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i2 Insights: Presencing Skills

 Mini Activity / Insight

Test your innovation skills

Get a random reflection prompt, a quick action to try today, or a "this or that" dilemma to see how you compare to others. Each one takes 30 seconds and is based on the i2 skills framework.

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When listening to someone, do you focus on…

A colleague is telling you about a problem they’re facing. What do you focus on?

Facts tell you what happened. Emotions tell you why it matters. Human-centred design requires both — understanding someone's experience means hearing the content and sensing the feeling underneath it.

5 people have answered

When presenting an idea, do you lead with…

You’re pitching a new concept to stakeholders. What do you open with?

Data convinces the analytical mind. Stories activate empathy and imagination. The most persuasive communicators do both — they make you feel it first, then prove it. That's presencing in action.

5 people have answered

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Lead With the Reason

The next time you share a recommendation, start with “I think this because…” before stating what you think. Watch how differently people engage when they understand your reasoning first.

Presencing Skills
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Edit for Clarity, Not Completeness

Take a document, presentation, or email you’re working on. Remove 30% of the content. Does the core message actually get clearer? If yes, send the shorter version.

Presencing Skills
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Ask What’s Behind the Ask

The next time someone makes a request or states an opinion, ask: “What’s driving that for you?” You’ll often discover the real need is different from what was said.

Presencing Skills
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Picture It First

Before your next meeting, close your eyes for 60 seconds and mentally walk through the ideal outcome. What does success look, sound, and feel like? Write down one detail that surprised you.

Presencing Skills
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Make the Abstract Tangible

Pick a concept your team is discussing and create a quick prototype — a mock-up, a storyboard, a one-page scenario. Make people experience the idea, not just hear about it.

Presencing Skills
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Sketch It, Don’t Say It

Take an idea you’ve been explaining with words and draw it instead. It doesn’t need to be pretty — boxes, arrows, and stick figures count. Share it and see if it lands differently.

Presencing Skills
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