Scenario: Two owners (2026)
You have two problem owners for your project. You assume that the problem owners have coordinated the presentation of the problem for the kickoff session. As soon as one starts to present the problem the other interrupts with a very different view of the problem.
Scenario: The boss (2025)
The team consists of a vice president and four of his reports. One of the reports asks a question and the vice president asks – “Why did you ask that?”, The Vice president than asks a question that a team member than asks – “Why did YOU ask that?” – their tone makes it clear that they are retaliating for the boss having questioned someone’s question.
Scenario: Silo-ed Participants(2025)
Each member of the team is focused on their own line of questioning. This becomes particularly clear when participants start asking questions they have asked multiple times.
Scenario: Extended break(2025)
The team agreed to a 15 minute break, its 30 minutes before you get everyone back in the room and ready to restart.
Scenario: Wow(2025)
At the end of the session when you ask the team members what they will take back with them, one of the participants says – we are already seeing a shift in how we work together. It’s amazing – people are making sure they understand the problem before jumping to solutions, they are asking powerful curious questions, and they are taking time to really listen to each other.
Scenario: Idiot(2025)
A member of the team asks another in an angry voice , “How can you be such an idiot?”
Scenario: No Offense(2025)
A team member says something very offensive followed by no offense
Scenario: Firing Line(2025)
Firing Line
Scenario: New tool(2025)
You recently attended training and learned a new way of doing root cause analysis. You know if you share this with the team they will be able to identify the real problem much quicker.
Scenario: Empty toolbox(2025)
The team is not utilizing any tools for problem solving other than Action Learning.