Q&A

I enjoy finding solutions. I found that meetings are an essential base for working as a team, and creating an environment where everyone feels taken seriously and can contribute their talents. So, I dived into what makes meetings work. What makes people open up for the process? How do you take effective decisions? How do you get to a solution?

This became Roundspeak. Now I have more than fifteen years of experience with all kinds of contexts.

I have learned much from others. It started with sociocracy, and I have also learned from Holacracy and Deep Democracy. What I added, is that I focused not so much on the technique, but on what you experience inside. This brought me to same practical discoveries on how it works.

What makes Roundspeak different is that it is easily applicable and that it doesn’t focus so much on the technique, but on how you experience it. The structure is serving the process, not the other way around.

Roundspeak has a standard framework for a meeting. But next to that, it has several applications for specific kinds of meetings. Roundspeak has a way how to get to solutions for complex problems. Or to go from complaining to positive action. Or how to do a difficult conversation. Or what to do when you get into two camps?

No. You have to learn a different pattern of speaking and listening. For some, this feels natural, for others, they have to get used to it. But when they are, then the process in the team carries itself. People who have experienced this, experience now where energy doesn’t flow in other kinds of meetings.

It depends on the level of self reflection of the team members. A team of seven is in general a good size for any team. I give trainings to teams to fourteen people.

The meetings themselves don’t take less time, but you win in effectivity. Intentions and priorities are clear, you don’t loose time by much reacting to each other. Decisions which are made, are clear. They don’t return on the agenda in the next meeting. But the most you save in time is indirectly, afterwards. Decisions are supported. There is no or less complaining. There is clarity. Because everyone felt taken seriously in the process and all essential information is processed.

Some do. But this pattern was already there before Roundspeak. Only then, it was avoided, accepted or simply annoying. With Roundspeak you become conscious of the pattern and you can find a solution.

Getting the space to speak means that you speak with care and consideration, because others are listening.