3 Scales for Conducting Creative Thinking In Groups
In business speak, the term scaling is now in common usage, usually meaning ‘make it bigger’. For example, “How could you scale that start-up enterprise or that production process.”
But there is another use of the word which is helpful for stimulating creative thinking with individuals and groups. It’s also a good group process. Here are 3 examples:
1 — Simple Scale
“If 10 represents ‘you’re packed full of energy and can’t wait to get started’ and 1 represents the opposite’ where are you right now on the scale?”
My colleague and business partner Martin asks the group as they are just getting comfortable in their seats after coffee. The chairs are in a semi-circle. Martin looks to the person on the left to start us off. The numbers start coming in 6, 8, 3, 5, 4 and so on.
Sometimes Martin will turn to me and ask for mine — I’m usually at the high end after coffee.
People don’t seem to have too much trouble understanding what the scale represents or coming up with a number to represent their position.
The simple activity actually contains some interesting personal and group items: placing yourself on a scale, taking turns, the group receiving information about its members.
2 —Line Up Scale
In the afternoon, we go to the next level. The subject is strategic thinking — the ability to focus on the future, see the big picture, get clarity about where you want to go and how you can get there. We are contrasting it with tactical thinking — more short term, operational, fire fighting, xxxxx
“I want you to think about the extent to which you see yourself as thinking strategically versus tactically on a day to day basis at work.
If this end of the room represents 100% strategic and the other end 100% tactical, where would you stand?”
People get up from their seats and start moving into position. Martin goes over to check.
“So this little cluster here, what number are you? 30% strategic 70% tactical?”
Usually we see a large cluster around the 40% strategic 60% tactical mark but often with some distinct outliers. So at this point people have got information about themselves and others in a new way and seen where others stand in the room.
Martin then takes it further.
“Ideally where would you like to be on this scale? Move to that position.”
Most people move further towards the strategic end.
Now the group has further information about itself. Individually people are forming new perspectives around the idea that they are not alone in their thinking! And, they are ready to learn more about how to get there.
3-DIY Scale
This type of scale is more constructed than the first two — by individuals and the group. Let me give you an example from a pre-covid Time Management workshop.
“I want you to think about when your own time management is as good as it could be — when it was 10/10.
What would you see? How would it feel? What are the consequences?”
They work individually and then share some of what they’ve written down.
Now, draw a line in your notebook with numbers 1 and 10 at each end. Imagine 10 represents you with your time management at the best it can be, as described above — and 1 is the opposite. On a day to day basis, where would you place yourself on the line. What number would you give yourself?”
This scale has some of the depth of the line up scale in terms of description of the state at either end. It is also much more personal and individual. Doing it on paper individually allows for more creative further use. I have several questions I could use to follow on:
If you moved up one point, what would you notice? What would be different?
What resources did you draw on to achieve this score?
What caused you to give the score you did and not 1 point less? (ie what’s working)
What would you have to do to move up one point?
Each of these questions would provoke new thoughts and start to create the base for the individuals and the group to identify and pursue new ideas about how they could improve their time management.
Coda
Using scales can require a sense of balance. When you go too far someone will probably pull you back. As happened in this exchange between one of my children and her 6 year old daughter.
Mother to daughter (in back seat of car) driving back from school: “On a scale of 1–10 where are you right now?”
Daughter: “Where am I right now?”
Mother: “Yes, where are you right now”
Daughter: “Right now, I’m sitting in the back seat of the car.”
Peter Redstone and his artist wife live in South Devon, UK in a converted cowshed. Their 4 children all grew up on the farm before spreading their wings. Peter was a management consultant in the 1970’s, an organic dairy farmer and ice cream maker in the 1980’s and 90’s and now delivers science leadership training. He teaches creative thinking and admits to being a mind mapping missionary.
