Menu

The Influence workshop focuses on using holistic thinking, strategic positioning, and empathetic storytelling to move ideas from prototype to marketplace.

Why an Influence and Impact Workshop?

Many teams struggle with getting internal traction for their ideas. This workshop takes an ethnographic approach to understanding—and adapting your messages to—the key audiences and stakeholders you need to influence. (For more on this, see: Inverting Empathy).

By applying ethnographic thinking to your workplace interactions, you will learn to frame (or reframe) complex systems, develop and share holistic perspectives, challenge assumptions, cross-pollinate ideas between differing viewpoints, broaden perspectives, and advocate for empirically-rooted points of view.

Who Should Attend?

Depending on skill level and experience, we recommend that most teams interested in this workshop first participate in our Ethnographic Thinking workshop to develop the core personal attributes and mindset for ethnographic thinking (see: I. Ethnographic Thinking Workshop). Beyond that, any team looking to increase their influence will benefit from this workshop.

What’s the Schedule?

This workshop consists of three sessions. Duration, timing, and content can be tailored to the specific needs of each team.

 

SESSION 1: ANALYZING HOLISTICALLY

Framing:

  • Wicked Problems and Ethnographic Thinking

Exercise:

  • Sketch it Out: Creating Visual Frameworks of Complex Systems
  • Share-out, Challenges, Reflections

Looking Ahead:

  • Cultural Constellations and Re-Imagining Systems

 

SESSION 2: SITUATING STRATEGICALLY

Framing:

  • “Audience-ing” Insights: Redefining Contexts and Unearthing Commonalities

Exercise:

  • Looking In: Identifying Promising Pathways and Potential Road-blocks
  • Share-out, Challenges, Reflections

Looking Ahead:

  • Great Ideas with Nowhere to Go

 

SESSION 3: STORYTELLING EMPATHICALLY

Framing:

  • Optimizing Stories: Scanning for Opportunities and Leveraging Metaphor

Exercise:

  • Story Experiments: Adapting Your Narrative (e.g., elevator pitch, water-cooler chat, build a case)
  • Share-out, Challenges, Reflections

Looking Ahead:

  • Influence and Inspiration: Next-level Storytelling

 

What are the Details?

Pricing is per seat and varies depending on location, venue, and other factors. Feel free to get in touch with any questions by using our contact form.