Introduction

If you’re reading this content, you’ve realized that I do weigh-in on some of my favorite ORSC tools and techniques in agile contexts. Well…

The notion of Dreaming is one of them. Mostly because of my view that we all spend far too much time on and in consensus reality. And that takes us away from the possibilities that dreaming opens for us.

Consider dreaming in an ORSC context to be the “art of the possible”, so let’s explore it a bit more…

High & Low Dream

It’s simple really. Explore with your system (a pair, group, team, or organization) the high dream that they have or had for the relationship (working as a leadership team, agile transformation, working as a Scrum team). For example—

I often get asked to coach organizations that are struggling with their implementation of agile. By the time I get involved things are usually off-the-rails a bit. People are frustrated at best and there is an overriding expectation for me to “fix things”.

One of the first things I’ve started to do, inspired by my ORSC training, is to ask about the original High Dream that everyone had that inspired their move to agile—

What was their compelling why?
What were they hoping to achieve?
What problems were they trying to solve?
What early successes drove their excitement?

Then I’ll explore the Low Dream for that time as well. (not the current state, but the original state)

What were they concerned about, the perceived challenges?
What were the risks and impediments?
What would a failed transformation look like at that time?

What I’m trying to do is to get them to remember the the original vision (+) and the original concerns (-) they had. The polar opposites to anchor both sides of their dreams.

At some point, I’ll stop it there and switch the conversation to their current as-is state. That is, what’s going on—right now?

Are they closer to the high or low dream?
In what ways, both expected and unexpected?

Reclaiming the High Dream

As an adjunct to the dreaming, ORSC bring in the notion of reclaiming your High Dream, which aligns very nicely to my coaching example above.

After identifying and explore both the High Dream and the Low Dreams from the initial transformation,

Amplify the High Dream. As a coach, I’ll really take a stand for it. Evangelize it and promote it. Making the case that the organization or team deserves it and have earned it!
Then ask the system, what figure/voice/part of you is against the High Dream?
Look for an Ally who can “handle” that figure.
Reclaim the High Dream
- If you were to take ownership & responsibility for it, rather than to expect others to own it, what would be different?
- What would you do. Actions, partnerships, plans,
Then forward the actions…

Basic High/Low Dream Questions

The tool itself is quite simple, surrounding asking the following 4-questions—

What is your High Dream?
What is your Low Dream?
What supports the Low Dream?
Now recall the High Dream. What supports that?

To guide your exploration process.

Ikigai

There is a Japanese metaphor that I’ve found useful in dreaming contexts. More so because it funnels or directs the dreams into specific areas of consideration.

Consider it a 4-quadrant model of sorts that considers—

What you LOVE
What your are GOOD AT
What you can be PAID FOR
What the world NEEDS

And looks at intersections around passion, mission, profession, and vocation. In essence, your Ikigai is your reason for being and the center of your focus.

I wouldn’t consider it a goal or destination, but a North Star sort of compass that is guiding your path.

Why do I bring it up?

Because having your Ikigai in mind when your dreaming can be incredibly useful. So that you’re considering your whole self, if you’re personally dreaming, or the organizational whole self, if you’re dreaming for a group.

Dreaming

As an agile coach I believe we need to encourage and inspire our clients to do more dreaming. We can do that by asking them to dream and guiding their dreaming. But we can also share our own dreams as a role model for them.

As I said earlier, it’s really about the art of possibilities, positivity, and creating a space where they can capture a vision for an optimal future.

A North Star if you will centered around each of our Ikigai’s.

My dreams for this ORSC in Agile website include:

Making as many agile coaches aware of ORSC and the application as possible.
Crowdsourcing some/most of the additions in content so that I don’t have to write everything ;-)
Inspiring other agile coaches to become more curious about CRR Global, ORSC, ORSC training & certification paths.
Helping other agile coaches to do BETTER group/team/organizational level coaching with AWESOME client outcomes.