With Induction Consulting, a key belief is that the best answers come from the group. There is experience, wisdom, creativity and energy there just waiting to be invited out. The way we invite all that contribution is often the challenge. We’re working against a lot of conventional expectations – like “don’t complain, just make it better,” and traditional expectations like “don’t look weak,” and “be better than others.”
There is experience, wisdom, creativity and energy there just waiting to be invited out. The way we invite all that contribution is often the challenge.
It’s challenging, but it’s often not complicated it. Breaking the cycle of reactive days and urgent tasks often just requires a bold commitment: “Instead of just doing the work, [we are/I am] toing to pay attendtion to HOW [we/I] work.”
When we’re at that moment – when we’ve made that commitment – it can feel like standing in front of a dark, empty void. Now what?
Well, anything.
The hard part was saying that you’re going to pay attention. Whatever you explore, challenge or get curious about at this stage will be an improvement.
You deserve more of an answer, though. There is methodology to work through the darkness. The rest of this article shares insight into a typical Induction Consulting engagement.
The Double Diamond design framework is often used by designers for “wicked problems.”
- The model demands humility and willingness to be wrong. We embark on this process with a firm belief that we don’t yet know the answer.
- Why stop at two? The divergence-convergence rhythm of problem-solving rarely has a tidy end point. A well-crafted design project may work that way, but this framework also appeals to me as the sustained practice of how we continually improve.
- We often say how essential collaboration is for our performance, but it’s also a hard word to pin down. Everyone has their own sense of what it means. This methodology offers a rich and actionable definition for what we may mean when we say “collaborate.”
- The model helps us prioritize teamwork and dialogue. Whatever the problem, whatever the stage we’re at, multiple perspectives, opinions and contributors make it better.
Each stage lends itself to different modes of engagement, each designed to help us progress through our own shared “wicked problem.”
However, with Induction Consulting, the experience of creating solutions is at least as important as the solutions that are ultimately created. At each stage, we focus our practice to equip us with the skills, experience and confidence to make the next challenge easier to address.
DISCOVER
Build understanding, gain insight into challenges and opportunities.
| What happens at this stage? | We Practice
SHARED OWNERSHIP |
|---|---|
| Honesty & Transparency
Team Discussions Field Research Objective Observations Incisive Questions |
Curiosity over Certainty
Transparency over Exclusion Emergence over Authority Ease over Urgency |
DEFINE
Narrow our focus on specific top-priority areas.
| What happens at this stage? |
We Practice AUTHENTICITY & COURAGE |
|---|---|
|
Tough, Transparent Conversations Focus on outcome 5 Why’s Analysis Building Consensus |
Reality over Comfort Responsibility over Freedom The Group over The Individual Improvements over Perfection |
DEVELOP
Identify and build potential solutions.
| What happens at this stage? | We Practice
INSPIRATION |
|---|---|
| “Safe enough to try”
Stretch Objectives Journey Mapping Countering Groupthink |
Building up over Tearing Down
Possibility over Practicality Compasses over Maps “Yes, and” over History |
DELIVER
Implement team-owned solutions that work.
| What happens at this stage? | We Practice
AGILITY |
|---|---|
| Prototyping
Agile Shipping Measuring Continual Improvement |
Learning over Achieving
Changing over Protecting Celebrating over Apologizing Improvements over Perfection |
Making the commitment to pay attention to our work environment is hard. Induction Consulting makes it easier to make that positive choice. Making safe, trusted and constructive environments for individuals and teams to grow is our full-time focus and our passion. Want to see what’s possible for you? Contact Nevin for a free consultation.
