We were just creating a new Dilemma Tool for the June newsletter, and had a big “ah ha” moment.
We were going to use a simple picture of what a dilemma statement might look like to provide readers with a guide to exploring the issue they face. I was a bit dissatisfied with it as it seemed too glossy and aspirational – too ‘nice’. Then we realised that it perpetuated ‘business as usual’ thinking around outcomes. It was focusing more on the aspirations and desired outcomes of the project and less about the existing realities that increase its complexity.
So we decided to flip the statement – rather than the aspiration first, we will put the reality of the situation first – the context of the situation in which the dilemma sits.
In our experience, such contexts include relationships and trust, politics, power and governance, competition, timeframes, levels of messiness and controversy, and behaviours.
We now believe that if we first get a sense of the context, then the dilemmas we describe are more likely to be realistic and grounded. Any statement we create is more likely to provide a solid foundation for further exploration to guide and support the collaborative problem-solving process.
A more gritty, and much more useful starting point.