Coordination requires that all those involved in the completion of a task need to examine what’s not working and think about what can be done to fix it. If attainment is still important, a way must be found to identify the constraints that are blocking success and then to remove those barriers or lessen the impact they may have on the outcome.

The history/future model depicted above is a mutually beneficial way to solve problems and make decisions that allow collaborators to explore options and examine opportunities rather than focus on finding fault, fixing blame, or facing rejection.

Start with a quick assessment of the situation. Ask participants to indicate if they’re “looking back” at what has happened or “looking ahead” at what needs to happen. Some may not know yet, so ask them to stay neutral for now. Then ask those looking ahead to “mute” themselves and listen while those looking back share their viewpoints.

Using the following prompts form a set of questions relevant to the situation that needs attention. Keep the questions short and simple, like these examples:

Situation: Consumer Rejection

• Who filed the complaint?
• What did they expect?
• Why are they disappointed?
• When do they need it?

Once the focus questions are compiled, the data collection and confirmation can begin. It won’t take long before the collective memory of the past is reinvented. At this point, armed with a pool of historical knowledge, it is time to shift focus to the future.

Working the future side of the model starts with the formation of a new set of questions. Only, this time each question is prefaced by Now, followed by How? and is keyed off by the basic questions on the history list. Here is an example using the questions from the list above:

Situation: Consumer Dissatisfaction

• Now that we know who filed the complaint, how do we satisfy them?
• Now that we know what they expected, how should we respond?
• Now that we know why they were disappointed; how do we restore their confidence?
• Now that we know what they need, how do we provide it?

The objective in applying this process is to have everyone involved gain a better understanding of the situation, a greater awareness of what caused the deviation, and a clearer perspective on how it should be resolved. Plus, how to overcome any rejection whenever it arises.