Reflective interviews
to understand employee motivation
Transformations often fail because they lack a deep understanding of what experiences
influence employee buy-in. Reflective interviews or focus groups with employees in varous
roles give you insight into how employee experiences affect their motivation and tendency to
speak up. The questions in these reflections draw on cognitive and organisational psychology
▾.
Cognitive and organisational psychology explore how people think, feel, and act within
a work setting. I uncover what influences motivation, engagement, and collaboration by
understanding individual thought processes (cognitive) and the broader workplace context
(organisational).
Besides resulting in a status quo report describing factors currently
influencing motivation and voice tendency with various paths forward, these insights can
inform a tailored workshop to co-create an environment supportive of change.
Design workshops
to enhance creative capabilities
Design workshops foster trust among diverse participants and encourage creative thinking - a
key benefit for leadership. While addressing a relevant issue, workshops also equip
employees with communication and design thinking capabilities that are applicable in their
daily work
▾.
Design Thinking combines strategic with creative thinking to understand the context,
explore conflicting needs, and accurately define core challenges within an organisation.
Taking time to identify the right problem not only saves resources but also reveals
opportunities for lasting impact. Putting human experiences first, design thinking leads
to more effective, relevant, and impactful outcomes. Additionally, design methods
actively counter
cognitive biases that often hinder transformation.
I curate a psychologically safe environment in which the day-to-day work hierarchies and
dynamics fade to the background. This enables participants to craft creative collaboration
plans using futures thinking tools
▾.
Futures thinking expands participants' view beyond immediate concerns, allowing them to
anticipate diverse scenarios and long-term possibilities. It encourages to imagine
multiple futures and work backwards to identify necessary actions today, rather than
simply reacting to current trends. This mindset shifts participants from short-term
solutions to visionary thinking, enabling them to develop innovative responses to
complex issues. Futures thinking helps employees challenge assumptions, break free of
habits, and participate in shaping the future of your organisation.
While exploring avenues to a more open and innovative working culture, participants identify
and challenge biases from old ways of working in reflexive exercises. Participants create
organisational transformation scenarios leveraging insights from these reflections and
systems thinking tools
▾.
Systems thinking complements futures thinking by revealing how interconnected elements
(people, processes, norms, external forces) influence each other over time. Together,
they help participants anticipate unintended consequences, and design interventions that
adapt to changing conditions. Rather than reacting to one-off events, your
organisation's employees learn to see the bigger picture and create purposeful,
future-oriented actions.
Usually, workshops include methods leveraging a combination of the above-mentioned tools.
After each workshop, I share all workshop materials (slides, templates, etc.), and a
workshop summary report describing the creations.
Individual debriefs
to strengthen self-awareness
One-on-one debriefs after workshops or coaching sessions focus on professional development, tapping into cognitive psychology ▾. Cognitive psychology examines how people perceive, think, and remember, offering vital insights into learning and decision-making. In these debriefs, participants recognise the mental shortcuts or biases that might have influenced their problem-solving. By discussing the highs, lows, and cognitive biases, your organisation's employees gain self-awareness and the tools to shift unhelpful thinking patterns. Reflecting on cognitive processes also supports a growth mindset, turning challenges into opportunities for learning. Consequently, your organisation is better equipped for a culture shift towards a more open and innovative work environment.
Coaching
to ensure lasting change
Real change happens in daily practice outside the confined workshop space. To ensure that the design thinking practices and developed solution ideas align with employees' day-to-day realities, we leverage organisational psychology principles ▾. Organisational psychology is the science of how people behave, think, and feel at work. By applying its principles to real-world contexts, we uncover hidden barriers such as deeply ingrained norms or imbalanced power dynamics that can undermine even the best ideas. Through the coaching, your organisation's employees learn to adopt new habits, challenge outdated assumptions, and co-create supportive environments. Participants develop personal action plans that describe their unique capabilities to lead change. Ultimately, supporting organisational psychology paves the way for an innovative and collaborative working culture.