Guest Post by Eleanor Gibson, Tilt
If you’ve been in one of my workshops or if I’ve coached you, we’ve probably used a 1-10 scale. That’s because it’s super powerful. I often ask questions such as “How important is this project, on a scale of 1-10?” or “How confident are you in this idea, on a scale of 1-10?”. Putting a number next to things (however subjective) brings clarity and helps us gain perspective, prioritise and make useful comparisons.
You can use the scale too, to help your team get unstuck and step out of overwhelm. You can even use it yourself to set achievable next steps. I use it in my workshops, retrospectives and coaching sessions. Basically, All The Time.
My favourite way to use the scale is to ask “if 10 is where everything is exactly as you want it, and 1 is the worst it’s ever been, where are you now?”. Whatever number you hear in response, the goal is to focus on moving one number closer to 10. (Read more about this approach here.)
So, if I were to ask you: “On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is where everything is exactly as you want it, and 1 is the worst it’s ever been) where are you now in terms of adaptive and innovative ways of working?” What number would you choose?
“How would you know when you were one number closer to 10?”
Using the increments of scaling helps you to be a better facilitator and agile coach. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to happen to reach a 10, the people you’re working with can focus on getting one number closer to 10.
This approach:
- Breaks things down into manageable chunks
- Helps keep you focused on the next right thing
- Encourages you to test and learn your way forward.
If you enjoy using this scaling tool, then I have a hunch that you’ll get a lot out of our upcoming courses. Agile in Action guides you to adopt new ways of working and Facilitation Skills for Change Makers guides you to lead more engaging and productive meetings and workshops. Registration closes in one week, so don’t miss out!
Click on either below to find out more: