Hi everybody - it’s Andrew Benedict-Nelson, your social impact advisor, back with another way to think differently about any problem you are working on. Subscribe if you’d love to receive an exercise like this every week.
Think about a person or institution that has sometimes been thought of as a “villain” in the story of your problem. This might be a person or group with whom you frequently clash, but it could also be someone within your own coalition with a reputation for machinations. How did this person or group come to be viewed as a villain, and why does the story persist?
Everybody loves a villain because they are necessary for the story to proceed; the various ways this happens can give us clues to how “bad guys” can unlock new perspectives on our problems. For example, sometimes a villain is motivated a particular perspective that, once revealed, changes everything — think Snape from “Harry Potter.” What does your villain see or understand better than anyone else? How might revealing that perspective aid others in solving the problem?
Some of our favorite villains are ones who switch sides, sometimes fighting alongside our heroes and sometimes opposing them. Magneto from “X-Men” is a classic example, fighting for whichever side he thinks will ensure the survival of mutants. What might entice your villain to fight on the side of the “good guys”? Has it ever happened?
Finally, there’s the redemption of the villain. We love to see a “fallen” character recover something of their old self, like
Anakin SkywalkerDarth Vader from “Star Wars.” Imagine a redemption storyline for your “villain” where they play an essential role in solving the problem. What role might they play? Why are they the only ones who can play this role?Chances are you can’t immediately change the behavior of the “villain” you’ve been thinking about. But everybody has the opportunity to reframe their own story. How might viewing the “villain” in these new ways change the story you tell about your problem and your role in it? Do you see any real opportunities to engage the “villain” in a new way?
That’s it! If you want to share any thoughts or feelings these questions evoked, just reply to this e-mail or comment below.
This exercise was developed using the history dynamic. It’s one of six innovation dynamics I use with clients to help realize new insights and unlock creative thinking.