My wife Stephanie shared with me an idea she recently had. I’m embarrassed to say my initial reaction wasn’t an enthusiast yes. You see, Stephanie is pregnant with our third child. She found out the gender on Monday morning but she had the ultrasound tech jot it down on a piece of paper she then [...]
Validation
First, what validation isn’t It’s not testing an idea to see if it is valid or will sell or resolve a problem. It’s at the other end of the process. It’s getting a real understanding of the question you are addressing. It’s getting “street smart” – getting the flavor and texture of what it is [...]
What To Do When Your Group Size Is More Than Ideal
You’ll recall from your Compression Planning Institute that we suggest you work with smaller groups when getting started. Large groups have their own unique dynamics and challenges and can be tough to deal with while you are still getting grounded in the basics. Once you get comfortable with your CP design and facilitation skills, you [...]
Brainstorming Series: Laying the Foundation for Rich Ideas
There are three “foundational aspects” that need to be present to have a good ideation session in Compression Planning. You must have the right players present. This seems obvious but it often isn’t. If you have a need for an ideation session with the Marketing Department, most sessions will be made up of “marketing people.” [...]
Brainstorming Series: Getting Your Ideas To “Pop”
Most ideas aren’t ideas…they are the “kernels” of ideas that still need to be popped. So, how do you get you beyond the useless output of typical Brainstorming sessions? In Compression Planning it’s simple. You “Churn” the ideas. But what exactly does “Churn” mean? You know you have a “churned idea” when it has been [...]
Brainstorming Series: Why You Should Never Brainstorm
When I say Brainstorming, people already have a concept of what I am talking about. “Labels” allow us to quickly understand a new concept and make it immediately relevant. You’ve probably participated in many idea generation sessions you’d call “Brainstorming.” The process for generating and developing ideas in Compression Planning is called “Churning” – like [...]
“Stuff” My Dad Taught Me: A Father’s Day Thanks To Jerry McNellis
My dad has saved me tens of thousands of dollars since I’ve become an adult. He helped Stephanie and I remodel our kitchen when we purchased our 96 year old house 11 years ago. Since then he has also helped with the following house projects: Installing a French Drain A complete remodel of a bathroom [...]
Effectively Leading Groups: The Invisible Facilitator
Someone observed recently that I was invisible as a facilitator in their session. I appreciated the comment because it told me I was doing my job – that is, being helpful without intruding. That started me thinking about how often facilitators get into the fun of Compression Planning and forget the client’s agenda. Our job [...]
Do You Need To Be ‘Content Neutral’ To Be An Effective Facilitator?
Turns out you CAN facilitate your own Topic! By Pat McNellis For years there has been an “Urban Legend” going around that you shouldn’t facilitate your own topic. You need someone without a vested interest in the subject matter. Hogwash…in 9 out of 10 cases. It’s not a matter of can, it’s a matter [...]
How Acroynms Can Derail Decision Making
XYZ…PDQ Acronyms…they start at such an early age and are a part of our culture – personal and professional. Everyone faces acronyms. Absolutely everyone. You can count on it. And they can drive members of your Compression Planning® (CP) sessions nuts. Most CP sessions have people from many disciplines including both inside and outside the [...]
