Preparation
01 · Explain the method clearly
02 · Form the triads
03 · Request prior reflection
04 · Define the timing of each phase
05 · Prepare the space
Step-by-step instructions
1
Challenge identification (3 min)
- Each participant individually reflects and notes the challenge they will present: its nature, the context, and what kind of perspective would be most useful to receive.
2
Round 1: First client (20 min)
- Challenge presentation (3-4 min): The first "client" shares their challenge with their two colleagues. It should be specific and concrete.
- Client turns away (8-10 min): The client turns their back to the group or moves away visually. The two "consultants" speak freely about the challenge: they ask each other questions, propose hypotheses, explore possible causes and solutions, without addressing the client directly.
- Client returns and reflects (3-4 min): The client rejoins the triad and shares aloud what they heard and what resonated most, without the consultants interrupting.
3
Rounds 2 and 3: Role rotation (20 min each)
- The same cycle is repeated with the other two triad members as clients, rotating the roles of client and consultants.
4
Plenary reflection (10-15 min)
- The facilitator brings the full group together to share learnings: What was surprising about the experience? What did you learn as consultants and as clients?
Materials
Enough space for triads to speak in relative privacy
Notebooks or cards for noting the challenge and learnings
Written process instructions for each participant (optional)
Timer or audible signal to manage phase transitions
Digital tools
Practical tips
- The "turning away" experience is essential: Do not skip or soften this part of the process. The physical or visual distancing of the client is what liberates the consultants' conversation and generates the kind of perspective that makes this method unique.
- Coach consultants to ask questions, not give answers: Inexperienced consultants tend to jump straight to solutions. Remind them that their role is to explore the problem aloud: asking each other questions, posing hypotheses, exploring the context.
- The client listens and does not intervene: During the consulting phase, the client only listens. If they try to intervene or correct the consultants, the facilitator should gently remind them that their turn to speak will come afterward.
- Use real challenges, not hypothetical ones: The method works best when the presented challenge is genuine and current. Abstract or hypothetical challenges generate less rich conversations.
- Adapt for virtual environments: In video calls, the client can mute their microphone and turn off their camera during the consulting phase, replicating the physical distancing of the in-person format.
Inspiration
- Facilitator and coach training programs that use Troika Consulting as a regular practice for participants to receive peer feedback on the real challenges they face in their professional practice.
- Executive team retreats where Troika Consulting allows leaders to gain fresh perspectives from their peers on the organization's most complex problems, without the hierarchical pressure of conventional meetings.
- Communities of practice and professional networks that incorporate Troika Consulting at the start of their gatherings to activate collective intelligence and set a collaborative tone for the meeting.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship programs where participants use the method to unblock sticking points in their projects, leveraging the external perspective of colleagues who are not deeply familiar with the project.
