Effective entrepreneurs, managers, policy makers, and their mentors need to understand how to balance content and process investments of time and resources. Not doing that could be perilous, in terms of missed opportunity, missed markets, and broken networks. This presentation to the Henley forum discusses the balance or process and content, how to detect the signals for indexing on one versus the other, and how to engage in conversation in support of process or content needs.

1. M A S T E R O F S C I E N C E I N
Information and Knowledge Strategy
In Service to: Finding your balance
between content and process
Katrina Pugh, Academic Director, Columbia University Information and
Knowledge Strategy
March 2, 2017
Rev 2/8/17

2. Topics
• Process and Content “Natures”: Opportunity to amplify
• Not equal; “in service to”
• Disruptions and resilience
• Conversation builds our flexibility, resilience
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 2

3. In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 3
Claire George

4. The Process and Content Natures
Process
Individual Execution
Sequence
“Chronos”
Group Roles and responsibilities
Power
Process
Organization Optimization
Scaling excellence
Control
e.g., shared svc. model
Content
Sense-making
Meaning
“Kairos”
Group identities
Direction
Objectives
Innovation
State of the art
Emergence
e.g., region/product-identity
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 4

5. Not equal. “In service to…”
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 5

6. Content Person
• Aware: “When I am in the flow, I
am energized by new and/or
connected ideas.”
• In service to: Masters of content
build mechanisms to “get things
done.” Adding reference points
to see process.
Mr. Peabody
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 6

7. Process Person
• Aware: “When I am in the flow, I
am energized by being able to
check items off my list.”
• In service to: Masters of process
build mechanisms to “get things
out.” Adding reference points to
see the big picture, unintended
consequences.
Wreck it Ralph
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 7

8. Content Group
• Aware: We converse, riff, jam,
generate. We create, co-create, make
sense.
• In service to: When we are in the flow,
we know when to stop ideation, but
that doesn’t mean curb ideation.
Welcome to the onsite at
the Boston office! The
Epic team compiled these
code modules, and
developed…
Team lead
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 8

9. Process Group
• Aware: We have structure. We have a
memory, time-keeper, results-logger.
• In service to: We are in service to a whole,
respect each other’s natures. We put
decision-making into the agenda.
We will spend one
hour and fifteen
minutes in
deliberations. We’ll
capture on a flip
chart
Jury Foreman
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 9

10. Starbucks Organization’s nature:
Process in service to Content
Process
• Scale up
• Seasonal product cycling
• Featured brand cycling
• Ecosystem of growers, partners,
employees
Content
• Concept: Moments of
connection
• Conversation, thoughtfulness
• Respecting environment,
suppliers
• Innovating: new store concept
Feels deliberate
Compare this to McDonald’s?
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 10

11. Fidelity Organization’s nature:
Content in service to Process
Process
• Scale up
• Rapid onboarding of new
customers
• Conservative / Regulatory
• Yet, Fidelity structure, portfolio
highly decentralized
Content
• Mutual funds
• Charitable Giving Accounts
• Investor/Advisor Platform
• Dashboards
Feels dynamic
Compare this to JPMorgan?
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 11

12. What can we learn from
disruptions and resilience?
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 12

13. External disruptions….to you, individually
• New assignment
• New boss
• New job
• New home
• New baby
• New injury
• New president
Paralysis?
(certainty, bias)
Paralysis?
(semi-OCD)
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 13

14. “Stuck”
Rhythm
Meaning
Revive, awaken or challenge
Content Process
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 14
Paralysis?
(certainty, bias)
Paralysis?
(semi-OCD)

15. Info “noise” disruptions….to you, individually
• Go to email. See new
ideas, new opinions, new
requests, new meaning
• Content person is more
distractible than process
person
• Content person: Let go of
the “zero email” policy
• Process person: Add
“response policy”
Content Process
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 15

16. Team scope change
• When the project gets a
shock, do you join in the fray,
or continue on your task with
your “head down”?
• Process people are more
distractable than content
person
• Have list of scope changes
which merit stopping, and
which can be deferred.
Content Process
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 16

17. Competitive threat: Product or Business
Model
Disruptive products:
Move to meaning
Disruptive business models:
Move to execution
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance
17
Source: PwC Strategy& Source: Policonomics

18. Conversation builds our
flexibility, resilience
18

19. Conversation is dialogue
• Dialogue: “To turn toward
another” or “Meaning flowing
through”
• “I can hold the space for you, but
I bring my own experiences.”
…New, shared meaning
19
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance

20. Columbia Research: “Four Discussion
Disciplines”
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 20
Inclusion Translation
Integrity Courtesy
“I am true to
my voice, and
let others be
true to theirs
through
inquiry.”
“I respect
the forum. I
respect their
content as it
influences
me.”
“I systematically
expand ideas
through
diversity,
pulling people
in.”
“I attend to
differences
in meaning.
Stand back,
look across.”

21. 2013: Columbia/Motorola Research: 4 Discussion disciplines drive innovation
Skifstad and Pugh, “Beyond netiquette: Discussion discipline drives innovation” (In Smarter Innovation, Ark Group, 2014).
Discussion
discipline Description
1. Integrity Use true voice, research views,
Ask questions that propel
2. Courtesy Respect others and forum.
3. Inclusion Broaden the perspective.
Explain terms, call others in.
4. Translation Summarize/use insights
generated, and help others
with summarizations.
Benefit to
Collaboration
Primarily tonal;
builds community
and social capital.
Primarily content-
related; drives
innovation.
21
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 21

22. 2012-Present: IKNS Students practice 4DDs
online
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 22
15
17
23
25
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Translation
Inclusion
Courtesy
integrity
Self Assessed Good Performance
26
26
19
17
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Translation
Inclusion
Courtesy
integrity
Self-Assessed Poor Performance
42 Masters Students’ Self-Assessment (2016)

23. Building capacity
Inclusion Translation
Integrity Courtesy
Process related Content related
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 23

24. Quotes: Students learn “In service to…”
Courtesy: I showed courtesy in my discussion posts, yet I cannot say it
was engaging. The most courteous comments from my group
acknowledged another’s influence on his or her thinking.
Social Media Lead
Inclusion: When I was not translating, I tended to restrict my inclusion
to a single person, which hijacks the conversation and excludes others.
Going forward, I will be more inclusive to the entire group.
Author, Project Mgr
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 24

25. Conclusions
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 25

26. Ideas for discussion
•Individual, group, organization fractiles?
•“In service to”  sacrifice?
•We can un-stuck the stuck: Generative
conversation propels content through process
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 26

27. Kate Pugh, Columbia University, AlignConsulting
Sharing Hidden Know-How,
Wiley/Jossey-Bass, 2011
Smarter Innovation: Using interactive
Processes to Drive Better Business Results,
Ark Group, 2014.
kp2462@Columbia.edu
www.sps.Columbia.edu/ikns
www.alignconsultinginc.com
Twitter: katrinapugh
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance
27

28. Resources
• Argyris, Christopher, “Good Communication that Blocks Learning,” Harvard Business Review, July-
August, 1994.
• Columbia University Information and Knowledge Strategy Master’s Program.
• Kantor, David, Reading the Room: Group Dynamics for Coaches and Leaders (Wiley, 2012)
• Isaacs, William “Dialogic Leadership,” Systems Thinker, 1999, Vol 10, No. 1
• Isaacs, William, Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together (Princeton Press, 1999) (Read: Part III)
• Page, Scott, The Difference , Princeton University Press, 2007.
• Pugh, Katrina. “Four Discussion Disciplines to Drive Effective Online Collaboration.” Four Discussion
Disciplines to Drive Effective Online Collaboration, Columbia University, 1 Feb. 2016,
http://sps.columbia.edu/information-and-knowledge-strategy/news/four-discussion-disciplines-drive-
effective-online
• Skifstad, Sheryl and Katrina Pugh. “Chapter 8: Beyond Netiquette: Discussion Discipline Drives
Innovation.” Smarter Innovation: Using Interactive, Processes to Drive Better Business Results, Ark
Group Inc, Peoria, IL , 2014, pp. 61–69.
• Pugh, Katrina Sharing Hidden Know-How (Wiley/Jossey-Bass (2011) (Read especially: Chapter 7)
• Senge, Peter et al The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, (Read: Chapter 35, and Section on “Team Learning.”)
• Turckle, Sherry, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, Penguin Press, 2015.
In Service to: Finding Process
Content Balance 28

29. Appendix: Four Discussion
Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance 29

30. Integrity
Integrity
• Use your true voice
• Research views
• Ask questions that propel
Anti-Integrity
• Parrot others
• Make vague or incorrect
statements
• Don’t ask questions, but make
statements disguised as
questions
30
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance

31. Courtesy
Courtesy
• Respect others, with
appreciation, gratitude (“thank
you!”)
• Respect the forum. Keep the
discussion
in the forum
Anti-Courtesy
• Let a nice deed (e.g., shared
knowledge) go un-thanked.
• Take the conversation “offline,”
e.g., into email.
• Belittle their truth; fail to see
that collaboration is the
“activation of identity”
(including yours)
31
31
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance

32. Inclusion
Inclusion
• Broaden the perspective (“This
could also be called X.”)
• Explain terms, and don’t use
acronyms (“In the UK we call this
‘sacked’ while in the US we call it
‘fired.’”)
• Call others in (“@Amy and
Melanie, is that your view,
too?”)
Anti-Inclusion
• Be exclusive, “This is only relevant
in this region.”
• Use jargon, “Well, that’s another
way to skin the cat.”
32
32
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance

33. Translation
Translation
• Summarize/use insights
generated (“We started here and
ended there.”)
• Help others with
summarizations.
Anti-Translation
• Cut and run, meaning, leave the
forum when you “get the
answer,” without sharing the
approaches the contributors.
• Make it difficult for others to see
the thread (as both discussant
and as would-be discussant.)
33
33
Four Discussion Disciplines
In Service to: Finding Process Content Balance