The Art of Focused Conversation:

ORID
IAF India Learning Event
Mumbai Sunday 19th June 2016
Facilitator:
Stephen Berkeley, Manager Organisation Development,
Global Hospital & Research Centre, Mt Abu, Rajasthan
O To introduce the background and theory
behind Focused Conversation - ORID

To introduce four levels of ORID

B To demonstrate ORID by leading a focused

J conversation

To share examples of the application of

ORID and its limitations
E For participants to consider their own
applications of ORID

C
Focused Conversation

ORID Objective
Objective

When we process information and

think clearly, we move through four
Reflective
different modes, sometimes very Reflective
quickly.
These modes of thinking can be
labeled: Interpretive
Interpretive
• Objective
• Reflective
Decisional
• Interpretive Decisional
• Decisional

Source: Cynthia Lapp http://ispimi.org/images/meeting/082212/focused_conversation_univ_minnesota.pdf

ORID is based on the way the brain
Takes in information Experience Perception O
Makes sense of it Emotion Response R
Thought Judgment I

And moves to action

Action Decision D

ORID simply provides a structure for asking

questions in that sequence
Focused Conversation

Objective Mode Objective

Objective

This is the sensory mode of

thinking, where we process Reflective
“raw” data:
• What we perceive through our
body and senses Interpretive

• Facts and data about the

situation
Decisional
• External/Observable
information

Source: Cynthia Lapp http://ispimi.org/images/meeting/082212/focused_conversation_univ_minnesota.pdf

Focused Conversation

Reflective Mode Objective

This is our immediate response to

these data, how we are processing
Reflective
the Objective level internally: Reflective
• How we respond to these “raw”
data
Interpretive
• What experiences we can relate to
these data
• Internal response to external data
Decisional
• Images, feelings, memories,
associations

Source: Cynthia Lapp http://ispimi.org/images/meeting/082212/focused_conversation_univ_minnesota.pdf

Focused Conversation

Interpretive Mode Objective

This mode is about processing

these responses, experiences Reflective
and associations:
• So what does this mean?
• What values are activated? Interpretive
Interpretive
• What is the significance? What
are the implications? Decisional
• What are our insights?

Source: Cynthia Lapp http://ispimi.org/images/meeting/082212/focused_conversation_univ_minnesota.pdf

Focused Conversation

Decisional Mode Objective

This mode is about making

decisions or choosing actions Reflective
based on the information, its
meaning and significance:
• What are the next steps? Interpretive

• What actions are appropriate?

• What has been learned? What
Decisional
is my commitment? Decisional

Source: Cynthia Lapp http://ispimi.org/images/meeting/082212/focused_conversation_univ_minnesota.pdf

 Strategic Questions

Source: “Learning from Experience Through Executive Coaching” © Maltbia, Ghosh and Marsick (2010)
Source: http://www.stakeholder.ca/facilitators-do-it-in-groups
Objective ●
Senses

Reflective ●
Heart

Interpretive ●
Head

Decisional ●
Action
Source: Martin Gilbraith http://bit.ly/29bd8xH
Objective ●
What

Reflective ●
Gut

Interpretive ●
So What

Decisional ●
Now What
Source: http://www.stakeholder.ca/facilitators-do-it-in-groups
ORID
 Rational & Experiential Aims
Theory This Conversation

Rational Aim Rational Aim

• What does the group • To learn something
need to know, about each other,
understand or decide facilitation and the
Experiential Aim role of the facilitator
• What experience do Experiential Aim
we want our • To experience ORID
participants to have in the ToP Focused
Conversation method
Source: Martin Gilbraith http://bit.ly/29bd8xH
 Video
“What do Facilitators Do”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDLGjKBHSXg
 1.What words and phrases do
you recall from the clip?
OBJEC 2.What images do you
TIVE remember?
level 3.What people or characters?
questi 4.What else about the clip did
ons you notice, such as sound,
colour, design?

Source: https://martingilbraith.com/2013/12/18/three-dimensions-of-the-facilitator-role-a-focused-conversation/
 REFLECTIVE level questions
1.What particularly surprised or
intrigued you in the clip?
2.Which ideas were most familiar to
you?
3.What reminded you of your own
experience of meetings that you
have designed and facilitated, or
participated in?
4.What other metaphors for
facilitation come to mind for you?

Source: https://martingilbraith.com/2013/12/18/three-dimensions-of-the-facilitator-role-a-focused-conversation/
 INTERPRETIVE level questions
1.How well do these three
metaphors capture the role of the
facilitator in your experience?
What would you add?
2.Which of these three dimensions is
best understood and appreciated
in your own situations?
3.What aspects of the facilitator role
would you most like to learn and
practice more? How?

Source: https://martingilbraith.com/2013/12/18/three-dimensions-of-the-facilitator-role-a-focused-conversation/
 1.What is one insight from
DECISIONAL level questions this clip or conversation
that will you take away and
apply in your own work and
how?
2.Who would you like to
share this clip with?

Source: https://martingilbraith.com/2013/12/18/three-dimensions-of-the-facilitator-role-a-focused-conversation/
 Examples of Applications
Conversations for Conversations for evaluating
interpreting information and reviewing

Conversations for coaching Conversations for planning

& mentoring
 Strengths of ORID
1. Allows the group to move easily and quickly to a
deeper discussion level.
2. May be used to effectively discuss difficult or tense
issues.
3. Allows for careful progression for collective
consciousness to take place.
4. Enables group to discuss important topics in a non-
confrontational style.
5. Sets a clear and strategic context for a topic.

Source: https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/11TechnologyofParticipationTOP.pdf
 Limitations of ORID
1. It may not yield a consensus.
2. Effective only for specific and commonly shared topics.
3. Effective only for short periods of time - difficult to go
beyond 45 minutes without losing the group's attention.
4. Verbal method - no visuals or kinesthetic to engage
participants.
5. Requires all participants to carefully pay attention and
track all comments

Source: https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/11TechnologyofParticipationTOP.pdf
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. Barbara MacKay, Yvonne Yam & Lillian Wang for sowing
the ORID seed at “Meetings that Rock” #IAFASIA15
preconference workshop
2. Kimberly Bain for suggesting “The Art of Focused
Conversations” by ICA Canada
3. Martin Gilbraith for expanding my mind re possibilities of
ORID & the ORID questions for the video
4. Beatrice Briggs, International Institute for Facilitation &
Change (IIFAC) for “What do Facilitators Do” Video
www.iiafc.org
5. Twitter, where I connected with Martin and it was
through him I was connected to Beatrices work