Methods

The Socratic Method is named after the Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399 BC). It is a discovery and learning process that involves asking questions to stimulate critical thinking, self reflection and exploration of underlying assumptions; all in service to delivering exceptional results. 

Method sequence:

• A question is posed to an individual or group.
• The recipients of the question are encouraged to answer it as best as they can and express their thoughts about it.
• The questioner then responds with further questions, seeking clarification or challenging the initial responses; often asking "what does that look like" and "why." 
• The dialog continues until a deeper understanding of the topic is gained, often exposing contradictions or uncertainties in the recipients' beliefs or arguments.
• The intended outcome is not just a recitation of fully examined answers, but also creative solutions to the questions and opportunities presented.

The power of this method resides in the participants, who understand the cause and effect reasoning that has led them to a solution.  This is much better than if the solution was simply provided to them. 

As a result, participants are often surprised that they possess answers or solutions that they didn't know they had. They are also more accepting of answers and solutions that they formulated themselves, which increases engagement and ownership. 

This method is employed with Leadership Coaching, Organizational Development and Group Facilitation. Besides this method, the following are other methods that could likely be applied.

This method involves one-on-one or group facilitation meetings with stakeholders to understand opportunities and ideas for addressing them. Questions for these meetings are decided ahead of time and kept consistent for analysis purposes. Best for Leadership Coaching and Organizational Development.

Similar to stakeholder analysis or needs assessments mentioned above, this method is usually a survey of a leader's peers, direct reports and leaders using the same sets of evaluation criteria. Best for Leadership Coaching.

These are usually self assessments but can involve others' participation too.  Assessments help define a personality or leadership style. Outcomes are not only awareness but strategies for how to use this information in productive ways. Best for Leadership Coaching.

This method can take numerous forms, e.g surveys, interviews, checklists, polling or other means to determine needs that inform the next steps in the process for any of the three sets of services. In all cases the Socratic method is also applied. Best for Organizational Development.

This involves gathering and analyzing data to understand the client's current situation, market trends or other information relevant to the applicable service.  Previously collected data might also be relevant and used with this method. Best for Organizational Development.

This method calls for a thorough definition of the current state of a situation or organization and the same for a future desired state.  The gaps between the states are identified and then actions are planned for how to bridge the gaps. Best for Organizational Development and Group Facilitation.

This is usually a visual depiction and evaluation of a client's organizational processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for optimization. Best for Organizational Development and Group Facilitation.

This is an evaluation of the client's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats applied to the applicable service.  A related method could be "war gaming" where responsible parties pretend to be competitors who are tasked with targeting vulnerabilities of the client's situation. Best for Organizational Development and Group Facilitation.

This is a comparison of the client's performance, processes or organizational effectiveness with industry best practices.  The goal is to identify areas for improvement and new learning.  Best for Organizational Development.

This method involves tasking teams to study a real problem or improvement opportunity and then develop recommendations for how to to address it. This method might also involve roundtables where problem solvers sit together to attack a problem or opportunity. Sometimes these can also be "swarm" actions whereby an opportunity is swarmed by problem solvers in a short period of intensity to arrive at a conclusion or solution. Best for Organizational Development and Group Facilitation.

This is an awareness and mindset aimed at helping individuals or organizations manage, implement or adopt changes effectively. A variety of tools can be used to ensure this method is successful. Best for Organizational Development and Group Facilitation.