Forward Thinking
Welcome to Forward Thinking, where we explore the ideas, insights, and strategies shaping the future of leadership, organizational change, and culture. This is where we share what we’re learning in the field—what’s working, what’s shifting, and what leaders need to be paying attention to. Grounded in practice and informed by research, our posts are designed to help you think more critically, act more intentionally, and lead more effectively in times of change.
Match Your Message to Your Audience: A Framework for Audience-Centered Data Storytelling
The same data won’t resonate with every audience in the same way. Effective data storytelling requires thinking beyond the findings to consider who is listening, what they care about, and what you want them to do next. Explore a practical framework to choosing the right story for your audience and deciding whether your communication should inform, update, satisfy, or engage.
Serious Data, Playful Thinking
What if assessment isn’t inherently boring—we’re just asking people to engage with it in boring ways? Playful facilitation can transform assessment conversations from passive presentations into opportunities for curiosity, experimentation, critical inquiry, and collaborative sensemaking. From gallery walks and trivia games to metaphors, visual sorting, and tactile activities, explore practical ways to create assessment conversations that lead to better thinking.
The Hidden Assumptions Behind Common Metrics
Metrics can help organizations notice patterns, make decisions, and stay accountable. But every metric also carries assumptions about what success looks like, whose experience matters, and what the number can actually tell us. This post explores how leaders can use common metrics as conversation starters rather than final answers.