Anatomy of an Intervention: The Intervention Cycle

Everything we do is an intervention in that everything we do or don’t do has an impact within the system of which we are a part.

Intention

1. The overarching intention of an intervention should be to increase the support system for the goal toward critical mass.
2. To establish the type of relaxed, person-to-person dialogue that is at the heart of effective collaboration and mutually useful communication within human systems.
3. An intervention will generate useful information about the system regardless of its outcome.

Connection

1. The intervention should be between the supporters of the goal and the goal
2. The intervention should increase the quality of connection among the supporters themselves. The stronger, more open and supportive relationships within the target system, the higher the quality of connection will be. Support toward genuine curiosity, interest, and appreciation while allaying judgment works.
3. Shifting conflict and conformity to learning from differences is important.

Intervention
Whatever you do to increase the connectivity toward the change goal.

Impact
The effect of the intervention in terms of movement toward the change goal

Dialogic Feedback

Discussion to determine how well the intervention created the desired impact in contrast to the actual impact so that the next intervention might be more effective if necessary.

Ego Management

1. Check to see that the intervention is based on the needs of the system as well as your own issues regarding your sense of identity, self-esteem, or self-importance.
2. Support your client to identify their ego needs and how to get them met in ways that support their change goals
3. Ego issues tend to be a distraction from the intention of the change goal and to interfere with the building of the relationships needed to reach critical mass.