Leonardo da Vinci Process

Standard Steps:

1. Problem
2. Self-Association
3. Other-Association
4. Formulating Questions
5. Dissociation
6. Question Round
7. Resources
8. Meta-Position
9. Commitment

1. Problem

Team Conflict

All present team members sit in a circle (for those absent, a chair with their name on the backrest is used). Index cards and markers are placed on each chair.

2. Self-Association

Experience the conflict in an associated state and identify one’s own feelings.

Each member writes their feelings about the conflict on a card and reads them aloud one by one.

3. Other-Association

Each person associates with the absent team member.

Each member sits on the absent person’s chair, empathizes with them, and writes a card describing what they believe that person feels. These are read aloud by the facilitator and placed on the respective chair.

4. Formulating Questions

Ask one or two questions to a team member.

Each member formulates one or two questions they would like to ask one of the people involved and writes them down.

5. Dissociation

Step out of the emotional state.

All members step out of their emotional experience by standing behind their chair and leaving the emotion cards on the seat. “They are safe there.”

6. Question Round

Ask questions in a dissociated state or place question cards on the absent person's chair.

Questions to each other are asked dissociated: “The person here wants to know the following from the person there.” Questions to the absent person are read aloud by the moderator and placed on their chair.

7. Resources

Look for resources for yourself and the absent person.

Each person first finds resources for themselves and sends them to their “emotion chair.” Then they search for resources for the “problematic” person and place them on that person’s chair.

8. Meta-Position

Meta-position as an expert team coaching the original team.

Everyone moves into the position of an expert team and answers the following questions: “What is the team’s problem?” ... “What should the team do next?” (answered using cards or spoken contributions)

9. Commitment

Individual meta-position and personal contributions to the solution.

Each member commits to contributing to conflict resolution by taking at least one (up to three) steps they personally consider helpful.