Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius
Wouldn't it be great to have an Edison or Einstein, or Mozart at your next meeting?
If you had a genius at your meeting, do you think you
might come up with better results? Let me be the first to tell you that
those people won't be at your next meeting. But there are some things you
can do as a facilitator - some techniques and tactics that you can use with
the group that will help them work better. In this article you will learn
some of the strategies of geniuses (adapted from Thinking Like a Genius, by
Michael Michalko in the May 1998 issue of The Futurist), and how to apply
them within any group you are working with.
Geniuses look at problems in many different ways
The key to this strategy is helping a group find new perspectives. Often a
group gets "locked in" on one specific solution or cause. The goal should be
to slow the group down and help them look at their situation from a variety
of perspectives. Once a group has an initial approach, encourage them to
stop and force a new perspective - force them to re-conceptualize the
problem.
How To Do It
Once a group has settled in on an approach, encourage them to step out of
the room. When they return, explain the concept of looking at the problem
from another perspective. Ask the group to list three or more other
perspectives that this situation could be viewed from. From that list, pick
one for the group to reconsider the situation from. (If the group is large
enough have sub groups work different perspectives.) The time spent in
reviewing the situation from the new perspectives should be as rigorous as
the first analysis. Once the group has completed their reanalysis, have them
look at all of their results. At this point encourage them to make the best
decision, given all the data they have at their disposal.
Geniuses make novel combinations
Sometimes geniuses don't come up with new ideas, but combine existing ones
to make great advances.
How To Do It
Once a group has a variety of possible solutions (possibly by using some of
the steps above), have them try to combine them, rather than just pick one.
Spur them on with questions like:
? How could you do both A and B?
? How could you gain the benefits of both A and D, while minimizing the
risks?
Geniuses force relationships
This may be the genius' biggest strategy of all, and one you can employ
easily with groups.
How To Do It
Always have a few (or a lot) of disparate items on a list. At any time that
a group is stuck, ask them to force a relationship between their problem to
one of the items on your list. (You could also have pictures of the items,
which might spur their creativity even further.). These relationships may be
forced, and this may be where the breakthrough comes.
Note: Some groups or individuals will scoff at this idea as silly.
Acknowledge this, but encourage them to try anyway. They may be very
pleasantly surprised. Remember too, that the quality comes with quantity
rule applies here. You may need to try more than one or two forced
relationships before real progress is made.
Geniuses make their thought visible
This strategy is often put to use in group meetings, but only at the lowest
level. Recording a group's work on a flipchart, or whiteboard, is a small
step in this direction, but to take this to the next level (to the genius
level!), you need to get more visual.
How To Do It
Have members of a group draw their solutions to a problem, or draw the
results of implementing their solution. If you want to look at a variety of
solutions at once, have sub groups do this for different scenarios. Focus
the group(s) on making it visual and inclusive of their whole idea. The goal
is to communicate not wow the group with artistic abilities. Once the groups
have completed their drawings, review all of them to see if new ideas, or
combinations of ideas are found.
Geniuses think in opposites
Often it is very revealing to examine the opposite of your situation, or ask
the opposite question.
How To Do It
Rather than having the group ask the direct question on their task, have
them ask the opposite. For example, if the question is, "How do we attract
new Customers?", more new ideas and insights might come from asking, "How
could we drive all of our Customers away?" With the answers to the opposite
question, tactics and plans for avoiding this outcome can be developed.
Geniuses think metaphorically
Aristotle believed that metaphors were a sign of genius. If they were good
enough for Aristotle, they should be good enough for us!
How To Do It
Have the group compare their situation to anything else (another place for
your list mentioned above). The more metaphors (or analogies) the group can
draw between their situation and these random items the better. The insights
will flow from the discussion of these connections. You can also ask the
group to tell you what they might compare the situation to, which is another
method of initiating the metaphors.
Geniuses prepare themselves for chance
In a group situation, this most likely fits after a solution has been
implemented. This "preparation for chance" will be enhanced by the
willingness to do two things: admit mistakes, and spend time reviewing the
results of the decision or solution.
How To Do It
After a decision is made, encourage the group to schedule time to review the
results of the decision. Time might also be scheduled to discuss the process
the group used for coming to the decision. By reflecting on the work and the
results, often new ideas and improvements can be found. The decision to take
this time is seldom the natural inclination of a group. Group dynamics are
such that when the result or decision is made, that the group is ready to
"cross that item off the list", and move on. As a facilitator you can
provide significant value by encouraging this review process.
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