What I Need From You (WINFY)

Surface essential needs across functions and accept or reject requests for rupport

Five Structural Elements – Min Specs

1. Structuring Invitation

“It’s time to simplify our collaborative pattern. Working in functional groups, you are going to identify what you need to achieve your goals and make direct requests to your colleagues from other functions. Everyone will also practice giving clear responses to requests.”

2. Space and Materials

• Large room to accommodate 3 to 7 functional clusters of participants in different sections
• A chair for each group spokesperson to sit in a circle in the middle of the room
• Display room configuration (see resources)
• Sticky notes and pens.

3. Participation Distribution

• Roles include host [tech host], spokespeople, and participants. There is no minimum group size.
• Everyone is invited and has an equal opportunity to contribute.
  

4. How Groups Are Configured

• Three to 7 functional clusters (no limit on number of participants in each cluster)
• One group of 3 to 7 spokespersons to speak on behalf of each functional cluster

5. Steps and Time Allocation

Intro: Share the structuring invitation and identify a shared goal or challenge. (1 min.) [Prepare breakouts for functional groups.]

Clarify Context: Reiterate the challenge or goal to ensure everyone has the same understanding. Invite two to three participants to share more context. (2 min.) Explain the Process: Explain that each functional group will make clear and specific requests for what they need from others to make progress. Display WINFY responses (below). Explain what makes a good request. It must be specific, concrete, actionable, relevant, and timely (and may include due dates). (2 min.)

List Needs in Groups: Each group uses 1-2-4-All to list their top needs from each of the other functions. As a group, they select their top one or two needs and write them on sticky notes in the format “What I need from you is _____.” [If using a visual collaboration space, ask people not to look at other groups’ work.] (10–20 min.)

Make Requests: Everyone returns to plenary. Display and explain the four WINFY responses. Spokespeople sit in the center circle [spotlight] to state their needs to each other, one at a time. Spokespeople who are listening write down each request without responding. (15–20 min.)

Decide Responses in Groups: Participants return to their functional groups [breakouts]. They write each request on a sticky note and decide how to respond to it, then write another sticky note with one of the four responses. (5–15 min.)

Share Decisions: Everyone returns to plenary. Spokespeople rejoin the inner circle [spotlight] and share their responses without elaboration. (10 min.)

Debrief: Debrief using What, So What, Now What? (15–20 min.)

Taking it online

This structure works online with good preparation of breakout rooms and whiteboards in advance. Use a video spotlight for the spokespeople in the main room and have others turn off their cameras.

WHY? Purposes

• Learn how to articulate functional and/or personal needs clearly
• Practice asking for what functions and/or individuals need
• Learn how to give clear answers to requests
• Reestablish and/or improve communication inside functional clusters
• Make progress across functional silos
• Mend connections that have been broken
• Get all the issues out on the table at the same time for everyone to see
• Reduce frustration by eliminating preconceptions and rumors

Tips

• Remind participants that a "whatever" response means their request was too vague to provide a specific answer
• Strictly enforce the "no immediate response" rule Strictly enforce the rule that the only responses are yes, no, I will try, or whatever (no further elaboration is allowed)
• Encourage everyone to ask for what they truly need to be successful
• Have fun and encourage a safe amount of drama
• Don't include more than 7 roles/functions (the waters get too muddy)
• In debriefing, try to draw out that people are good at complaining and not so good at asking for what they need—WINFY helps you move from complaints to valid requests
• Use question-and-response cards to help groups sharpen how they express their requests

Riffs and Variations

• Consider a second round if too much appears to be unresolved or unclear: making concrete and clear requests is an essential skill!
• In the debrief, give participants a chance to articulate what was not asked of them: something neglected that would help achieve the groups’ purpose but was not requested
• Instead of functional clusters, use the same WINFY sequence with a group or a team of interdependent individuals

Practical Applications

• For a global technical group (with members in multiple countries) facing the need to make decisions in a fast-changing market (see “Getting Commitment, Ownership, and Follow-Through” in Part Three: Stories from the Field).
• Help top executives who are struggling to give consistent direction to the next level of leaders in the organization
• For hospital executives and managers launching a patient-centered care initiative that requires multi-specialty collaboration
• For helping one-on-one relationships become more generative

Optional string

String together with Integrated~Autonomy, Purpose-to-Practice, Ecocycle Planning

Tips for running this activity online

• Pick an online whiteboard tool that allows you to use a large, zoomable canvas.
• Use a video conferencing tool where you can assign the participants into breakout rooms (eg. Zoom).
• When briefing the exercise and assigning pairs and groups to work together, keep all participants in the main video conference room and explain best practices.
• After this step is completed, turn on breakout rooms so each group can work on their tasks and come up with their two top needs. Ensure each group chooses a spokesperson who will speak on their behalf later in the task.
• Once each group has found their two top needs, have all participants return to the main room and invite the spokespeople for each group to state their needs to the group.
• Send each group back to their breakout rooms to confer on the responses to each request.
• Once this is done, bring everyone back to the main room. Each spokesperson shares their responses to each request in turn. No discussions or elaboration!
• Debrief the exercise with What, So What, Now What?
• When facilitating group discussion, we recommend participants use non-verbal means to indicate they’d like to speak. You can use tools like Zoom’s nonverbal feedback options, a reaction emoji, or just have people put their hands up.The facilitator can then invite that person to speak. 

Attribution: Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. Inspired by consultant Kathie Dannemiller and professor Dan Pesut.

Source: Liberating Structures