Breakthrough Sessions are instrumental in promoting innovation, solving complex problems, fostering collaboration, and driving positive change within organizations. They provide a structured approach to creative thinking and problem-solving, helping organisations navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities in an ever-evolving business landscape. However, in my experience there are internal resistance, whether from a reluctance to change, risk adverse or lack of innovation culture, corporate silos, and lack of collaboration, which all contribute to why organisations find it so hard to make effective breakthroughs.

To address this challenge, Qbedes has created a breakthrough service – called Breakthrough Sessions. Breakthrough session come in either one-hour, two-hour, half, and full day sessions depending upon the area of concern or interest and the desired outcome.

The session falls into three distinct sub-sessions,

1. Agreeing the issue to be addressed
2. Identifying potential solutions and prioritising them
3. Building a clear action plan, stating what must be done first, what should be done next and what could be done later.

Because sessions may, like Lego blocks, fit together, to tackle really big issues (think eating the elephant (or other large edible item) in small, bite sized chunks), then Breakthrough Sessions provide an agile, effective, and rapid approach to solving complex problems.

For Breakthrough Sessions to be successful, Qbedes enable the following:-

1. Clear Objectives: Clearly define the goals and objectives of the breakthrough session. Knowing what you want to achieve helps guide the process and focus the participants.
2. Problem Framing: Clearly articulate and understand the problem or challenge at hand. A well-defined problem statement provides a foundation for generating effective solutions.
3. Open Communication: Create an environment where participants feel comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions without fear of judgment. Open communication encourages brainstorming and collaboration.
4. Diverse Perspectives: Bring together a diverse group of individuals with different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives. Diversity fosters creative thinking and can lead to unique insights and solutions.
5. A Safe and Positive Atmosphere: Foster a positive and supportive atmosphere that encourages risk-taking and experimentation. Participants should feel free to share unconventional ideas without fear of criticism.
6. Creative Thinking Techniques: Incorporate various creative thinking techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping, and lateral thinking. These methods can help break down mental barriers and stimulate innovative ideas.
7. Time Management: Effectively manage time to ensure that the session remains focused and productive. Set specific time frames for different activities and encourage participants to stay on track.
8. Facilitation Skills: A skilled facilitator can guide the session, keep discussions on track, and encourage participation from all members. A facilitator helps manage the flow of ideas and ensures that the session remains productive.
9. Iteration and Refinement: Be prepared to iterate on ideas and refine them throughout the session. Breakthroughs often come through an evolutionary process of building on initial concepts.
10. Document and Reflect: Keep records of the ideas generated and the discussions that take place. Documenting the session allows for reflection, further analysis, and the development of actionable plans.
11. Commitment to Action: Conclude the breakthrough session with a commitment to implementing the generated ideas or solutions. Develop an action plan and assign responsibilities to ensure follow-through.

Remember that breakthroughs can occur in various contexts, whether in business, personal development, or problem-solving. Flexibility and adaptability are key, and a successful session often involves a combination of creative thinking, effective communication, and a commitment to action. A lot of organisations that have been through such a session often comment how cathartic the session is, having their voices heard, hearing different perspectives, learning new innovative ideas, and producing an agreed way forward that the whole team can support and evangelise.

If you want to know more about Breakthrough Sessions and how they could help you, no matter how large or small your challenge is, a Breakthrough Session is an ideal way to address it. For more information, reach out to Qbedes.