Discover the Power of "What I Need From You" (WINFY): Make the best out of Collaboration Across Functions
Imagine a workplace where everyone knows exactly what is needed to achieve their goals, where misunderstandings are dissolved, and collaboration flows seamlessly across departments.
Sounds too good to be true? It's not.
With the method "What I Need From You" (WINFY), this ideal workplace is within reach.
Here's how you can transform your team's communication and effectiveness with this powerful tool.
What is WINFY?
WINFY stands for "What I Need From You," a structured approach designed to help people in different functions and disciplines articulate their needs clearly and respond to others with transparency.
This method ensures that core needs are understood and addressed, fostering cohesion and coordination across functional silos.
The method is part of the famous and powerful collection of “Liberating Structures” (see link at the end of the article).
Why WINFY is a Game-Changer
In any organization, clear communication is essential, but it can often be hindered by functional silos and misunderstandings.
WINFY breaks down these barriers by encouraging open, honest dialogue about what each team or individual needs to be successful.
This not only boosts clarity and transparency but also builds trust and accountability within the group.
By surfacing essential needs and creating a structured environment for addressing them, WINFY helps mend broken connections and reduces frustration caused by preconceptions and rumors.
How to Use WINFY: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Structuring Invitation
Invite participants to express their needs clearly to others. Winfy is most valuable across different functions or disciplines. Participants express their needs like this:
“What I need from you is….”
Encourage them to respond unambiguously to requests from others. For this to achieve the group should commit to answering with these 4 answers only:
“yes”
“no“
“I will try”
“Whatever”
2. Arranging the Space and Materials
Use a large room to accommodate 3 to 7 functional clusters in different sections.
Provide chairs for groups of 3 to 7 people to sit in a circle, along with paper for recording needs and responses.
3. Participation Distribution
Include everyone in their respective functional clusters.
Ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute.
4. Group Configuration
Form 3 to 7 functional clusters, with a group of 3 to 7 spokespersons representing each cluster.
5. Sequence of Steps and Time Allocation
HINT: time allocation is just an estimation! Please adapt for your own needs and group size!
Introduction (3 min): Explain the process, reiterate the goal, and emphasize the need for clear, specific requests.
Needs Identification (5-15 min): Functional clusters use a method like 1-2-4-All (2) to list their top needs from other functions. Each cluster selects a spokesperson.
Request Sharing (15 min): Spokespersons gather in a circle and state their needs to each other without receiving immediate responses (= “no immediate response”-rule.
Response Preparation (5-10 min): Each spokesperson writes down one of four responses (yes, no, I will try, whatever) to each request.
Response Sharing (10 min): Spokespersons repeat their requests and share their responses without discussion.
Debrief (15 min): Use the method "What, So What, Now What?" (3) to reflect on the experience.
Tips for Success
Remind participants that "whatever" means the request was too vague.
Enforce the "no immediate response" rule and limit responses to yes, no, I will try, or whatever.
Encourage participants to be honest and specific in their requests.
Keep the process fun and engaging, allowing for a safe amount of drama.
Limit the number of roles/functions to no more than seven to avoid confusion.
Conclusion
WINFY is more than just a tool—it's a transformative approach to communication and collaboration. By fostering an environment where needs are openly expressed and addressed, you can enhance your team's cohesion, transparency, and trust. Embrace WINFY and watch as your organization moves from misunderstandings to meaningful, productive interactions.
Try WINFY and see the difference it can make.
Let me know how it worked for you and your teams! Looking forward to your message!
Yours Andreas
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I recently tried this and it worked really well!
Thank you.
I really like this exercise! I have discovered first time before a retro i was about to facilitate. The setup I was expecting was with 8 participants and my design was different than what happened in reality. Before we started I figured out I have instead 4 participants and one was not from the team we talked about but from a team that was closely collaborating with that team and they needed to share what they need from each other to help on the shared infrastructure (all developers). So i searched in Lisa app of Liberating Structures:) and found this one. It worked like magic, one participant was creating out of paper a plane and they were switching from one to another with the plane fly:) We were in 45 min ready. They loved it and proposed to be used as well on a faster variation at the weekly meeting they were having in their team.
I find it very versatile and I like how you highlighted it and brought it to people awareness!