Introduction to concept
carried out by the mentors. Facilitation is, in this context, understood as a way of reducing complexity, enabling the mentee to see new opportunities, making decisions and taking action.
The design tools help the co- creation processes to move forward in an empathic way, where we benefit from each other using a shared language. Sometimes it might be an idea to separate leaders and employees when you work with a tool, and after the separated session get together and listen to each other, so that we ensure an open explorative mindset where leaders are not ’controlling’ the thinking of the employees.
When we talk about “tools” in the project, we refer to a wide range of design-based methods and techniques that can help us achieve the goal of the project, which is to empower business owners to manage their crisis, clarify their future and increase their potential for innovation.
MINDSET
None of these tools hold “the truth” and provides no magical cure. They are meant to help the mentors build their capacity for coaching, conversation, facilitation and innovation with the mentees. This, in turn, will allow them to empower the business owner.
Mindset In the following section, facilitation tips, we present Each tool will have the biggest impact if the people a collection of more concrete suggestions for involved have the ‘right’ common mindset when facilitating these tools to harness their full potential. they work together. As a mentor/facilitator of the meeting you have to choose which mindset that is most appropriate according to the purpose of tool FACILITATION TIPS and context you work in. At the most basic level The tools in the concept framework are this relates to the “closed” and “open” modes of accompanied by a few facilitation tips. These should design thinking. Closed mode is analysing ‘WHAT be a helping hand for the mentor in preparing and IS’ by looking at the current business and situation. facilitating a specific session with the business owner. When we work in a closed mode, we are thinking analytic, structured, logical, using the left side of Below is a short, general description of the categories our brain. Open mode is when we are exploring we use: new opportunities on ‘WHAT MIGHT BE’ looking forward for changes and possibilities in the future. Here we use the right side of our brain, involving CO-CREATE intuition, experiencing, sensing, making. REVISIT Co-create Often it is good to apply the tools in a wider social context than just the mentor and the mentee, potentially involving colleagues, employees, external partners and end users. Thereby you ensure diversity in the thinking which add different perspectives and helps innovation on its way. Especially for a company owner in a crisis he/she is often ’locked’ in a specific understanding of the situation and will be positively surprised to hear other people’s perspectives.
Revisit Most tools should be considered part of an ongoing development process where you revisit and potentially revise your earlier decisions and solutions. Thereby you can continually adapt your company strategy to changing circumstances.
11
