LISTEN and REFLECT the BIG PICTURE

Listening IN and observing helps with understanding. When 6 out of 10 people in a room are visual learners, reflecting the wisdom of a group builds engagement. Whether in a customer focus group, research interviews or large group conversations, listening well and reflecting what people say and do enables insights and connections for all. When groups see a big picture, that reflects their conversation, and their diverse perspectives, it encourages healthy dialogue and new connections. I often listen in live and visualize challenges, goals, research, questions or stories. This 1.0 picture, sometimes beautiful, and more often these days, messy, helps everyone see and discuss the complexity. Gaps, and links emerge. I've found when a groups wisdom is unlocked via conversation and drawing together, momentum and engagement builds. Groups are more willing to pull in the same direction, learn together and co-create sustainable new possibilities.

Listening in and reflecting research, perspectives, experiences, observations, conversations and targets helps filter meaningful ideas.

Drawing out a straw-man version of filtered research, insights and diverse perspectives, gives stakeholders an opportunity to see the whole, iterate together, align around customer priorities.

Answering critical questions using pictures helps teams see their wisdom - connecting the head and heart. Activities like these, provide common ground and language for understanding complexity.

The key to understanding is asking the right questions, deeply listening, and observing, not only what is said, but other cues, like body language and actual behaviours in action. Often I do 1:1 interviews in advance of gatherings, listening to the critical questions emerge.

Discussing Critical Questions and seeing different points of view, draws out group insights and priorities. This process is a catalyst for clarification, iteration and group alignment around sustainable ways forward.

Live virtual Mind Mapping and virtual white boards support interviews that help fill research gaps and question details. This role mind map was used to gather insights during global interviews on sales role priorities, common challenges and areas that would have the highest impact on their job. Sharing role insights per country and iterating mind-maps together, clarified a cross cultural understanding of sales roles and their use of new technologies.

Using words and visuals helps diverse backgrounds build a common picture around an issue. This group process of drawing a word cloud together created a big picture understanding of Cultural Intelligence for example.

Using simple imagery, drawing together, and mind-mapping enables individuals and teams to practice childlike curiosity, "not KNOWING", which is often exactly what is needed to see opportunities in complex challenges.

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