Date: November 29, 2023
Author: Mike White
Reading Time: 6 min 45 sec

Summary

• An Experiment with our In/Tension Modeling Workshop

• Why and What is In/Tension Modeling

• Identifying Strategic Tensions

• The Experiment

• Reflections and Shortcomings

• Takeaways from the Facilitation

An Experiment with our In/Tension Modeling Workshop

At TUG, we believe in the power of sharing and learning together. This month, we're excited to share an innovative experiment we've been exploring in one of our client workshops, In/Tension Modeling. Our work at TUG is deeply rooted in fostering meaningful connections and building alignment with stakeholders. In/Tension Modeling has become a key instrument in this endeavor, helping us and our clients to navigate and create impactful alignment. I’m eager to take you behind the scenes and share our experiences and insights with you.

Why In/Tension Modeling?

At the beginning of projects, we define "What Good Means." This helps our clients build understanding around their intent. We created the In/Tension Modeling tool to facilitate stakeholder alignment and to model stakeholder activity. The tangible result is a co-created artifact that informs subsequent design and strategy decisions.

What is In/Tension Modeling?

Essentially, TUG leads participants through an exercise of reflecting on how they perceive the organization's current strategic emphasis and how they would like to balance these strategic outcomes in the future. The value of In/Tension Modeling comes from building consensus around strategic direction, which is achieved by surfacing individuals' experiences. It's less about finding the group average and nodding in agreement and more about recognizing each person's perspective and giving a voice to each participant's perception of reality and future vision.

The In/Tension Modeling process not only streamlines strategic alignment but also cultivates an empathetic environment within the workplace. By inviting each participant to share their unique perspectives and future visions, it fosters a culture of respect and understanding. This inclusive approach encourages a collaborative spirit, where every voice is heard and valued, leading to a more cohesive and supportive team dynamic. The process naturally facilitates a space where empathy and respect are paramount. This environment not only benefits the company’s strategic objectives but also enriches the interpersonal relationships of everyone involved.

Laying the Groundwork: Identifying Strategic Tensions

Before any In/Tension Modeling session, our team interviews key stakeholders and conducts a high-level review of the client's world. From this, we determine five to eight strategic tensions. These tensions are pairs of positive strategic outcomes that compete with each other for organizational effort or focus. Rather than framing the outcomes as this or that, In/Tension Modeling has participants consider this yet that. We help people understand that it's not about choosing one over the other; it's about selecting a strategic emphasis that will meet their organizational goals.

With our pairs of strategic tensions prepared, we introduce the tensions and then lead the group through two rounds of voting. The first round focuses on how the outcomes are balanced today. The second is how they ought to be balanced in the future. Participants vote on an 11-point scale from 'entirely this' to 'entirely that,' with options in between. A mid-point exists for equal emphasis on both outcomes.

TUG has developed the mechanics of this activity over several years. Initially, we used pencil and paper to vote and tally results. Then, we built a G-suite digital tool that links a digital form for voting and sheets for calculating and displaying results. We're also considering a custom software app to make running and participating in these sessions even smoother. Certainly, if we were only conducting these sessions virtually like we were at the height of COVID-19, this would be the best tool for us to pursue.

The Experiment: Wooden Toy Blocks!

It turns out that TUG has a friend with a toy factory, and our co-founder, Dan Klyn, proposed that we redesign our In/Tension Modeling workshop using wooden blocks. I'm a flexible, optimistic person, so I gave an enthusiastic Yes before our team got to work figuring out how we would update the choreography and facilitation of the workshop.

We then began incorporating the toy wooden blocks into In/Tension Modeling workshops with clients as an experiment. These "play pieces" enhance participation by making the process fun–that was the goal. One of the first things we noticed was that the number of voices in the room instantly increased. The blocks also allowed participants and facilitators to visualize the results more easily. Sure, it's not AI, it's not automated, and it's not even on a computer, but we've found the results have been very positive. I am excited about the results and the possibilities, and I wanted to share the groundwork of what we are exploring.

The results were simply fun. From my perspective as a facilitator, it felt like the activity ran itself:

• Participants knew when it was their turn without prompting.

• They knew when to lead the conversation and when to ask questions.

• The group was able to react to the model in a conversational way.

Conducting the Alignment Sessions

We started the session, as usual, with a typical round of introductions. Additionally, we assigned each participant a pair of wooden blocks with a unique symbol. I immediately noticed people playing and fidgeting with the blocks at their seats.

Like other In/Tension Modeling sessions I've led, we gave the group about 10 minutes to mark their votes on their worksheet. This helps keep the subsequent conversation anchored in each person's personal beliefs. Without this step, the votes become tethered to each other; it would be like strategic bidding, where the first person to vote has the advantage of anchoring the strategic direction of an organization. That's the opposite of what we want. So, we continue to build in the quiet voting period as an essential moment to pause for introspection.

After individual voting, we enjoyed building the visualization as a group. In non-wooden workshops, results would be tabulated computationally and displayed on a screen simultaneously. Then comes the moment, as a facilitator, where it can feel like pulling teeth to coax participants to speak up and say why they voted a specific way. The workshop's ambiance mirrors that of a grade school class, where soliciting volunteers or unexpectedly calling on participants creates a somewhat lackluster vibe. Unfortunately, this can feel like the opposite of our desire – an engaging, professional workshop.

Sessions with the Wooden Blocks 

When we incorporated the wooden blocks, each participant would place their block on a simple linear playing board. The visualization for each tension builds slowly. This adds a welcomed anticipation and helps further the conversation as each participant takes turns placing their block. The energy in the room became more playful, almost like a lively card game where nobody wins, but each person has a moment to reveal their hand and justify why it is good. The rhythm of the activity found a natural pace after the first few participants, and it nearly ran itself through each round of conversation.

The public nature of voting and stacking was a good fit for a group of twelve with an already-established working relationship. Over the course of the session, people quickly became fluent with each other's block avatar and could read the built-up visualization. "I'm over here with Bob on this one," or "It seems Tara and I are always on opposite sides." These comments would create discussions about each other's perspective on the organization based on their role, tenure, and personal beliefs.

Reflections and Shortcomings

This block method worked well, and I'm looking forward to when I can experiment with it again. Certainly, it is best for particular contexts. However, I cannot imagine using it for a group of more than 12 (or 34 like I recently had for a higher ed client). First, ordering more blocks would be necessary. More importantly, the sessions would become significantly lengthened and be insufferably long. We would need to allocate at least an additional hour to accommodate this. Alternatively, if we didn’t extend the duration, we would have to organize participants in a quick, somewhat rushed manner, resembling a conveyor belt, to ensure everyone completes the activity fast enough. So, when we have more than 12 people, I'll still be using our digital tool.

Another context that will not work for the physical blocks is a virtual In/Tension Modeling workshop. We improved at virtual facilitation during COVID-19 and still use Zoom and screen sharing with geographically distributed clients. Still, there are some things I learned from our woodblock method that I will use for our virtual workshops. First, with smaller groups, I'm interested in using a tool to have participants build the visualization. The person-by-person construction of the model combined with talking time for each participant was a winning combination. I'm curious about replicating it in Slides, Miro, or on a Zoom whiteboard – any technology that helps engage people with each other and their organizational strategy is a win!

Takeaways from the Facilitation

Ultimately, In/Tension Modeling – the activity and the artifact – are tools for facilitating conversation. I've been leading meetings, training, and workshops for about a decade, and I'm always learning new ways to create focused, enjoyable conversations with groups of people. Stripping away the “woodenness” and the “TUG-ness” of this In/Tension Modeling workshop reveals some good facilitation truths. I plan to use these in my upcoming workshops.

• Setting up ground rules helps the sequencing or flow of the session.

• Giving participants time to think to themselves before making their moves helps participants feel confident about their decisions.

• Going slowly through the first turn and allowing space to modify the rules helps participants and facilitators create an experience that fits their context; it's like coming up with slightly adjusted house rules rather than TUG rules.

Epilogue

Facilitating the In/Tension Modeling workshop with the wooden blocks has been a great experience for me. It has also been a great benefit for our clients. We’ve found higher participation rates, more candid discussions, and a more energetic and fun tone with something that is usually hard work. In/Tension Modeling, after all, is about bringing together a group of people with diverse views and then helping them align on a way forward. TUG has brought groups into alignment well since our inception, but with what we learned from this recent experiment, we are even more excited to help organizations shape their future.

Next time you are facilitating a workshop, try including something fun or playful in the choreography of your workshop and let us know how it went. We’d love to hear from you. 

Keep in Touch

Are you working with stakeholders and building alignment? We would love to hear how your team brings alignment in your work. Send us a message on Social Media. We’d love to hear how things turn out.

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About the Author

Mike enjoys helping people and organizations more clearly see themselves, their products, and the people they serve. He spent more than a decade in the hospitality and food industry, so it’s no wonder he brings a sense of helpfulness, service, and never-ending food trivia to everything he does.

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