№ 16 | Beautiful Trouble Cards, Conversation Styles, Damaging Communication Patterns, Defensible Moats, and E-ink Playing Cards!

№ 16 | Beautiful Trouble Cards, Conversation Styles, Damaging Communication Patterns, Defensible Moats, and E-ink Playing Cards!

A social activism card deck?

A social activism card deck and game? (6 games, actually!) The Beautiful Trouble card deck is pitched as a collection of “key strategies and tactics that have inspired centuries of people-powered victories… now in a deck of 100+ cards that you can play!” I'm sold!

Beautiful Trouble: A Strategy Card Deck

“Interviewer or Volunteer?”

Does your conversation style veer toward that of an “Interviewer” or a “Volunteer?” Here's an interesting framework for thinking about conversation styles and roles we (hopefully) switch between.  Though after reading through this, there’s an implicit third role I’d add, that of the Researcher—one who leans into and digs deeper into what is said or suggested. Actually, I’d also add a fourth role: Catalyst. One who builds upon and transforms what is shared, leading to more a comfortable back and forth dialogue. 🤪

Speaking of conversations…

10 potentially damaging communication patterns...

I love John Cutlers visual thinking. This graphic representation of 10 potentially damaging communication patterns doesn’t disappoint.

[SRC]

Defensible moats

Defensible moats as part of a company strategy/business model are one of those ideas that both make sense, and have also been seriously disrupted by advances in technology.  For these reasons, I like this article on “The New Moats. Why Systems of Intelligence™ are the Next Defensible Business Model,” as it does a good job recounting the history and evolution of this idea, before leading you into what is, or might be, the new defensible moat for modern businesses.

E-ink playing cards

Yes, you read that right. Introducing Wyldcard—“Physical playing cards which can change!” So. Many. Possibilities. 😲+🤩

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№ 97 | Workshops and Wizards Cards, Human Agency Scale, System Health Over Time, 10 Notable Data Visualizations, Your Brain as a Closet, Two Org Frameworks from John Cutler, ‘A Busy, Busy Day at the Airport’, and SideQuest Decks!

№ 97 | Workshops and Wizards Cards, Human Agency Scale, System Health Over Time, 10 Notable Data Visualizations, Your Brain as a Closet, Two Org Frameworks from John Cutler, ‘A Busy, Busy Day at the Airport’, and SideQuest Decks!

Your regular dose of playful things to think with, and think about! Workshops and Wizards cards (UPDATE) A few issues ago, I shared an early prototype of the Wizards & Workshops cards from James Smart, a small set of fantasy themed ‘kudos’ cards participants can give to each other during

By Stephen P. Anderson
№ 96 | Cards for Uncertainty, The Curiosity Curve, Communicating to Reduce Resistance, Envisioning Cards, Scrutinizing “Best Practices”, Nick Sousanis on Due Process, and Reservoir Sampling

№ 96 | Cards for Uncertainty, The Curiosity Curve, Communicating to Reduce Resistance, Envisioning Cards, Scrutinizing “Best Practices”, Nick Sousanis on Due Process, and Reservoir Sampling

Welcome to issue № 96 of the Thinking Things newsletter, your regular roundup of playful ‘things to think with’ and think about… Cards for Uncertainty I want to kick things off with a question to think with, asked by Zbigniew Janczukowicz at the last Cardstock meetup, a question that left us

By Stephen P. Anderson