Archive For: Organisation

learning & change

Exploring LEGO Serious Play: A Fresh Approach to Strategic Planning

In the realm of strategic planning, traditional methods often leave teams feeling uninspired and stuck in a rut. But what if there was a way to inject creativity and collaboration into the process? Enter LEGO Serious Play, a methodology that’s gaining traction for its unconventional approach to problem-solving.

LEGO Serious Play isn’t just about building towers and castles – it’s a structured workshop format that encourages participants to use LEGO bricks as a tool for communication and exploration. So, how does it work?

To start, a trained facilitator sets the stage, outlining the purpose of the session and establishing guidelines for participation. Then, it’s time for some hands-on warm-up exercises to get the creative juices flowing.

Once everyone is comfortable with the bricks, the real work begins. Participants are presented with a strategic challenge or question and tasked with building models that represent their thoughts and ideas. From simple structures to elaborate designs, each creation tells a story.

But the true value of LEGO Serious Play lies in the sharing and discussion that follows. As each participant presents their model, they delve into the metaphorical meaning behind their creation, sparking insightful conversations and uncovering new perspectives.

Throughout the process, the facilitator acts as a guide, steering the conversation and ensuring that everyone has a chance to contribute. With each round of building and sharing, teams can refine their ideas and collectively develop a shared vision for the future.

As the workshop draws to a close, participants work together to synthesise the key insights and themes that emerged, laying the groundwork for actionable next steps. From strategic goals to innovative solutions, LEGO Serious Play offers a fresh approach to strategic planning that’s both engaging and effective.

So, why consider LEGO Serious Play for your next strategic planning session? Because it taps into the power of play to unlock creativity, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful outcomes. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or a curious newcomer, it’s worth exploring how LEGO Serious Play can transform your approach to problem-solving.

To find out more about LEGO Serious Play reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.


 

learning & change

Elevate Wellbeing and Satisfaction

Psychologist Martin Seligman offers five domains to help us enhance our wellbeing and satisfaction. His model suggests that individuals can lay the groundwork for a more fulfilling and content life by cultivating positive emotions, fostering engagement, nurturing relationships, clarifying purpose, and celebrating achievements.

Cultivate Positive Emotions

Nurture gratitude and positive emotions to lay the groundwork for more fulfilment.

Engage in activities that bring joy, practice gratitude for daily positives, and develop an appreciation for the beauty in life. Focusing on positive emotions creates a foundation that propels you toward contentment and satisfaction.

  1. Gratitude Journaling: Set aside time each day to reflect on and write down things you are grateful for. This practice helps shift your focus towards positive aspects of life.
  2. Random Acts of Kindness: Engage in small, unexpected acts of kindness for others. These gestures bring joy to others and contribute to your own positive emotions.
  3. Mindful Breathing: Practice mindfulness through deep breathing exercises. Take moments throughout the day to focus on your breath, fostering a sense of calm and positivity.

Enable Engagement and Flow

Push up against the edge of your comfort zone to find flow.

Challenge yourself and stretch your comfort zone. Create immersive experiences where the level of task challenge just exceeds your current skills. Finding flow promotes personal growth and deepens your connection with the present moment.

  1. Skill-building Challenges: Identify a skill you want to develop and set incremental challenges. This process enhances your abilities and provides a sense of accomplishment.
  2. Creative Expression: Explore your creativity through writing, drawing or other forms of artistic expression. Creativity often leads to a state of flow, where time seems to pass effortlessly.
  3. Mindful Activities: Practice mindfulness in daily tasks. Whether eating, walking, or cleaning, focus fully on the activity, promoting engagement with the present moment.

Strengthen Relationships: Building Trust and Support

Cultivate positive bonds and strengthen social connections.

Build trust, offer support, and communicate openly with those around you. By fostering meaningful connections, you contribute to a positive social environment that enriches your life and enhances overall satisfaction.

  1. Active Listening: Cultivate strong relationships by actively listening to others. Show genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings, creating a foundation of trust and understanding.
  2. Expressing Gratitude: Verbalise your appreciation for others. Expressing gratitude fosters positive feelings and reinforces the sense of support within your social circle.
  3. Collaborative Activities: Engage in activities that involve teamwork and cooperation. Collaborative efforts contribute to a sense of community and mutual support.

Clarify Meaning: Unveiling Purpose and Meaning

Clarify your values and seek activities aligned with a larger purpose. 

Engage in activities that contribute to something larger than yourself. Reframe your activities to reveal a sense of purpose that adds depth and meaning to your daily life. 

Seeing how your values translate into action creates a path towards sustained satisfaction and wellbeing.

  1. Values Exploration: Take time to reflect on your core values. Understanding what truly matters to you provides a foundation for aligning your activities with a sense of purpose.
  2. Strengths Identification: Identify and leverage your strengths. Understanding and using your strengths in various aspects of your life contributes to a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
  3. Meaningful Rituals: Establish meaningful rituals or traditions that align with your values. Whether it’s a family tradition, a personal ritual, or a cultural celebration, these activities can anchor you to your values and provide a sense of continuity and purpose.

Build Achievement: Acknowledging Progress

Acknowledge progress and celebrate achievements along the way.

Set and celebrate achievable goals, recognise personal and professional accomplishments, and take the time to appreciate the journey. Creating a culture of acknowledgment reinforces a positive mindset and boosts a sense of fulfilment in your personal and professional endeavours.

  1. SMART Goal Setting: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. Tracking your progress and achieving these milestones enhances a sense of accomplishment.
  2. Reflective Practices: Regularly reflect on your achievements and lessons learned. This self-reflection reinforces positive behaviours and provides insights for continuous improvement.
  3. Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate both minor and significant milestones. Share your achievements with others and encourage them to share theirs. Creating a culture of acknowledgment within your social circle reinforces a positive mindset and collective sense of fulfilment.

To find out more about PERMA reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Photo by D Jonez on Unsplash.


 

learning & change

Apply Deliberate Practice

Understanding Deliberate Practice is vital to honing skills effectively. 

Anders Ericsson’s principles are a blueprint for intentional skill development, emphasising mindful focus, task breakdown, feedback integration, consistency, and spaced repetition. 

Focus with Intent

Focus your attention and concentration.

Immerse yourself fully in the task, eliminating distractions. Develop mindfulness to enhance the quality of your practice, fostering a more profound connection with the skill you’re refining.

  • Designate a Dedicated Practice Space: Allocate a specific, quiet space solely for practice to minimise distractions. Create an environment conducive to focused attention by eliminating potential disruptions. 
  • Strategise Distraction-Free Sessions: Plan in advance to eliminate distractions and secure sufficient time for focused attention during practice. Proactively remove potential interruptions to optimise the quality of your practice sessions.
  • Cultivate Mindfulness as a Habit: Foster a regular and consistent mindfulness practice to build a habit of deliberate focus. Integrate mindfulness into your routine to enhance your ability to concentrate and sustain deliberate attention.

 

Break Down Tasks

Dissect complex skills into manageable parts.

Divide the skill into smaller components and master each before moving on. This method speeds skill acquisition by targeting the areas that need the most work.

  • Identify Specific Components: Pinpoint and list the particular components within the skill that demands attention and enhancement. Clearly define the focus areas for improvement. 
  • Master Each Isolated Component: Concentrate on grasping individual components adequately before advancing to the next. Ensure proficiency in each isolated aspect to build a strong foundation for overall skill development.
  • Prioritise Improvement Areas: Assess the skill with a targeted approach, prioritising areas needing the most improvement. Conduct a skill assessment to identify weaknesses and tailor your practice to address those challenges.

Loop Your Feedback

Set up feedback loops to help you iterate your practice.

Use feedback to pinpoint areas for improvement. Create micro loops of practice, review and adjust to help you quickly evolve your skill based on constant feedback.

  • Solicit Input Actively: Seek input from mentors and peers or utilise self-assessment tools. Be proactive in gathering feedback to gain valuable insights into your performance.
  • Identify Actionable Improvement Steps: Pinpoint specific and actionable steps for improvement based on the feedback received. Translate feedback into concrete actions that you can take to enhance your skills. 
  • Establish a Continuous Refinement Routine: Integrate a consistent routine involving practice, feedback, and targeted adjustments to continually refine your skills. Develop a cycle of improvement that ensures ongoing progress and adaptation.

Build a Reliable Routine

Commit to regular, intentional practice.

Develop a steady practice routine that aligns with your objectives. 

The consistency inherent in a well-defined routine is a crucial catalyst for skill refinement over time. Dedicate scheduled, recurring time to deliberate practice and cultivate the discipline necessary for sustainable and impactful progress.

  • Align Routine with Skill Development Goals: Ensure your practice routine aligns with specific skill development goals for clarity and purpose. Linking your routine to clear objectives provides direction and a sense of purpose in your skill refinement journey.
  • Implement a Regular Practice Schedule: Set a consistent schedule for deliberate practice sessions to instil discipline. Begin with manageable durations, pairing practice with enjoyable activities, and gradually extend the time as your routine solidifies.
  • Track Progress, Celebrate Achievements: Keep records of sessions, track progress, and celebrate small milestones to maintain motivation and reinforce your commitment to the routine.

Spacing Out Practice

Space out your practice sessions for the best results

Avoid cramming sessions and allow intervals between practices. Spreading out repetitions over time enhances learning, improving retention and mastery of essential skills. Embrace strategic temporal spacing as a fundamental element in your journey toward expertise.

  • Optimise Timing: Determine the best intervals for spaced repetition based on the forgetting curve. Aim to review material just before forgetting it. Avoid over-practicing with too frequent repetitions, and prevent forgetting with intervals that challenge memory. Adjust the frequency based on material complexity and individual preferences.
  • Interleave for Variety: Mix different topics or skills in a single practice session to deepen understanding of their relationships. Intersperse practice with related topics or skills to challenge your brain and foster connections.
  • Active Recall Engagement: Combine spaced repetition with active recall techniques like self-quizzing or problem-solving. Actively engaging with material during spaced repetition strengthens memory traces and boosts effectiveness.

Transform repetition into mastery by embracing deliberate practice. Incorporate tangible strategies such as a focused practice environment, targeted task breakdown, actionable feedback loops, consistent routines, and strategic practice spacing. Elevate your skills through intentional, hands-on efforts over time, paving the way for sustainable and impactful progress in your chosen field.

To find out more about how to apply deliberate practice reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Photo Ingridi Alves Photograph on Unsplash


 

learning & change

Build Personal Change Readiness

Initiating change requires understanding human behaviour. 

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s analogy likens decision-making to a rider (rational thought), an elephant (emotions), and the path (external factors). 

Envision the rider guiding an elephant on a path; the rider guides, but the powerful elephant and path both play vital roles. 

Recognising this interplay is crucial for lasting change. Explore logic, emotion, and environment—the change readiness essentials.

Crafting a Rational Foundation: Guiding the Rider’s Logic

Initiating change effectively demands a rational foundation, appealing to the rider’s logical thought process. 

Set out your theory of change, articulating the why, what and how. Give the logical reasons for change, break down benefits, and address concerns head-on. 

This approach guides rational decision-making, clarifying logical reasoning and forming the bedrock for a purposeful approach to change.

  • Identify bright spots or positive areas in your life for personal change. Recognise what leads to success and replicate those actions, providing a roadmap for change.
  • Point to the destination and set SMART goals to define your destination. Clearly articulate precise aspirations, creating a compass for your change journey.
  • Script critical moves for success. Minimise uncertainty with a structured approach to personal change. Identify pivotal actions for reaching objectives.

Deepening Motivation: Fueling the Elephant’s Drive

To enhance motivation, shift focus towards fueling the emotional side of the process.

Vividly imagine the positive impact of change, linking it to personal values and framing it as a motivating challenge. 

Cultivating an emotional connection sustains a commitment to change, encouraging perseverance through obstacles.

  • Envisage potential futures to build a sense of urgency. Envision the worst-case scenario and articulate the consequences of inaction. Contrastingly, imagine the ideal future with its positive outcomes. Embrace the emotions evoked by these scenarios to sharpen focus and motivate action.
  • Build habits to shrink the change and reduce cognitive load. Break significant goals into smaller, achievable routines. Celebrate small victories to maintain motivation and create a positive feedback loop.
  • Link to values. Connect desired change to your identity and values. Cultivate an emotional connection, transcending cost-benefit analysis for intrinsic motivation.

Designing Supportive Spaces: Shaping the Path for Change

Shaping the environment is paramount for successful change. 

Design accessible paths toward change, eliminate barriers, and foster a supportive network. 

Intentionally shaping your environment ensures a smoother journey, enhancing your ability to navigate and embrace the transformative process confidently.

  • Use fences and spaces to support change. Arrange the space so positive cues and tools are accessible. Whether they are triggers for action or support resources to simplify your task, make sure everything you need is right where you need it. Create barriers between you and distractions to stay focused and on task. Small changes can profoundly impact behaviour. 
  • Use Tools and technology to streamline your path. Use habit-tracking apps, online learning platforms, and smart devices for efficient time management. Enhance your support system with social support apps. 
  • Identify friends and accomplices that help and hinder. Share your aspirations, insights and progress with friends and allies to build a supportive network. Be mindful of the influence of individuals who may unintentionally act as accomplices, potentially derailing your efforts. 

To find out more about how to up build change readiness reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Photo by Karim MANJRA on Unsplash


 

learning & change

Nurture Growth Mindset

Unlock the door to continuous learning, resilience, and personal development.

Embarking on a journey of constant learning needs more than just gathering knowledge. It requires a mindset that welcomes challenges, views failures as learning opportunities, and values the growth process. 

A growth mindset is a powerful approach to development introduced by psychologist Carol Dweck. Here are some practical strategies to help you develop your growth mindset. 

Embrace new challenges – Stretch your comfort zone and take on new opportunities. Whether tackling a complex project or learning a new skill, practice stepping into the unknown to spark innovation and cultivate resilience.

  • Skill Acquisition Challenges: Identify a skill or topic slightly outside your current expertise and dedicate weekly time to learning and mastering it.
  • Volunteer for New Projects: Offer to take on work projects requiring skills you could further develop. This approach challenges you to adapt and learn on the job.
  • Join a Learning Community: Join a group or community centred around a new skill or interest. Engaging with others provides support and encouragement as you navigate challenges together.
  • Daily Challenge List: Create a daily or weekly list of tiny challenges to overcome personally and professionally. Gradually increase the difficulty as you build confidence.
  • Attend Workshops or Webinars: Enroll in workshops or webinars related to your field of interest. These structured learning environments provide new challenges and opportunities for growth.

Celebrate process efforts – Focus on the process and celebrate effort along the way. Rather than solely fixating on results, celebrate victories, acknowledge challenges overcome, and enjoy the process of each stage in your learning experience.

  • Reflection Journal: Maintain a journal where you reflect on the progress and efforts you put into your projects. Celebrate the small wins and milestones.
  • Recognition Board: Create a visual board highlighting achievements, completed tasks, and the effort invested. Display it prominently as a daily reminder of your growth journey.
  • Peer Acknowledgment: Share your achievements and efforts with colleagues or friends. Allow them to acknowledge and celebrate your progress with you.
  • Regular Check-ins: Set aside regular time intervals to assess your progress and acknowledge the effort you’ve put into your ongoing projects.
  • Celebrate Learning Moments: Every time you learn something new, take a moment to appreciate the process. Use things as simple as a mental acknowledgment or a small treat to yourself.

Reframe failure as fuel. Seek feedback and embrace mistakes for valuable input. Embrace failure not as a dead end but as a valuable opportunity to gather new input and use this feedback as a stepping stone toward improvement. 

  • Feedback Request Ritual: Make it a habit to seek feedback on your work. Create a routine of asking colleagues, mentors, or supervisors for input.
  • Failure Journal: Keep a journal specifically for recording and analysing failures. Document what went wrong, what you learned, and how to apply these lessons.
  • Mistake-Driven Improvement Plan: Develop an improvement plan based on your mistakes. Outline actionable steps to address each error and turn them into opportunities for growth.
  • Celebrate Learning Opportunities: Cultivate a mindset that sees mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. When faced with a setback, focus on what you can learn from the experience.
  • Share Your Failures: Discuss your failures and the lessons learned with your peers or teammates. This approach reduces stigma and contributes to a culture of continuous improvement.

Reflect and reset – Reflect on your experience and adapt your learning approach. Take note of your successes and setbacks. Use this self-awareness to form new, challenging process goals that adapt to the situation and align with longer-term objectives.

  • Weekly Reflection Sessions: Dedicate time each week to reflect on your experiences. Consider what went well, what you could have done differently, and how to apply these insights.
  • Goal Reassessment: Regularly reassess your goals, both short-term and long-term. Ensure they align with your evolving skills, interests, and the changing situational landscape.
  • Feedback Integration: Actively incorporate feedback received into your reflection process. Use it as a guide for setting new goals and adjusting your learning approach.
  • Learning Journal: Keep a learning journal to document your successes and failures and your evolving thoughts and strategies for improvement.
  • Adaptability Mindset: Cultivate an adaptability mindset, acknowledging that circumstances and goals may change. Embrace the flexibility to adjust your approach as needed.

Upgrade your self-talk – Change how you talk to yourself by swapping out negative thoughts with positive, growth-focused statements. Make these affirmations a daily habit to foster a mindset that values progress and ongoing development.

  • Add a ‘yet’: Introduce “yet” to your negative statements to imply a growth potential. For instance, replace “I don’t understand this” with “I don’t understand this yet,” emphasising a learning process.
  • Craft Supportive Surroundings: Enhance your environment by placing uplifting sticky notes in visible spots like your workspace or mirror. Also, cultivate a supportive atmosphere by discussing your development goals with a friend or colleague, promoting positive self-talk.
  • Narrate Your Progress: Practice narrating your progress. Share your achievements and learning experiences as if you were telling a story, emphasising the journey and growth involved.
  • Reframe Your Dialogue: When you catch yourself in negative self-talk, reframe it as a dialogue with a mentor or friend. Imagine their supportive response, guiding you towards solutions and highlighting the learning opportunities within challenges.
  • Question Negative Assumptions: Actively question the assumptions underlying negative thoughts. When you encounter self-doubt, ask yourself why you feel that way and challenge the validity of those assumptions, creating room for alternative perspectives.

Use these practices individually or with others to help develop your growth mindset.

Getting started with these tactics can take as little as 5 minutes.

You don’t need any resources, but it can be helpful to note your ideas.

Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and cultivate positive self-talk to unleash your growth potential.

To find out more about nurturing growth mindset reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Photo by Francesco Gallarotti on Unsplash


 

learning & change

Empathy Mapping

Empathy mapping is a visual tool that helps build shared understanding around stakeholders’ activities, aspirations and frustrations concerning a particular situation or issue. It is helpful in the discovery phase of a collaborative design project as it helps build empathy across the various stakeholder groups involved. At the same time, participants surface and synthesise vital insights, which can inform the subsequent design approach.

1. Introduce the process: Explain the empathy mapping process to your team and provide the necessary materials, such as empathy map templates, sticky notes, and markers. Encourage your team to approach the process with an open mind and a willingness to understand the stakeholders’ perspectives.

2. Surface the personas: Provide participants with a persona to focus on. Explain that a persona is a character sketch that acts as a rough approximation of a population segment you are designing for. Work with the group to create some personas filling in basic demographics such as name, role, age, background etc.

3. Fill in the template: Invite participants to imagine what life might be like for our allocated persona relating to the topic. Have them work through the template’s questions, capture their ideas on sticky notes, and place them in the appropriate section of the empathy map. 

Tasks – Consider the main activities that take up your personas’ time, energy and focus. What kinds of things are they working on getting done? These can be directly related to the focus question or be more broadly related to their life in general.

Aspirations – Consider all the reasons why your persona would want to engage with the provision. What would they be hoping to get out of it? What do they generally want from their lives more broadly? What is most important to them?

Frustrations – Consider the things that get in their way as they do their tasks. What obstacles do they hit? What pain do they feel? What situations cause them the most stress and anxiety?

4. Create user stories: Once groups have captured a bunch of tasks, aspirations and frustrations, invite them to summarise their insights. Have them create a couple of user stories by filling in the blanks in the following sentence: As a [persona type], I want to [task] because [aspiration], but [frustration].

5. Debrief and synthesise insights: Once your team has completed the empathy mapping process for all personas, share the user stories, debrief and synthesise the insights. Look for common themes and patterns, and use these insights to inform your design approach.

Empathy mapping is a powerful tool to inform your design approach. Consider how you can address your stakeholders’ needs, emotions, and behaviours in your design solution. Use the empathy maps as a reference throughout the design process to ensure your solution remains user-centred.

Click here for an Empathy Map template.

To find out more about how to up skill your leaders in leading collaborative design or for support with your next codesign project, reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash


 
Standalone Posters
Distill an idea into a clear and concise concept for prototyping using a standalone visual.
 
Experience Mapping
Visualise the stakeholder experience to distil your design focus.
 
Like, Wish and Wonder
Use the Like, Wish and Wonder feedback scaffold to gather comments and questions in an easy to analyse format.
 
Surface Assumptions
Consciously surface assumptions about design feasibility, viability and desirability.