Wicked Questions
Wicked Questions helps groups identify and articulate the paradoxical challenges they face, fostering deeper strategic thinking and revealing hidden opportunities. By exploring seemingly opposing forces, teams can move beyond simplistic 'either-or' thinking and develop more nuanced and innovative solutions.
Use this method when a team is stuck in unproductive debates, facing complex challenges with no easy answers, or needs to develop a more comprehensive understanding of their situation.
Solves: Binary thinking, 'Yes, but...' responses, inability to see multiple perspectives, strategic misalignment
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Step 1: Introduce the concept of Wicked Questions and paradox, providing a few examples. (5 min)
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Step 2: Present the template: 'How is it that we are… and we are… simultaneously?' Have each participant individually generate pairs of opposites relevant to their work. (5 min)
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Step 3: In small groups (4-6 people), have each group select its most impactful Wicked Question. (5 min)
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Step 4: Share all selected Wicked Questions with the whole group. Facilitate a discussion to identify the most powerful questions and refine them further. (10 min)
- Emphasize that both sides of the paradox should be expressed in an appreciative, non-judgmental way.
- Use diverse examples to illustrate the concept of paradoxical attributes.
- Encourage participants to draw on their own experiences when formulating questions.
- Use Wicked Questions to evaluate and launch Improv Prototyping, Ecocycle Planning, or 25/10 Crowd Sourcing.
- Follow up with 15% Solutions and 1-2-4-All to generate and sift ideas related to the Wicked Questions.