Do your workshops spend enough time Exploring?
by Ben Crothers
Ben is leading Facilitation Expeditions that begin November 8, 2021 and February 7, 2022
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Hi there, Ben Crothers here again. Last time when I introduced myself in this newsletter, I mentioned how Gamestorming taught me the value of exploration, as well as the opening and the closing, in any workshop.
Is your team struggling to come up with fresh ideas, rather than just the ones everyone walked into the room (or the Zoom) with? Or generate breakthrough insights from your research? Or letting the 'safe' existing option prevent you from entertaining any other options? Odds are it's because you haven't spent long enough exploring. In other words:
Looking for new patterns and connections in your information and ideas
Framing (and reframing) familiar perspectives in revolutionary ways
Finding a new analogy, metaphor, or story that unlocks and unites a lot of disparate ideas into a cohesive whole
Too often, teams slavishly follow a default 'diamond' approach of opening and closing (or divergence and convergence). Barely a breath has passed after they have sprayed out an array of initial ideas on sticky notes that they then reach for the sticky dots and gallop into dot voting, intent on 'picking a winner'.
It's like baking bread: would you shove your freshly-kneaded dough straight into the oven? Of course not; you'd give it time to let that sweet sweet chemistry of yeast transform the sugar into carbon dioxide, so that the dough rises.
Dough needs 'exploration' time - photo adapted from Alastair Bland, Smithsonian Magazine
I use that word 'transform' on purpose. All those ideas your team comes up with need transformation, not just prioritisation. A caterpillar doesn't emerge from its cocoon as a leaner meaner caterpillar. It is transformed. If you want authentic breakthrough strategy, innovation and team dynamics, you need transformation.
"But HOW, Ben?" I hear you silently scream. Thankfully, Gamestorming has loads of exploring games to try, and I'm looking forward to sharing my favourites with you next time. ;)
Ben is leading Facilitation Expeditions beginning November 8, 2021 and February 7, 2022
