Reframing
When you’re not seeing eye-to-eye, change the lens
Reframing — getting creative in how you see and solve problems — is one of our nine habits of a great team. But being able to change the lens is a useful skill for individuals too, especially if you find yourself in a tense moment with a colleague. When you’re in a heated conversation, reframing can remove some of […]
Imagining life after the problem is solved
When a team is stuck, it’s natural to start interrogating the situation: What’s happening? What caused the problem? Is it part of a pattern we’ve seen before? These are great questions, but sometimes they can lead the team to root causes that feel big and daunting. If you find yourself paralyzed after you’ve analyzed a problem, try asking a […]
A way to boost creative problem-solving
Sometimes we’re stuck with circumstances outside our control. A vendor doesn’t come through, so we’re stuck with materials that are less-than-ideal. A budget shortfall causes constraints. Your brand’s story or goals have changed, but the old ones remain in public consciousness. But necessity can spark creativity if you examine what’s frustrating or hard about the […]
How to get around unexpected obstacles
Every project begins with a great plan, but unanticipated bumps and hurdles always pop up along the way. That’s when a reframing exercise we call “the obstacle course” comes in handy. Here’s how it works: • Grab a bunch of index cards, and on each one write down an obstacle blocking the team. • Talk about each […]
Empathy can get you unstuck
When your team is experiencing someone as a roadblock, try explaining the situation from his or her perspective. It opens up new ways of thinking about the problem and can help you generate new solutions.