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Case study – The power of assumptions What does the world assume currently about the medical profession that tends to limit its impact? There were a few quizzical looks. And I proposed thinking pairs. This was new to them. Their meetings to date had been traditional – large table, lots of paper, and formality, echoing a health select committee. I explained the structure. They practised Attention, Equality and Ease and then delighted in a further exchange of Appreciation within their pair. They laughed shyly and started to relax. I then invited them to think in small groups about the question: What comes freshly to mind about these limiting assumptions? Within minutes their ideas tumbled out. They shared the stereotypes - the assumptions - that would need to change in order for the world’s view of the medical profession to change. I invited them to consider this question: What do you want people to assume about the medical profession? Again in two small groups they had equal turns to think. They then wrote the liberating, true assumptions on the other side of the page but noticeably worked faster this time. I asked them to read out the new, positive list. Their energy resembled a marketing department with a new brand! I pointed out that they had stated the groups true aim: to produce not a good report only, but rather a good report that would remove the untrue limiting assumptions people have about the medical profession. A report that would offer assumptions that are liberating, meaningful and inherently true. They were amazed that the fun they had shared those 15 minutes had produced a profound piece of practical work. Another liberating assumption had emerged: hard work doesn’t have to be hard. I invited the group to build on this by considering this Incisive Question: If you knew that you are going to be successful with this project, what would you want to have achieved at the end? They thought again in pairs. And again, out tumbled passion and ambition expressing, in very real practical terms, the end game. The group went on to answer the question: What are the key questions that our report will need to answer? The answers became the chapter headings for the report. They created the questions they would use to help their future witnesses and themselves to think about the key issues. The room buzzed with ideas and the sheer human delight of getting so much done, so energetically, in so little time. |
"One by one they shared their thoughts." "They laughed shyly and started to relax." "They thought again in pairs." "The room buzzed with ideas." |
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T 01634 268882 M 07836 255778 E judy@judyoliverandco.com |
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