Did you experience your FLEX moments? If yes, please share it.

Raj Kaushik Markham, Ontario, Canada

Yusuke’s Flex

Context: Training of 24 middle managers from the Ministry of Power, Singapore at the d.school, Palo Alto. The trainees observed and interviewed at the Stanford Blood Bank.

Problem: The teachers asked trainees what worked and what was lacking and ought to be changed.

Response: The trainees stared at the floor as everyone suffered one painful silence after another

Rescue: A teammate Yusuke Miyashita explained that, unlike the Westerners that “I like, I wish” had been developed with, Asians were less comfortable expressing themselves freely. He suggested a small change: ask the trainee to first jot down responses first and then ask each one to read them aloud.

Result: The trainees laughed and teased each other as each read thoughtful, and even blunt, comments. A reversal of social pressure was noticed – silence became more embarrassing than speaking out.

Posted: Apr 14, 2016 10:30 PM

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Did you experience your FLEX moments? If yes, please share it.

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