I’ve been running an accessible programme to provide more people with experience of different facilitation methods and techniques, including many liberating structures. This week a participant remarked in response to Troika consulting “I noticed that it was really hard not being able to rely on people’s facial expressions and was really conscious that I might not know if I’ve offended the listener” and I joked “Welcome to the brain of an autistic person”.
As an autistic person who struggles to read people, I find troika consulting is incredibly neuroinclusive because it does away with the unwritten rules of what is socially acceptable and creates clear boundaries between the roles people are playing. There are 3 core aspects to it:
One person (person A) shares a challenge or problem they have for 1-2 minutes
Person A then turns of their mic and camera (or turns their back if in person) and the other two people discuss the challenge or problem together for 5-7 minutes
Person A then returns to the pair to share what was useful about what they heard
But that small set of instructions are hugely powerful. Here’s what it enables in my experience:
Self-awareness
When we can no longer rely on cues from others around how they are responding to our suggestions or ideas, I believe it actually encourages us to be more aware and thoughtful of what we are saying. In my experience people say much more flippant things when they know the other person can say something back to them.
In addition the listener can really tune into what they are feeling in response to what they are hearing from the others, rather than using their capacity on responding, affirming, or correcting other people’s thinking which is what most people would be doing when in a dialogue. One participant said the other day that they felt really reactionary to something someone had suggested, but even though it was not the answer they were looking for, noticing that response in their body is still wisdom that’s useful for them as they think about the next steps with their challenge.
Space to venture beyond parameters
What’s more is when the recipient of the advice or ideas can’t respond it forces them to really listen to the places the other two go with the challenge. And it gives space to the people exploring the challenge to ask questions and propose things they might not have otherwise. All too often an affirming ‘yes exactly’ will make someone want to lean into a particular idea more, or a ‘no you’ve misunderstood’ will make someone retreat from the place their ideas where heading. Without that feedback it allows people’s brains to wander and to venture into perspectives that a more active participation from the recipient might have otherwise shut down.
Disruption of potential power dynamics
In addition, the desire to say what someone wants to hear or expects to hear is stronger when there’s a power dynamic present. I still remember when I was involved in a recruitment as a junior product manager and when I learned that my boss had scored a candidate very differently to me I assumed I must’ve been missing something and adjusted my scores to be in more alignment to him. But later on in my career I realised I’d simply assimilated into homogenous thought due to the power dynamics at play and wanting to not be perceived as ‘wrong’ or ‘ignorant’ for holding certain beliefs and perspectives. We lack diversity of thought in so many situations because of this same fear. This is perpetuated by the fact many leaders speak as if their idea or perspective is the ultimate truth, so getting those leaders to enter into a troika consulting dynamic where they are asking others for input on a challenge and sitting back to really listen disrupts this pattern of behaviour.
If you want an opportunity to try out Troika consulting in a welcoming environment sign up to my next holding space series or join this workshop on Power and positionality.