The Time to Think Council is a group coaching application which foregrounds the component of diversity (now called ‘difference’ in Nancy Kline’s latest book)* Of course, all ten components are present; following the rules of the application holds them in place. But diversity/difference is sought by the presenter, who has brought to the Council an issue on which they are stuck.
Essentially, the Council is three Thinking Environment rounds, closely facilitated, returning between each to the presenter for their freshest thinking. It is the only application of a Thinking Environment which builds in a note-taking process. At the end of the Council, the presenter has a diversity of ideas (not advice, not guidance), plus a written account of appreciation, to strengthen them in taking their next move.
Typically, the Time to Think Council takes about 40 minutes (though as with all applications, participants share responsibility for bringing it home in time). I works well with 8-12 people, 16 as a maximum and 6 as a lower limit (although I have done beautiful Councils with just three of us).
The Council enables the presenter to do their best, freshest thinking, in the presence of generative attention from others. It also brings in diverse perspectives from the room.
*I’ll be working through what I think about that in an Ideas Room soon.
Lou Mycroft - writing, thinking, culture changing 