Jumpstarting Discussions Model

Good morning.
"And the beat goes on................"

There is a game on the internet that is gaining traction.  No, not Pokemon Go.  Meant to be fun, and maybe make you laugh, if not guffaw. Simple and silly.  You fill in the blanks for four words to describe:

How to Ruin A First Date.  
_______   _______     ______    _______

As in:   OH, THERE'S MY EX

Or:   MY RASH IS GETTING BETTER

YOU LOOK ALMOST HEALTHY

LOAN ME FIFTY DOLLARS

ALIENS ONCE ABDUCTED ME

A JOB ISN'T IMPORTANT

You get the idea.  It's endless.

And you can use any question.

I thought the game could be played in the arts, but with a more meaningful purpose -- to actually stimulate some thinking on some of our big challenges; a way to jumpstart conversations and get us into the mentality of asking some probative questions. An ice-breaker, designed to encourage a focus during a subsequent conversation.   Call it The Four Word Group Think or something.....

So:  How Do We Increase Public Valuation? might yield answers like these:

FOCUS ON KIDS FIRST

MAKE THE ECONOMIC LINK

ENOUGH ECONOMIC ARGUMENTS ALREADY

EMPHASIZE THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION

MAKE RELEVANCY THE PRIORITY

IMPLEMENT PUBLIC MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

PLACEMAKING AT THE CORE


OR:  Why Are Our Audiences Declining?  might produce answers like these:

THE CONTENT IS IRRELEVANT

THE COSTS ARE TOO HIGH

THE HOURS ARE INCONVENIENT

IT'S A BIG HASSLE

I'VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE

WHEN IS IT PLAYING?

OR:  How do we jumpstart equity in the Arts? with these answers possible:

MORE MONEY TO MULTICULTURALS

MORE ACTION, LESS TALK

DIVERSIFY STAFFS AND BOARDS

IDENTIFY STRUCTURAL RACISM POLICIES

ELIMINATE STUCTURAL RACIST POLICIES

SHIFT PHILANTHROPIC DOLLAR CONTROL

JETTISON "UNDERSERVED" "AT-RISK" TERMINOLOGY

MORE TRAINING FOR EVERYBODY

The answers might vary widely depending on the question asked and of whom.  As a tool this might be valuable to use at staff meetings, retreats, conferences, panel sessions, summits et. al. to address almost any issue and to get people involved.  It requires answers that are succinct and to the point, bans long winded analysis at the outset, and it allows for thinking that can be discussed, agreed or disagreed with, and invites subsequent deeper analysis.  It's just a new way to consider old challenges; one that lends itself to varied Step 2 processes and protocols - by breaking into smaller groups, narrowing the discussion to one or two responses, seeking expanded ideas, suggesting further research  etc.  Anything that fosters new thinking or new approaches seems to me of value, as we tend to get mired down in the same kinds of approaches and discussions, using the same tired tools and protocols, for too long. And, as a consequence, we get stuck.

So one question might be:

How do we get ourselves unstuck and moving again?

TRY NEW DIFFERENT APPROACHES


Have a great day.

Don't Quit
Barry