The Magic of Turning Over Stones
At a young age, my son delighted in finding creatures that lived under rocks. It must have been revealed to him by his school's awesome nature program, because once he got the tip, hikes were frequently interrupted to hunt eastern red-backed salamanders under the many, MANY rocks along the trails. On the shores of our local lake he would spend what felt like hours flipping stones to find baby lobster-looking crayfish. He relished the hunt, knowing not every stone would yield what he was looking for, but nonetheless the reward of holding the creature up close for his thorough examination was all he needed to keep trying. It was rarely a one-and-done affair. The wonder we witnessed in him in those instances still triggers my mama-emotions to this day.
Dissatisfaction in work life is an opportunity for one’s own stone-turning. Job seekers are also on the hunt for something pretty elusive: the place where talents, interests, and skills converge and yield a good living, the next chapter of a professional life. It can be a slow process, with a mixture of empty hollows and exciting discoveries. Optimism is a must.
And what are team workshops if not a stone-turning process? No doubt workshops can sometimes be regarded with fear and trepidation. There is always the odd chance that what is revealed is painful, like a poisonous snake irritated by a disturbance. Did I ever worry about that with my son? Not really. But what if I did? What would that fear yield? What opportunities would simply never present themselves if I ordered him to stop?
When teams set an intention to work on a new idea, whether it be a renewed hybrid meeting schedule or communications system, a new product, strategic plan, or service, the rock-turning is always at the beginning. You dig in to reveal what lies underneath—how did we get to where we are today? And then you go wide to find other stones—to look at what's out there—what other possibilities can we reveal? Teams often experience a sense of wonder at the ability to step away from a default meeting structure to a more imaginative, creative space, priming them to act more collaboratively to solve their problems. And when colleagues are THIS engaged in their future, thoughts of moving on are likely to diminish.
Change is constant, whether it be a market shift, new leadership, sudden growth, or staffing changes. If turning over stones is not on your list of team habits, think of incorporating ways that unearth things that hold you back or moments you can examine more closely in your team life. Here are a couple of design-centric exercises you can practice with your group:
PROJECT RETROSPECTIVES AND REFLECTIONS
“I like, I wish, I wonder” / 10-15 min.
Lead your team through a space that provides a more constructive critique through observation. Try this exercise using sticky notes and markers, with each person silently noting individually and then grouping stickies for discussion.
"I like" starts the reflection with what went well.
"I wish" acknowledges that things don't always happen according to plan and simply notes that as a space of improvement.
"I wonder" imagines new possibilities, gleaned from this experience, as small as micro-improvements or as big as significant pivots, but always as means to continue learning and growth toward more successful outcomes.
QUICKLY TAP INTO YOUR TEAM’S COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE
“1-2-4-All” / 5-15 min.
When you open up things for discussion or brainstorm, often the louder voices will prevail and conversations feel endless. This “liberating structure” is remarkably effective in collecting many ideas quickly and equitably.
Pose a challenge or an issue to work on.
Break groups into two's to start. Allow everyone to note their idea individually for 1 minute.
Unite the couples and start them first equally sharing, then comparing and expanding upon the ideas in the next 2 minutes. It's not a competition. Rather, it's a moment to collaborate quickly to co-create one idea that’s anchored in two.
After 2 minutes, move to groups of four to repeat the practice, in the same timeframe.
Finally, have each group of four report out their one important big idea quickly. This allows equal time for initial contribution and provides a process to hone in on the larger nature of the issue to develop depth of ideas, in a collaborative, safe space. If the pace feels frantic and you want to ease the group into it, pad each section by a minute or two. Just like any habit, your group will become more comfortable the more they do it.
What to learn more about how Design Thinking and Liberating Structures can guide your team in better meetings? Let’s connect.