We Are So...Stuck

The challenge in today’s Kickstarter session arose from leadership’s realization that the organization was completely stuck and unable to move forward.

Initial generative questions to gain more context revealed that the organizational status was acknowledged prior to Covid but nothing was done about it as there was a lack of resources to support new ideas. Leaders wanted to have a conversation worth having, one that would move them forward. The following flip emerged:

Name it: The organization is stuck.

Flip it: Our organization is moving forward and it shows.

Frame it: We are moving forward with confidence.

Additional frames included:

• Staff feeling as though they are moving forward.
• Low to no cost innovations.
• Customers are lining up because things are going well.
• We have trust, engagement and collaboration.

The group then created wonderful generative questions.

Generative Questions

• When have you felt safe to think outside of the box? What was happening at that time?
• If you were customer, what would excite you?
• What have you done in the past that gave you energy and excitement?
• Do we know other organizations that went through something similar?
• Who do we need to be to think about this differently?
• How is the leadership team feeling?
  do you remember a time when there was excitement and enthusiasm? Tell us about it.
• Describe a point in your career when you wee felling motivated and engaged.
• Whose voice needs to be part of the conversation that isn’t now? What do they bring to the conversation?
• Are we hearing from all voices on the team?
• What were the best things about the way you worked together in the past?
• Are we hearing from all stakeholders?
• Where do you want to be in 5 years?
• Who else loves us that we can talk to, people who want us to succeed?
• In a perfect world, what would you be doing and what would the budget be?

Cool Tip

Allow time for reflection and pre-thought. It is helpful to create quiet space to reflect on the frame and generative questions. Leaders in the organization had been spinning around the problem. With the simple positive frame, generative questions tumbled forth. And WOW – the energy unleashed in the group was palpable!