Troika AI Adoption
~520 Words | ~2min Read
In any transformation, the hardest part is never technical. It’s helping people adopt a new mode of work. Right now, with AI looming so large, confusion abounds. Your team might have a handful of AI proponents who jumped in early and know how to use it effectively. But how do you leverage these few experts to maximize impact across your organization?
The Pareto principle suggests leaders focus on their top 20% and create a chain of people mentoring those behind them. But traditional mentoring takes time. You need something faster, more focused. Something that creates psychological safety for people who are willing to try AI but don’t know where to start.
Enter Troika Consulting, a facilitation technique from Liberating Structures. Here’s how it works: take groups of three. Everyone gets a role. Someone plays the “client” and shares their struggle with AI. The other two play “consultants.” The client explains their challenge for about a minute. Then consultants ask clarifying questions for two minutes. Not “Would it work if…” questions. Real clarifying questions: “When you said… what did you mean?” or “Which facet of this challenge is most important to you?”
Then the magic happens. The client turns their back and listens while the consultants discuss solutions together. The client records any ideas that resonate. When time’s up, the client shares which solutions they’ll pursue.
This structure works because it creates a vested interest. The client owns the problem and chooses the solution. The consultants, your AI proponents, practice translating technical capabilities into practical help. Your proponents get the chance to pour into the team. And those willing-to-try get targeted help. Everyone gives their best and receives the best from their team.
Start small. Set up a Troika session with 1 or 2 fence-sitters who are willing to try and 2 to 4 AI proponents. You could even facilitate a single Troika yourself, or participate in one. Begin within your team first. Get your team fully on board before expanding to others.
Your job as the leader shifts. You’re not providing all the answers. You’re connecting the right people. You’re helping clients define what “better” looks like. You’re curating the successful experiments to create a positive feedback loop. When someone discovers an approach that works you help spread that knowledge.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of support you get when your teammates help you. That frustration that has been eating at you for months can vanish like snow under the summer sun. Troika Consulting offers a psychologically safe, low-impact space for that kind of support.
Given time and a couple rounds of Troika Consulting, you can start a wave of improvements. The cross-pollination will strengthen your company’s capacity and effectiveness. Leadership is about your ability to influence others, to create force multipliers. It’s about getting us a little bit better, a little bit closer. And Troika Consulting creates a fulcrum for a few AI-proponents to turn your company.
Read more about Troika Consulting from the source: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/8-troika-consulting/