12 Useful Things—An Easy Starting Place….

So you want to solve one of the world’s wicked problems? Cool! Give us a call – that’s our schtick.

Oh – you want to know HOW to solve one of the world’s wicked problems. Alrighty – here’s a start…but only a start. If we told you all the secrets, we’d have to hire you!

Ask the right question

Engage any and all stakeholders who care

Make great effort to invite the people who will make the conversation awkward

Trust in the intelligence of the human system

Chaos is fundamental to change – structure reinforces status quo

Diverge, diverge, diverge…THEN converge. Be gracefully persistent throughout.

Conversations that matter take time to emerge; they follow on the heels of trust.

People can only be polite for so long. Outlast them.

Change. Is. Uncomfortable. It’s your job to make sure no one ever knows if it’s uncomfortable for you.

Hold hope. You’ve been there before; you know there’s another side. They may not. Hold hope.

Always start from a clear direction towards an emergent outcome and design backward. Always.

Promises are irrelevant. Sincerity is the act of following through.