Re: Anonymity in Meetings LO2495

Barry Mallis (bmallis@quickmail.markem.com)
21 Aug 1995 10:26:56 -0400

Reply to: RE>Anonymity in Meetings LO2475

The need for anonymity requires root cause analysis.
To use a weakness orientation in posing the question, I'd ask:

What is it that prevents a contributor from self-identification?

This is a perfect candidate for a fishbone diagram (Ishikawa) where the
fishbone user asks "why?" five times, to five levels, and then identifies
for herself or himself the most important ones to work on in the moment.

Such analysis, when done in a group of half a dozen individuals, assists
the participants in continuously improving, away from the
climate/situation which promotes anonymity in business, and toward
collaboration and explicit consensus in business.

Notice that I have used the word "business". I assume a need for
anonymity in other situations (even in "business"). However, I am talking
about collaboration through learning. I don't see much place for
constructive anonymity. I look forward to other postings on this matter.

--
Barry Mallis
MARKEM Corporation
bmallis@markem.com