Level Up Your Leadership Skills with Empathy Maps and Focused Interviews
It’s time to ⬆ level up ⬆ your leadership game from blah to badass.
In video games, as in life, you often find yourself working with a group where everyone has their special skills, needs, goals, and areas for improvement.
Your mission as a badass leader? To unite them into an unstoppable party where everyone plays to their strengths and the team's synergy means you can take on the final boss without breaking a sweat. No more missing out on side quests and all that sweet, sweet loot because of miscommunication and employee disengagement. I'm talking about powering up from an average, blah manager to a legendary leadership badass. So, pull out your Empathy Map, generate your focus(ed interviewing), and let's press "Play."
Navigating with Empathy Mapping
Empathy mapping is like unlocking a next-level of understanding of your team members. It’s not just about defeating the daily dragons of deadlines and meetings; it’s about understanding the players behind the characters.
Ready, Set, Map!
A simple version of an empathy map.
Boot up Your System: Grab a whiteboard or digital app, divide your playing field into four quadrants, and label the quadrants 'Thinks,' 'Feels,' ' Says,' and 'Does.'
Gather Your Party: Assemble your team for a co-op session. Make it clear that this is a safe space—think of it as your team’s guild hall or camp.
Select Your Quest: Explain to your team that you are creating a guidebook that will help you help them reach their potential, unlock new skill trees, and overcome obstacles blocking their path. Have to team select an obstacle or challenge that is preventing them from reaching their true potential and write that across the top of the map.
Multiplayer Mode: Let the group know that their feedback is invaluable and that every one of them has an important perspective to contribute. After all - you can't tackle the end game without a healer to support your tank and glass cannon!
Enter the Gameplay: Have every team member drop their notes on the board. Share insights and power-ups. - Thinks: What’s their internal monologue when they’re in the thick of it? - Says: What dialogue lines do they drop about the situation? Who are they talking to? - Does: What moves are they pulling off when they engage in quests? - Feels: What’s the mood in their status bar? Are they feeling buffed or do they need a potion?
Spot the Easter Eggs: Look for hidden clues that might tell you where your team's inclusivity level needs a boost. You can do this through an affinity mapping exercise.
Plan Your Strategy: Like a post-battle analysis, decide on your next moves. What upgrades can you make to ensure everyone’s skills synergize to create a massive impact? Remember - without follow-up, you'll lose your companions' respect. Lose enough of it, and they may leave and join another guild!
A businesswoman interviewing a warrior-mage.
Discovering Companion Quests with Focused Interviews
Think of focused interviews as your companion quests that reveal the main storyline of each team member’s experience. These one-on-ones are like those deep lore conversations with NPCs that you don’t want to skip.
Questing for Insights
Draft Your Dialogue: No canned NPC lines here; ask powerful, open-ended questions that spark real talk.
Active Listening Skill Tree: Level up your active listening skills to unlock deeper dialogue options.
Dig Deeper: Use those follow-up questions to uncover the hidden backstories and motivations of your team.
Keep a Codex: Chronicle the insights you gain like they’re rare lore entries. There's nothing worse than forgetting that one piece of dialog that could have prevented a "Game Over" screen.
Sworn to Secrecy: Ensure your teammates' input is as confidential as a stealth mission.
Combining Your Inventory
Now it’s time to combine your loot from empathy maps and interviews. Cross-reference the intel you’ve gathered and use it to craft a master plan. Like combining items to craft a legendary weapon, these insights will help you forge a more inclusive environment.
Powering up your team’s inclusivity isn’t a mini-game; it’s the main campaign. And just like in video games, there are always new levels to explore and monsters to defeat. Keep your empathy maps and interview skills sharp, and you’ll be ready for whatever the game throws at you.
Unlock Achievements with Human-Centered Success
So, are you ready to transform from a simple quest-giver into a legendary leader? If you're itching to start but need a walkthrough, DM me (no - not Dungeon Master but Direct Message) or schedule an appointment. Think of me as your co-op partner in the realm of inclusive leadership, equipped with design thinking strategies that’ll have your team leveling up faster than you can say “achievement unlocked.”
If you’re all about turning your team into heroes in their own epic tale, it’s time to plug in and play. Connect with me to spawn the ultimate inclusive team. Let’s make this playthrough legendary! 🎮🌟