Unpacking The Mindsetter Game
Oct 8, 2024
Synopsis
Annette Gray and Paut Struik’s session on the Mindsetter Game at the Unconference was designed as a dynamic and engaging way to introduce and apply solution-focused (SF) thinking in the context of sustainability. They chose to use the Mindsetter Game to facilitate discussions on how SF practitioners can integrate strategies for sustainable organisational practices. They drew particularly on Annette’s experiences in Antarctica to provide real-world examples of environmental sustainability. The Mindsetter Game, developed initially by Gesa Doringer, serves as both a teaching tool and a therapeutic intervention, promoting solution-focused approaches in various settings. In this session, Annette and Paut used the game to open discussions around the core principles of SF, such as identifying what is already working, envisioning desired changes, and understanding the concept of “leading from one step behind” within diverse professional environments. This interactive format encourages participants to reflect collaboratively on these tenets, fostering a deeper understanding and application of SF principles.
Annette and Paut focused on demonstrating how SF approaches can contribute to the sustainability of organisations across three critical areas: economic value, social impact, and environmental responsibility. Using the game to facilitate discussion and reflection, they aimed to show that sustainability initiatives, when approached through a solution-focused lens, can lead to innovative solutions that align with organisational goals while enhancing economic and social value.
The session concluded with participants identifying actionable steps towards sustainability, tailored to their specific contexts, thereby illustrating the game’s effectiveness in generating practical outcomes. The feedback highlighted the game’s flexibility and the enriching, deep conversations it spurred, proving it is a valuable method for introducing and exploring SF in various settings, including sustainability-focused discussions.
Antarctica and the Mindsetter Game
In November 2023 I went to Antarctica on a 19-day voyage with 88 other women and non-binary people from STEMM backgrounds, with Homeward Bound Projects leadership initiative. This was the last part of a year long leadership program focused on developing women in leadership, visibility, wellbeing and the ability to have a voice around climate change across the world. I have been a leadership coach on this program for the last 8 years.
During this voyage I had the opportunity to introduce these 88 women to Solution Focus. My intention was to do it in a subtle way. Fortuitously, only one week before going to Antarctica, on an SFiO Fika session, I met Gesa Döringer from Amsterdam who had developed the clever Mindsetter Game.
This provided a perfect way to do what I intended, introduce Solution Focus subtly! On the ship (plus on return via zoom) 66 of the women in total played the game.
I so enjoyed seeing the impact on these women of understanding the concepts of Solution Focus by experiencing it. Some of their insights from playing the game and my observations during were:
- “We went deep really quickly”.
- “We focused on what we wanted not what we didn’t want.”
- “Change does not need to be hard.”
- “Creating a clear preferred future makes me realise I have some of these things already.”
- A few enjoyed the game so much they actually purchased the game to use back in their work contexts.
- In less than 50 minutes people can get a real taste of Solution Focus principles.
Antarctica has had a lasting impact on me and these 88 women, with each one committing to local projects around sustainability and environmental change. In fact, the project I am a part of is supporting more Women in STEMM to progress into leadership. Everything we do now has Solution Focus tools infused in all our conversations. We have developed a Solution Focus Strategy Canvas to be clear on our Future Perfect, we use scales to determine where we are at each meeting and what progress has been made, we determine the signs we will notice when we move 1 point up the scale and each meeting is about taking very small steps as all of us are very busy!
Many of us left Antarctica with a huge appreciation for our planet. Antarctica is fragile and its weather systems link to the rest of the world. If it melts just the slightest way it will have a devastating impact on many countries. Being connected to these amazing women who are incredibly diverse, intelligent and creative as well doing incredible work around environmental change has impacted me to change the way I live such as, the way I eat (more plant based), made me more mindful on my purchasing of clothes and furniture (I make do now or buy second hand) and I use less one use plastics. I even run a Recycle Clothing Sale for my local community to donate their used clothes which we sell and donate the profit to Cancer Research. These may be small changes but if we all did it it would have big impact.
About Mindsetter (Taken from SFiO InterAction)
The Mindsetter Game© is an innovative solution-focused intervention Gesa Doringer has developed to apply the SF approach in therapy or coaching and teach it in workshops and training. Due to its size of 2x2m and being played on the floor, The Mindsetter holds space for clients and their desired future. It has also proven effective in setting the stage for new ideas and first steps towards the client’s desired outcome.
There are two versions of The Mindsetter available. The FIRST version is for teaching SF. This version facilitates active knowledge acquisition by students or practitioners learning SF or under team supervision. Practitioners invite participants to reflect on four of the basic tenets of this approach and discuss the implications of these tenets in the context of their professional environment. They do this in an SF manner:
- “What is already working?”
- “What would they like to see or do differently, and what difference would that make?”
- “What does ‘leading from one step behind’ look like in their diverse work settings?”
- “What to do if something isn’t broken, but people feel they should fix it anyway?”
Instead of a lecture, the game facilitates a collaborative and creative stance. By discussing and reflecting on the questions in small groups, players gain new insights, share sparkling moments, co-create metaphors and formulate their take-home message. And they decide on a first step towards their professional goal. So far, the training version has been applied and is well received in diverse settings, e.g., with peer-support workers, university students, workshops, training participants, and teams in various healthcare settings.
Gesa developed the SECOND version of The Mindsetter for therapy and coaching; practitioners can use it in group therapy or team settings and with individual clients. In this version, each participant starts by formulating a personal goal and defining their best hopes for how the session with The Mindsetter will help achieve that goal.
The game creates a safe space for new ideas, hope and self-confidence to flourish. In a group setting it stimulates collaboration and peer support. During the game process, each player focuses on their personal goal while moving in spirals around the four quadrants of The Mindsetter. They move through the four quadrants individually, witnessing each other’s process and progress. Answering the SF questions in each quadrant guides them to look at their goal and resources from different angles to gain new perspectives. They amplify these insights by answering aloud, sharing with and listening to each other. Quote from a participant:
