?

• A specific practice• A repeated routine to increase adaptiveness

and skill• A way of keeping two things in alignment or

synchronization with each other

2011 Meryl Runion

Toyota Kata

• TK aligns many considerations with the five questions.

• TK is practiced daily.

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Mike Rother’s five questions make sure considerations are aligned and synchronized

1. What is your target condition here?2. What is the actual condition now?3. What obstacles are now preventing you from reaching the target condition? 4. What is your next step?5. When can we go and see what we have learned from taking that step?

THAT’S A COACHING

KATA!

2011 Meryl Runion

TK is actually a Communication Kata

• Phrases guide the kata.• Kata guide the learning.• Excellence takes practice.

• And there are many forms, or formulas, for improving your communication day by day.

2011 Meryl Runion

For example:

• Say what you mean and mean what you say without being mean when you say it is actually a communication kata.

• It aligns several communication considerations.

• When practiced consistently, it will lead to more effective communication.

2011 Meryl Runion

Say what you mean

• Are you communicating what you sincerely think, feel and want?

• Just this part of the form(ula) guides you to align thought, feeling and action…

• Mind, heart and will.

2011 Meryl Runion

Mean what you say

• Do you back your words with action? This part of the form(ula) guides you to align your walk and your talk.

• If you don’t mean it, don’t say it.

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Don’t be mean when you say it

• Are you gracious in your speech?• Do you honor your listener?• Brutal honesty does not align with the heart.

Sincerity does.

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It’s a lot to balance!

• When you use say what you mean and mean what you say without being mean when you say it as a kata, you practice balancing all those elements – and eliminate obstacles in the path to communicating that way.

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The question is…

• What prevents you from communicating that way?

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There are other forms

Like the three stories.• Yours, theirs and a shared vision.

• How do they see it?• How do you see it?• How can you combine your perspectives into a

larger, joint vision?

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So how do you start?

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different actual? Book goals calm down

Action step 1: Define and commit to your communication standards.

With a vision of communication perfection.

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Some options

• Where every word is aligned with customer focus• Collaborate without compromise• Where nothing stands between you and the

truth• Where differences and apparent obstacles are

transformed into opportunities• Pull communication instead of push – the

communication you need when you need it.

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Evaluate: how different is your actual communication?

Action step 2: Embrace your communication reality

Obstacles

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Ask what stands in the way between you and communication perfection?

Action step #3: Identify obstacleshttp://www.speakstrong.com/strong/how-to/61-method/203-lame-excuse

Pick one

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Which obstacle are you going to address first?

Action step #4: Pick ONE communication area to improve

Practices

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What will you practice?• Stop, start, continue?• Yes, and…?• Attitude adjustment?• Sarcasm fast?• “Yes” fast?• Pass the problem?• Three questions?• ABCD? • Attractor factor?• The gift that keeps on giving?Action step #5: Pick an approach and PDCA your way to

excellence

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Did you get the response you were going for?

• What did you learn?• What will you stop, start and continue?

• What will your next step be?

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Remember the Toyota Kata Five questions?Use them for your communication kata.

1. What is your target condition here?2. What is the actual condition now?3. What obstacles are now preventing you from reaching the target condition? 4. What is your next step?5. When can we go and see what we have learned from taking that step?

THAT’S A COACHING

KATA!

2011 Meryl Runion

You can adapt them.

1. What is your target condition here? What kind of communication are you going for?2. What is the actual condition now? What kind of communication do you have?3. What obstacles are now preventing you from communicating according to the target?4. What is your next step?5. When can we go and see what we have learned from taking that step?

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Keep on going

• There will be times when the process seems too slow.

• Lots of people think that about lean manufacturing, too.

• But when you make kata a part of your life, you find yourself looking back and seeing how far you’ve come.

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And enjoying the advantage that gives you.

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Your best source of practices for your communication kata

Stay tuned for upcoming programs on how to create a communication-kata-based life, office,

department or organization.www.speakstrong.com