InceptionU’s framework for getting what you need where you need to go throughout your mesh conference experience.
Introduction
Go where? Go there. mesh, that’s where. It is all about being ready. Right now. No sleepwalking into and through the experience. Be present and recognize what matters. Have fun and build meaningful connections. That is the heart of the InceptionU approach and so it makes sense to approach an event like mesh with a flexible set of intentions, tools, and signposts.
InceptionU created the framework of G.O. T.H.E.R.E. for exactly this reason. Thoughtfully engage with sections that have been tailored to the mesh conference below to help set you up to have a great conference experience.
GO – Get Oriented
It’s about situational awareness. It means understanding your internal dynamics, external environment, and the interplay between the two. Consider the following:
- Why are you here?
- What do you want to get from mesh that will help you and/or your organization reach their goals? What does success look like?
- What are you worried about or afraid of? How could that impact your experience?
- What is something that you would like to understand better?
- What is something you have already seen everything you need to see for now?
- Who do you need to form a relationship with that will help you and/or your organization reach their goals?
- How will you leave room for some serendipity in the unfolding of mesh?
- Which of the following traits do you struggle most with and would like to work on during your mesh experience?
- How would you characterize your mindset? Are you a booster, a cynic, a follower, a true believer, or a skeptic? Something else? What kind of challenge does that represent for you? What would it be like to try on a different mindset at mesh? What mindset would you like to have at mesh?
T – Tool, Techniques, and Tactics
Our toolbox equips our ability to act. The broader and more diverse our techniques are, the better equipped we are to navigate challenges. Some resources for you to support your mesh experience:
- Approaches to starting relationships – The Three Conversations
- Every relationship works from three conversations and they occur in the following order:
- Conversation for relationship – do we have things in common, are we pursuing similar paths? What is the basis for being in a relationship
- Conversation for possibility – what might we be able to do together?
- Conversation for action – how will we start to work on something together
- Every relationship works from three conversations and they occur in the following order:
- SEXI for summarizing a clear understanding of something
- State in one clear sentence the thing you are working to understand
- Elaborate on that thing by adding a couple of sentences describing how it works and what the impacts are
- eXamples of the idea in motion are a good souce of clarity
- Illustrations like a metaphor or an analogy that links to a new idea will help check our understanding quickly
- Practice Provisional Acceptance for dealing with new and possibly challenging ideas
- This involves the assumption that any idea is a good idea until it isn’t. It is a much stronger move to accept an idea in order to investigate it instead of standing outside the idea with no skin in the game. This approach doesn’t mean we end of accepting the idea or not being critical of it – that’s why we refer to it as ‘provisional.’ The other opportunity that comes with this approach is that one idea often leads to others and those others could be even more valuable but we wouldn’t even notice them without exploring the first one.
- Applying standards of thinking – asking questions from a critical perspective based on what you are trying to see better. Questions built around clarity are most important early since it is hard to ask questions about anything else if an idea is not clear to us
H – Hunger
Hunger fuels growth. It’s the desire for connection, control, and competence that drives us to learn and improve. But hunger must be nurtured thoughtfully. When we’re hungry, although the temptation for a quick hit of urgent high calories is large, avoid “junk food” distractions and misinformation that offer short-term satisfaction but hinder long-term progress. Reflect on:
- How hungry are you? What do you need to take onboard that leads to your goals?
- What are the things you usually avoid? How can you set yourself up to try some of that?
- Beware of junk food: Are you consuming valuable and relevant information or the equivalent of junk food?
- Are you looking for diversity? Diversity is the lifeblood of creativity and imagination. People from different backgrounds and cognitive approaches as well as ideas that come from unexpected places are a potential treasure trove of creative opportunity.
E – Effort
Effort is where progress happens. It’s okay to feel stretched or “out of breath”, this is how growth occurs – as long as we don’t go so far as to no longer be able to catch our breath. That is the path to collapse. Effort is most impactful when it is focused, intentional and can be sustained over time. Either evenly or in intervals of intensity. We can ask ourselves:
- Beware of things you already know and believe – you will tend to pay less attention to these things when, instead, you can treat it as a trigger to ask more questions and examine any beliefs that you are taking for granted. On the other side of this, seek out the things that are less familiar or challenge some of your long held assumptions and aim to treat them as fairly as you treat the things you already agree with.
- Where are you prepared to put in effort that might leave you a bit out of breath? How can you make sure you commit to this? Find something that will remind you to make more effort – a sticky note or some other kind of trigger.
R – Recovery, Rest, and Reflection
Recovery is the foundation of resilience. Without rest, creativity and problem-solving suffer. Just as muscles rebuild stronger than before during rest and not during the effort, our minds and our collective organizations need time to recharge. Recovery isn’t just about taking breaks—it’s about creating the conditions for sustained performance. Consider:
- How do you know when you need a break?
- What is needed for you to reset and recharge at an event such as Mesh?
E – Evolution
Evolution is the ultimate goal. It’s about learning from experiences and continuously adapting to new conditions. Consider:
- How will you change things based on what you’ve learned about yourself and the world?
- How will you connect new things you’ve discovered with existing things you want to keep?
- What disruptive influences did you learn about during mesh that you and/or your organization need to be able to respond to?
- Think about what is necessary to make yourself or something you are working on better. Not perfect, just better than before. Evolution is looking to create the best fit possible by experimenting with different approaches and ideas to find that best fit.
Final Words
mesh is an opportunity to connect with others and with yourself. As we continue to navigate increasingly volatile, complex and uncertain times, creating the conditions for your success becomes even more important, as the person over which you have the most influence is yourself. That’s one of the reasons we have self-knowledge at the foundation of our learning model. It’s the ‘U’ in InceptionU. Using the GO THERE framework and questions noted above as a guide, what other questions can you ask yourself to create your path to success?
- Interested in exploring how to create the conditions for innovation and success in your organization? Join Margo Purcell for Sowing the Seeds of Innovation: Creating the Right Conditions for Growth Within Your Organization – Day 1, 3:45pm at the Main Stage.
- Have some specific questions you want to explore about yourself or your organization? Pop by the InceptionU booth to engage with one of our team members.
- Want to meet other unlike-minded people? Join us for the InceptionU for the mesh Social at the end of Day 1 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm at InceptionU’s space in the Central Library. Be ready to mesh, InceptionU style…
