1.5 - About University

H INTS• This tool is easy to use with groups. Use a flip chart, overhead, or whiteboard and havemeeting participants brainstorm their perceptions of driving and restraining forces.• After you have completed the force-field diagram, indicate the relative strength of theforces by using a 1 to 5 scale, or by the different lengths of the arrows (as shown in theexample).• Then, prioritize action by either adding more forces on the driving side or removing orreducing forces on the restraining side. It’s often more effective to remove or reducerestraints and barriers than it is to push the change harder by adding more drivingforces. In general, you are usually more effective as a pull leader than as a push leader.H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“The forces driving toward and those restraining problem resolution reach an equilibrium. … You ‘move’ a problemby increasing drives or reducing restraints. Lewin believed the latter was better, because driving forces attractmore restraints while reducing restraints permits existing drives to prevail.”—Marvin Weisbord, PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACESThe value of this tool lies in its simplicity. There is a process a leader might use in a group.1. Get agreement that the situation is complex and needs to be better organized to beunderstood. Briefly introduce the idea of force-field analysis, perhaps using an example.2. Use a visual medium—whiteboard, flip chart, overhead projector—and clarify theDesired Goal and the Current Situation. The more exact the situation description, themore valuable the resulting analysis. [☛ 7.1 Problem Framing]3. Draw a line down the center of the visual. Write “Driving Forces” on one side and“Restraining Forces” on the other.4. Ask people to brainstorm the forces on either side, while a scribe records them as keywords on the visual. Remind participants to describe the forces as they are now, not asthey could be. When the brainstorming is complete, clarify and refine the forces asneeded, until consensus is reached on the forces that have been arrayed on either side.[☛ 6.9 Brainstorming]5. If helpful, assess the relative strength of the forces by a numerical system (1 to 5 usuallyworks) or by the length of the arrows (see example).6. Starting with the restraining forces, look for the most leverage—where the force isstrong and where decreasing its strength is relatively easy.7. Next, look at the driving forces. Agree on those forces that are most highly leveragedfor success; that is, where you’ll get most improvement for effort expended (the biggestbang for the buck).8. Complete the analysis by planning action (e.g., who will do what by when). [☛ 10.12RASCI Planning]WEB WORKSHEETUse this worksheet to analyze a problem or opportunity in your work area.184 SECTION 6 TOOLS FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND INNOVATION