Social conflicts, soporific meetings, misunderstood decisions, disengagement of employees, loss of meaning, feeling of exclusion from one's own team... What if something no longer works in the way of working together? For François Fort, who runs official Scrum.org training courses, liberating structures have a special place among the tools that allow teams to find concrete and effective solutions to their challenges on their own.
“The joy expressed by the teams who use the liberating structures is a constantly renewed surprise. »
What are liberating structures?
Developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless in the 1990s, liberating structures are a set of techniques for group facilitation. They aim to promote the inclusion, commitment and creativity of all members of a team or group. In other words, it is about replacing or enriching traditional group management structures – such as meetings, static presentations and decision-making – which tend to exclude some people and inhibit participation and innovation .
33 different liberating structures
There are 33 of them, each liberating structures has a specific objective and format. Some aim to encourage discussion and the exchange of ideas. Others help with group decision-making or complex problem solving. We always find one adapted to the challenges of the moment!
For example:
Each of the 33 liberating structures is called a microstructure. Used separately, microstructures already provide value. But, most of the time, it is when they are assembled together within a chain that they deploy their full potential to support, create and fuel a flow of engaging interactions within groups.
Practical immersion in liberating structures
Participating in one or more liberating structures allows you to have a good idea of how to benefit another group. Indeed, liberating structures are simple and easy to learn.
1-2-4-All
This liberating structure makes possible the simultaneous engagement of participants in a group to generate questions, ideas or suggestions. Versatile, 1-2-4-All is very useful for making a decision, solving a problem or even revisiting an event.
Manual :
1. Share a question or issue.
2. Alone (1 minute): Invite participants to think individually and silently about this question. Take notes, for example in the form of an idea via Post-it.
3. In pairs (2 minutes): Ask participants to form pairs and generate ideas based on those from self-reflection.
4. Four (4 minutes): Ask the pairs to join another pair (groups of 4) and develop the ideas generated previously. Some can be abandoned, others clarified or expanded.
5. All: Invite each group of 4 to share, among their work, what matters most to them. These elements serve as cardinal points for a broader and peaceful discussion, because everyone was able to express themselves freely and know they were heard.
1-2-4-All easily associates with other microstructures. Her simplicity and his versatility are very appreciated by the teams. The fact that each participant has a preserved space, in silence, to reflect helps enrich this inclusive group activity, from the bottom up.
15 % Solution
This liberating structure is dedicated to taking action. 15 % Solution adopts this formula from Lao Tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. It is indeed common to get lost in an ambition, a project or the complexity of a subject. 15 % Solution allows you toidentify what we have the power to start here and now.
Manual :
1. Share the reason for 15 % Solution and the challenge we face.
2. Alone (5 minutes): Invite participants to individually identify their different 15 % solutions for this issue.
3. Small groups of 2 to 4 participants (3 minutes per person): Offer each participant the opportunity to present their 15 % solutions to the other members of their group.
4. Each participant (5 minutes per person): Allow each participant to benefit from advice, questions and feedback from other members of the group on their 15 % solutions previously shared.
15 % Solution offers to make big changes through small individual contributions. It is an effective solution for overcome a blocked, negative state of mind or a feeling of helplessness. It is also useful in a lean approach because it facilitates the reduction of unnecessary work. It is possible to associate it with other microstructures. In particular, Troika Consulting or Wise Crowds are good complements.
Liberating structures: popular and inclusive tools
Whatever the liberating structures used, the participants experience privileged moments, both on an individual and collective level. And they are aware that something important is happening. Virtual or in person, the emotion is there. Inhibition fades while creativity asserts itself. Included, re-engaged, participants imagine and design their own future.
“With liberating structures, participants find their rightful place: at the center of the game.”
Some notable feedback:
Virginia, during a strategy workshop with the management team: “My best experience at work ".
Kamel, during a technical architecture workshop within his company: “I had colleagues, I discovered a friend”.
Elisa, leader within an NGO: “I noticed that others also had faith in me, that we were a team”.
Thus, the pleasure of interacting with others is manifest.
We also find a notion ofpositive energy, so that Michael shared at the end of the training:
“There’s a groove, I feel so alive.”
Ultimately, whether you are a business manager, project manager, manager of a team of volunteers, IT developer, Scrum master, consultant or even teacher, liberating structures can help you restore team engagement and build in common. Inclusive and engaging, they joyfully free teams from old and suboptimal ways of doing things. Easy to learn, they are accessible to everyone and can be used freely.
