Liberating the Structures: Troika Consulting

?? Dutch version: https://deworkshopper.nl/liberating-structures/troika-consulting/

Facilitator difficulty: easy
Participant difficulty: easy
Time required: 10-30 minutes        

Troika Consulting is one of the most effective and widely used microstructures in the Liberating Structures family. It enables individuals to receive immediate feedback and fresh perspectives on challenges they face by leveraging the collective wisdom of their peers. The process is simple, fast, and engaging, making it a valuable tool for coaches, teams, guilds, trainings, workshops, and problem-solving sessions.

How to facilitate Troika Consulting

Step 1: Identify a challenge (1 minute)

Each participant reflects silently on a challenge they are currently facing and would like input on. This could be a work-related issue, a project roadblock, or a professional dilemma.

Step 2: Form groups of three (1 minute)

Participants organize themselves into groups of three. If needed, groups of four can be used, though this slightly alters the dynamic.

Step 3: Client shares their challenge (1-2 minutes)

One participant takes the role of the “client” and shares their challenge with the other two, who act as “consultants.” The consultants listen actively without offering solutions at this stage.

Step 4: Consultants ask clarifying questions (1-2 minutes)

The consultants ask open-ended questions to better understand the challenge. The goal is to refine the problem statement and uncover deeper insights.

Step 5: Client turns away (4-5 minutes)

The client physically turns their back (or mutes their microphone in a virtual setting) while the consultants discuss potential solutions, insights, and alternative approaches. The client listens silently and takes notes.

Step 6: Client reflects on key takeaways (1-2 minutes)

The client turns back around and shares what they found most valuable from the discussion. The process then repeats with a new client until all group members have had a turn.

The benefits of Troika Consulting

• Flexibility: Can be adapted for various purposes, from problem-solving to feedback gathering, across diverse settings.
• Encourages peer-to-peer learning: Participants learn from each other’s experiences and expertise, sparking fresh insights, which leads to innovative solutions.
• Provides immediate feedback: Clients receive fresh insights and actionable advice quickly.
• Enhances listening skills: Consultants practice active listening and asking better questions.
• Builds trust and collaboration: The structure fosters mutual support and strengthens relationships within teams.
• Reduces defensiveness: The physical act of turning away helps clients listen without feeling pressured to respond.
• Creates a safe space for exploration: The structured process fosters an inclusive and open environment where all participants feel comfortable expressing their ideas, which allows for open and candid discussions.
• Efficient use of time: Time-boxed segments keep discussions focused and productive, making it ideal for quick and effective sessions.

Use cases and tweaks for Troika Consulting

• Retrospectives and evaluations: Helps teams reflect on challenges and generate new solutions collaboratively.
• Workshops and training: Enhances learning and participation in workshops by encouraging knowledge-sharing among participants.
• Employee assessment: Allows an employee to identify improvement areas that enable advancement of the employee’s career.
• Leadership development: Supports decision-making and strategic thinking among leaders.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Fosters problem-solving across different departments or disciplines.
• Informal coaching conversations: Facilitates self-exploration and drive meaningful change.
• Remote team engagement: Works effectively in virtual settings with breakout rooms and webcams, where clients turn off their cameras and mute themselves to replicate the turning-away effect.
• Pre-conference networking: A great icebreaker activity that quickly builds connections.
• Asynchronous adaptation: Participants can submit challenges in advance, and consultants provide recorded or written feedback.
• Follow up with another Liberating Structure: Follow up with another Liberating Structure to further define one of the offered solutions with the entire group.

Tips for facilitating Troika Consulting

• Encourage diverse group formation: Mixing participants with different backgrounds leads to richer discussions.
• Clarify roles at the beginning: Ensure that all participants understand their roles as clients and consultants.
• Set strict time limits: Keep each round moving to maintain energy and focus.
• Emphasize active listening: Consultants should focus on understanding before suggesting solutions.
• Discourage direct advice: Encourage consultants to ask powerful questions rather than offering immediate solutions.
• Play sound for transitions: Use a bell or other auditory signal, like tingsha, to announce the start of a new step or round, helping to keep the activity on track without over-explaining. Certainly, when facilitating to several groups in parallel.

·??????? Limit the number of rounds: When time is a constraint or there are less cases to discuss, start with the most urgent case and stop after the first or second round.

• Facilitate reflection afterward: When working with multiple groups, ask the clients to present their challenge and insights in a group discussion to facilitate cross-pollination and spark new ideas with others.

Learn more about Troika Consulting and Liberating Structures

As this Liberating Structure is easy to facilitate, it is a matter of learning by doing. If you need help to incorporate it into a larger meeting structure, I’m happy to help prepare and set it up!

If you are curious about Liberating Structures in general and would like to experience the structures firsthand, check out our Training page for learning possibilities. A simple workshop is quickly organized.

This structure is one of many available in the Liberating Structures family.

Liberating structures was developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless.