Practical 2 hour workshop for Barcelona Scrum Meetup (February 7, 2018) with 3 pair exercises

1. Clean Language Session
"Where your attention goes,
energy flows."
Barcelona Scrum Meetup, February 7, 18:30 - 20:30 hrs.
at Broker Genius
Vincent van der Lubbe
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2. Me - Vincent van der Lubbe
● Management consultant for continuous improvement:
how to use small change for big change
● Worked a.o. in large sales organisation (D) and
Management Consulting (CH). Background in history
& politics, business at university.
● Dutch, 45, living in Barcelona. Married to Betsy from
Wyoming, US. Works in german, english and dutch.
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3. Why?
David Grove (psychologist/therapist, 1950 - 2008)
wanted to know how change happens in
conversations/therapy.
Often the therapist was “interfering” with the client´s
system.
He wasn´t satisfied with what he saw, so he developed
a better way of doing this, called Clean Language.
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4. How?
2 simple rules:
Other Clean
person´s words + Questions
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5. What: Other person’s words
“Parrot-phrasing” instead of paraphrasing.
Full syntax:
1. And {their words}.
2. And when {their words} …
3. Ask a clean question: ….
Tips:
● It helps to write down key words.
● Don’t become a clean “robot”: intent, tone of voice, pacing are as important.
● Experiment with what works for you.
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6. What: Basic Clean Questions
And what would you like to have happen?
And is there anything else about ......?
And what kind of ...... is that ......?
And where is ......?
And whereabouts?
And what happens next?
And then what happens?
And what happens just before ......?
And where does/could ...... come from?
And that's ...... like what?
Full syntax: And {their words}. And when {their words} …, clean question. 6

7. What happens then?
Emergent knowledge
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8. Deliberate practice :-)
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9. Activity 1: Our best advice
Resources: a partner with 2 identified problems. Nothing major, and not traumatic!
1. Ask your partner to state the first difficulty.
Respond with the best advice you can give based on your own experience of their
problem. (I tried, Have you tried, what you need to do etc.)
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10. Activity 1: Our best advice
2. Ask your partner to state their second difficulty
Respond by repeating back some or all of their words,
and asking some of the clean language questions:
What would you like to have happen?
What needs to happen?
Is there anything else that needs to happen?
Swap roles
Debrief: What did you notice about the different responses?
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11. Activity 2: Choose an object
Use a pen and paper to write down your partner’s answers in key words
Allow yourself 10 minutes of uninterrupted time each to complete the activity
Choose a concept or issue or an object to explore
Some examples that others chose when they first did this activity include:
● My self confidence
● My well-being
● My creativity
● My relationship with my partner
Write down the chosen concept, issue or object. In a word, few words or short
phrase 11

12. Activity 2: Choose an object
Pause and take a minute to tune into your breathing
Close your eyes if you wish. Give yourself time to bring your attention to yourself in
this present moment. Then, when you are ready, bring your awareness back to the
room around you.
Look all around you: notice the things that you see
Choose an object that represents the concept or issue you have chosen in some
way
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13. Activity 2: Choose an object
Then answer the following questions:
What drew you to the (object)?
Is there anything else about what drew you to the (object)?
Is there anything else about what drew you to the (object)?
Is there anything else about what drew you to the (object)?
Is there anything else about what drew you to the (object)?
And what do you know now?
And what difference does knowing this make? 13

14. Activity 3: Listening at your best
1. Use clean language to develop your own personal metaphor for when you are
listening at your best.
When you are listening at your best, it is like what?
Examples: A heart to heart connection, a funnel for conversation,
2. Ask yourself:
(And) what kind of X is that?
(And ) is there anything else about X?
(And) where is X? or (And) whereabouts is X? 14

15. Activity 3: Listening at your best
3. Repeat these questions a few times, applied to your own metaphor.
As you discover and consolidate your metaphor, start to notice any opportunities in
everyday life for you to listen in this way.
Debrief: Do you think this helps you identify times when you can utilise your own
metaphor?
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16. Sources
Activity 1: Best advice from Steve Adams
Activity 2: Choose an object from Tamsin Hartley, The Listening space (2017)
Activity 3: Listening at your best from Steve Adams
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17. Want to know more?
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18. Resources
There is a wealth of information on Clean Language on this website (disregard the design)
of James Lawley and Jenny Tompkins: http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/
Good book to start with: Clean Language Videos on Youtube:
Marian Way, Clean Approaches for coaches (2013)
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19. Join Clean Language Practice Barcelona
Would you like to
practice more?
Then please join
Barcelona Clean
Language Meetup
We’re just getting
started!
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20. Questions / Feedback
Happy to stay in contact, practice together and collaborate.
Send me an email and add me on:
www.linkedin.com/in/vincentvanderlubbe
Vincent van der Lubbe
Hansei Consulting
vincentvanderlubbe.com
Carrer Sant Roc 24, 1-2, 08014 Barcelona, Spain
+34 696 27 88 72 | me@vincentvanderlubbe.com
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