When people are working this close together, the

high quality of information sharing is amplified and

the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. “Because of the
What I am interested in is getting at the level of in-
teraction that drives the right behavior. This is not
about checking a box. This is about doing whatever
complexity of our
it takes to do the right thing.
work ... we have to
SK: What’s your role in making this quality of interaction
take place? make collaboration

Accelerating
LF: My role is to invest in what gets people engaged a competence.”
and participating. I want people to care. I want
them to feel they are a part of something important.
To do this they need to have the opportunity to seek

and obtain the information that will enable them to
contribute responsibly. They need to be well edu-
cated. They need the chance to talk to the right peo-
ple who can answer their most important questions.
When this happens they can drive the conversation to
the level of granularity they require to really under-
Change
Larry Forster is a Staff Engineer with Shell Explo-
ration and Production Co., and works in Technology
Planning and Implementation in New Orleans. In-
volved with technology throughout his 20+ year
career with Shell, Larry is a pioneer in the use of
story and collaboration, and is mentioned in the

stand what is going on. Then they are in a position
to contribute effectively, and join in the work giving
their personal best. All of this stuff sits underneath
and results in behavior change I am talking about.
My job is to do what it takes to ensure this happens.
It can be as simple as listening effectively to someone
to tell their story. Or, it can be making sure the right
people are brought together face-to-face, that we have
done a good job of finding the key stakeholders. My
job is to do whatever it takes so that the right people
are having the right conversations.
©2007 Seth Kahan
Collaboration
just-published Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over:
How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results, edited
by Lori Silverman, Jossey-Bass, 2006.
Seth Kahan accelerates strategic change using col-
laboration and face-to-face engagement. His clients
include Shell, World Bank, NASA, Marriott, Proj-
ect Management Institute, Center for Association
Leadership, Peace Corps and many others. More in-
formation can be found on his website,
www.SethKahan.com This and his other publica- An interview
tions are publicly available for download. with Larry Forster

by Seth Kahan

Graphic Design by Doug Haverty for Art & Soul Design (Los Angeles)
Front cover photograph of suspension bridge in Bangkok, Thailand by Thor Jorgen
Suspension bridges are used to cross the longest spans in the world over the most difficult circumstances including deep
water or rocky gorges where it is otherwise impossible to build support. They rely on the strength of their cables, made
from the combined strength of many individual strands bound together. Like collaboration a well-made bridge
is both practical and beautiful.

Published by
PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INC.
P.O. Box 380
Glen Echo, MD 20816 • USA
(301) 229-2221 • (301) 229-6661 [fax]

e-mail: Seth@SethKahan.com
www.SethKahan.com
 Accelerating
Strategic Change
through
Collaboration
An interview with Larry Forster
by Seth Kahan
SETH KAHAN: When did you first become interested in
using collaboration as a way to create greater alignment
among the people involved in your work?
LARRY FORSTER: It was late 2005. I learned there was
a perception of misalignment between some of the
people in my group and some of our partners in other
parts of the organization. My role is a bridging role
and therefore, as soon as I heard there was even a
slight sense of misalignment, I knew this was some-
thing that I owned.
SK: How did you handle it?
LF: First, I identified our stakeholders. Then, I made
it a point to go and talk to these people. I knew I
needed to hear from them. I wanted to do a work-
shop to bring about greater alignment, so I wanted to
hear what they thought before I got too far down the
road. I knew the insights I gleaned from talking to
them would help me design the workshop. I also
wanted to be sure that I included everyone who
needed to be involved to get the best result.
About a month before the workshop, I had a conver-
sation with my boss and my VP. I told them what I
had learned from my conversations. I remember ask-
ing, “Do we need to have a workshop? Can we just
do this by email?” My VP said, “We need to get
©2007 Seth Kahan | email: Seth@SethKahan.com
everyone together. It’s a good idea to get everyone to-
gether and hear all these views in the same room.
We’ll have time for discussion so any areas of concern
can be aired and cleared with everyone present.”
We had two workshops. I arranged for the VP from
the other group to keynote the first meeting and my
VP attended. For the second workshop, both VPs de-
cided to attend the entire session. They came and did
more than work the crowd. They worked together.
They created a mechanism for people to approach
them, without any negative repercussions, following
an organizational decision. In effect, they removed a
communication barrier making it possible for any rel-
evant stakeholder to raise important issues.
SK: Do you think this one set of workshops was all you
needed, or do you think that collaboration is something you
are going to use again?
LF: When we are talking about alignment between
work groups, we are talking about issues that impact
safety and our organization’s value generation – our
two most important issues. Therefore, we need to de-
velop the competency for collaboration. This is not a
one-off thing; this is part of effective work on an on-
going basis. This is something we need to do well.
I’d like my group to be a center of excellence for col-
laboration, helping others to do it well, too.
SK: What is it that you want from being good at collabo-
units to use the same office design right down to the
ration? fabrics on the furniture. That was a mistake. It was-
LF: We have some real shining examples of collabo-
n’t the office design that had made success happen. It
was the ownership of the people who put it together.
ration in some of our fields. They are doing things When the same design was foisted upon others, it
right. The right people are coordinating their efforts. failed miserably. Ownership makes and breaks success.
They are distributing their work appropriately. Peo-
ple understand how to carry out cross-support at the When we get this right in my group, I call it work-
same time that they take accountability for doing ing technology adoption from the inside out. To do
their work well. Things are coming out very good in this we need detailed technical conversations that
these cases and we are seeing some real gems emerge focus on peoples’ needs at the appropriate level of de-
as all of these various activities create synergies with tail to get to the important issues. Our partners and
each other. our people need to work together to identify the risks
and opportunities. These need to be laid out so clearly
I want my work to go this way, too. This isn’t going they are palpable. I mean everyone in the room needs
to happen unless we get real collaboration going be- to know that what is being discussed is real. This is
tween the various workgroups. And we’re not going what I mean when I say, adoption starts on the inside.
to have the right level of collaboration unless we get
people together face-to-face. Once this happens, we have the foundation for ap-
SK: Tell me more about why col-
propriate implementation. The
execution that follows will be
laboration needs to be something “When people carried out the right way. This
is because it is based on this
you do well. are working this
LF: Because of the complexity
kind of high-quality technical
of our work, the different roles
close together, exchange. The discussion must
happen face-to-face. People
and functions involved, and the the high quality of have to be able to literally look
dynamic nature of the circum- each other in the eye and ask,
stances we operate within, we information sharing “What do you believe here?”
have to make collaboration a
competence. We can’t rely
is amplified and the When people start sharing
solely on planning and project whole becomes what they really believe, there
management. There is too is a deeper level of commitment
much movement in the sys- greater than the sum and honesty that creates a
tem, too many changing vari- strong foundation for the right
of its parts.”
ables that have to be constantly action and behavior to emerge.
SK: What do you mean by “the
taken into consideration in
order to do the right thing.
This is why we need to get really good at collabora- right action and behavior?”
LF: This kind of face-to-face interaction creates trust,
tion. We need to be able to come together, getting
the right people all in the same room at the drop of
a hat if the situation requires it. This needs to be- understanding, and a willingness to support each
come a skill that we can rely on. other. There is an exchange of information beyond
SK: Why is collaboration so effective at improving per-
what is required by compliance. People shift into a
level of accountability where they have each other’s
formance and alignment among work groups? backs. Once a baseline of telling each other the whole
LF: People take ownership when they collaborate.
truth has been established, there is an increased depth
in the quality of our interaction and the knowledge
They are invested in the solutions they generate; they shared. People will say things that may be difficult to
identify with them. There is this great story I read in give voice to, but that’s okay if it’s the truth. There is
which there was an innovative office design that a greater level of granularity and that makes for a very
worked really well for a particular work group. So the strong foundation and real alignment in the ways we
company attempted to clone it, forcing other work carry out our work. That’s what it is all about.
©2007 Seth Kahan | email: Seth@SethKahan.com
 Accelerating
Strategic Change
through
Collaboration
An interview with Larry Forster
by Seth Kahan
SETH KAHAN: When did you first become interested in
using collaboration as a way to create greater alignment
among the people involved in your work?
LARRY FORSTER: It was late 2005. I learned there was
a perception of misalignment between some of the
people in my group and some of our partners in other
parts of the organization. My role is a bridging role
and therefore, as soon as I heard there was even a
slight sense of misalignment, I knew this was some-
thing that I owned.
SK: How did you handle it?
LF: First, I identified our stakeholders. Then, I made
it a point to go and talk to these people. I knew I
needed to hear from them. I wanted to do a work-
shop to bring about greater alignment, so I wanted to
hear what they thought before I got too far down the
road. I knew the insights I gleaned from talking to
them would help me design the workshop. I also
wanted to be sure that I included everyone who
needed to be involved to get the best result.
About a month before the workshop, I had a conver-
sation with my boss and my VP. I told them what I
had learned from my conversations. I remember ask-
ing, “Do we need to have a workshop? Can we just
do this by email?” My VP said, “We need to get
©2007 Seth Kahan | email: Seth@SethKahan.com
everyone together. It’s a good idea to get everyone to-
gether and hear all these views in the same room.
We’ll have time for discussion so any areas of concern
can be aired and cleared with everyone present.”
We had two workshops. I arranged for the VP from
the other group to keynote the first meeting and my
VP attended. For the second workshop, both VPs de-
cided to attend the entire session. They came and did
more than work the crowd. They worked together.
They created a mechanism for people to approach
them, without any negative repercussions, following
an organizational decision. In effect, they removed a
communication barrier making it possible for any rel-
evant stakeholder to raise important issues.
SK: Do you think this one set of workshops was all you
needed, or do you think that collaboration is something you
are going to use again?
LF: When we are talking about alignment between
work groups, we are talking about issues that impact
safety and our organization’s value generation – our
two most important issues. Therefore, we need to de-
velop the competency for collaboration. This is not a
one-off thing; this is part of effective work on an on-
going basis. This is something we need to do well.
I’d like my group to be a center of excellence for col-
laboration, helping others to do it well, too.
SK: What is it that you want from being good at collabo-
units to use the same office design right down to the
ration? fabrics on the furniture. That was a mistake. It was-
LF: We have some real shining examples of collabo-
n’t the office design that had made success happen. It
was the ownership of the people who put it together.
ration in some of our fields. They are doing things When the same design was foisted upon others, it
right. The right people are coordinating their efforts. failed miserably. Ownership makes and breaks success.
They are distributing their work appropriately. Peo-
ple understand how to carry out cross-support at the When we get this right in my group, I call it work-
same time that they take accountability for doing ing technology adoption from the inside out. To do
their work well. Things are coming out very good in this we need detailed technical conversations that
these cases and we are seeing some real gems emerge focus on peoples’ needs at the appropriate level of de-
as all of these various activities create synergies with tail to get to the important issues. Our partners and
each other. our people need to work together to identify the risks
and opportunities. These need to be laid out so clearly
I want my work to go this way, too. This isn’t going they are palpable. I mean everyone in the room needs
to happen unless we get real collaboration going be- to know that what is being discussed is real. This is
tween the various workgroups. And we’re not going what I mean when I say, adoption starts on the inside.
to have the right level of collaboration unless we get
people together face-to-face. Once this happens, we have the foundation for ap-
SK: Tell me more about why col-
propriate implementation. The
execution that follows will be
laboration needs to be something “When people carried out the right way. This
is because it is based on this
you do well. are working this
LF: Because of the complexity
kind of high-quality technical
of our work, the different roles
close together, exchange. The discussion must
happen face-to-face. People
and functions involved, and the the high quality of have to be able to literally look
dynamic nature of the circum- each other in the eye and ask,
stances we operate within, we information sharing “What do you believe here?”
have to make collaboration a
competence. We can’t rely
is amplified and the When people start sharing
solely on planning and project whole becomes what they really believe, there
management. There is too is a deeper level of commitment
much movement in the sys- greater than the sum and honesty that creates a
tem, too many changing vari- strong foundation for the right
of its parts.”
ables that have to be constantly action and behavior to emerge.
SK: What do you mean by “the
taken into consideration in
order to do the right thing.
This is why we need to get really good at collabora- right action and behavior?”
LF: This kind of face-to-face interaction creates trust,
tion. We need to be able to come together, getting
the right people all in the same room at the drop of
a hat if the situation requires it. This needs to be- understanding, and a willingness to support each
come a skill that we can rely on. other. There is an exchange of information beyond
SK: Why is collaboration so effective at improving per-
what is required by compliance. People shift into a
level of accountability where they have each other’s
formance and alignment among work groups? backs. Once a baseline of telling each other the whole
LF: People take ownership when they collaborate.
truth has been established, there is an increased depth
in the quality of our interaction and the knowledge
They are invested in the solutions they generate; they shared. People will say things that may be difficult to
identify with them. There is this great story I read in give voice to, but that’s okay if it’s the truth. There is
which there was an innovative office design that a greater level of granularity and that makes for a very
worked really well for a particular work group. So the strong foundation and real alignment in the ways we
company attempted to clone it, forcing other work carry out our work. That’s what it is all about.
©2007 Seth Kahan | email: Seth@SethKahan.com
When people are working this close together, the
high quality of information sharing is amplified and
the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. “Because of the
What I am interested in is getting at the level of in-
teraction that drives the right behavior. This is not
about checking a box. This is about doing whatever
complexity of our
it takes to do the right thing.
work ... we have to
SK: What’s your role in making this quality of interaction
take place? make collaboration

Accelerating
LF: My role is to invest in what gets people engaged a competence.”
and participating. I want people to care. I want
them to feel they are a part of something important.
To do this they need to have the opportunity to seek

and obtain the information that will enable them to
contribute responsibly. They need to be well edu-
cated. They need the chance to talk to the right peo-
ple who can answer their most important questions.
When this happens they can drive the conversation to
the level of granularity they require to really under-
Change
Larry Forster is a Staff Engineer with Shell Explo-
ration and Production Co., and works in Technology
Planning and Implementation in New Orleans. In-
volved with technology throughout his 20+ year
career with Shell, Larry is a pioneer in the use of
story and collaboration, and is mentioned in the

stand what is going on. Then they are in a position
to contribute effectively, and join in the work giving
their personal best. All of this stuff sits underneath
and results in behavior change I am talking about.
My job is to do what it takes to ensure this happens.
It can be as simple as listening effectively to someone
to tell their story. Or, it can be making sure the right
people are brought together face-to-face, that we have
done a good job of finding the key stakeholders. My
job is to do whatever it takes so that the right people
are having the right conversations.
©2007 Seth Kahan
Collaboration
just-published Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over:
How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results, edited
by Lori Silverman, Jossey-Bass, 2006.
Seth Kahan accelerates strategic change using col-
laboration and face-to-face engagement. His clients
include Shell, World Bank, NASA, Marriott, Proj-
ect Management Institute, Center for Association
Leadership, Peace Corps and many others. More in-
formation can be found on his website,
www.SethKahan.com This and his other publica- An interview
tions are publicly available for download. with Larry Forster

by Seth Kahan

Graphic Design by Doug Haverty for Art & Soul Design (Los Angeles)
Front cover photograph of suspension bridge in Bangkok, Thailand by Thor Jorgen
Suspension bridges are used to cross the longest spans in the world over the most difficult circumstances including deep
water or rocky gorges where it is otherwise impossible to build support. They rely on the strength of their cables, made
from the combined strength of many individual strands bound together. Like collaboration a well-made bridge
is both practical and beautiful.

Published by
PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP, INC.
P.O. Box 380
Glen Echo, MD 20816 • USA
(301) 229-2221 • (301) 229-6661 [fax]

e-mail: Seth@SethKahan.com
www.SethKahan.com