Session Brief: Troika Consulting

Goal

Artifact: Advice Notes

Working Question

Which perspectives, options, or blind spots do two external consultants see when the client only listens for five minutes instead of justifying?

Context

Instructions for preparing own challenge as 90-second pitch; note that consultants may close eyes or look away while listening to support reflection.

Setup

• Format: Method session
• Duration: 30-45 min for one full round with three role changes
• Mode: Workshop
• Participants: Three people per group, alternating roles: client (brings question), consultants (two advisors). One central facilitator for several Troikas in parallel, steering timing and rotation.
• Owner: Three people per group, alternating roles: client (brings question), consultants (two advisors)
• Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
• Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Advice Notes. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Timer with two phase signals (5 min and 10 min); note sheets per person; quiet rooms or breakouts for each trio; instruction card with phases and rules.

Preparation

Form trios, ideally across teams or disciplines. Explain phases: 1-2 min question, 1-2 min clarification, 5 min consulting (client only listens, turned away or eyes closed), 1-2 min reflection. Rotate roles.

Agenda

1. 0-2 min (2 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Client presents challenge: situation, what has been tried, desired outcome, concrete question for consultants. Hint: If the question is "What should I do?", it is too open. Better: "How do I convince my lead to try X?" or "Which options am I overlooking in Y?" Output: Advice Notes

2. 2-4 min (2 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Consultants ask clarification questions only for understanding, not for solving. Client answers briefly. Hint: Questions like "Have you tried X?" are hidden advice. Facilitator interrupts and requests real understanding questions. Output: Next Actions

3. 4-9 min (5 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Consulting phase: client turns chair away or closes eyes and only listens. Consultants talk with each other about the client in third person: options, hypotheses, reframes, risks. Hint: If consultants talk to the client instead of each other, repeat the rule. Distance creates the effect; otherwise it slips into normal advice. Output: Peer Insights

4. 9-11 min (2 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Client reflection: what was helpful, what was not, which idea they take along. No defense of own position. Hint: Client should not say "yes, but...". Instead three sentences: what was new, what does not fit, what will I try. Take notes. Output: Advice Notes

5. 11-33 min (22 min) Owner: Owner Action: Rotate roles twice: next person becomes client, same sequence. After three rounds, each person has been client once. Hint: Keep transitions tight, max 2 min pause. Longer breaks lose method depth. With four people, split into 2x2 coaching, not Troika. Output: Next Actions

6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Advice Notes

Closeout

• Update result artifact: Advice Notes
• Define location, version, and review recipients.
• Define owner, next step, and review date.

Advice Notes: Troika Consulting

Working Question

Which perspectives, options, or blind spots do two external consultants see when the client only listens for five minutes instead of justifying?

Context

Instructions for preparing own challenge as 90-second pitch; note that consultants may close eyes or look away while listening to support reflection.

Participants

• Owner: Three people per group, alternating roles: client (brings question), consultants (two advisors)
• Participants: Three people per group, alternating roles: client (brings question), consultants (two advisors). One central facilitator for several Troikas in parallel, steering timing and rotation.

Input

Timer with two phase signals (5 min and 10 min); note sheets per person; quiet rooms or breakouts for each trio; instruction card with phases and rules.

Template

Troika Consulting Working Template

Goal

Peer-coaching format in which three people take turns advising on concrete challenges.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

• Advice Notes:
• Next Actions:
• Peer Insights:

Assumptions and open questions

• ...

Decision / Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

• Advice Notes is complete enough for review:
• Location:
• Version / status:
• Review by:
• Next step:

Next Step

• Review result
• Mark open questions
• Schedule review or decision