Troika Consulting

Purpose

Troika Consulting gives every participant practical, peer-generated advice on a real challenge in a short time. Groups of three take turns as client and consultants, creating a rapid cycle of asking for help, receiving fresh perspectives, and offering support. Use it when people are stuck on individual challenges and need outside eyes, or when you want to build a culture of mutual help.

At a glance

• Group size: 6–60 people
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Facilitation style: Structured
• Setting: Indoor / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Form triads (2 min): Participants group into threes, ideally with people they don't work with daily.
2. Round 1 (8 min): Person A (client) shares their challenge (2 min). Person A turns around (physically or metaphorically). Persons B and C discuss the challenge as if A isn't there, offering ideas (4 min). Person A turns back and shares what was most useful (2 min).
3. Round 2 (8 min): Person B becomes the client. Same process.
4. Round 3 (8 min): Person C becomes the client. Same process.
5. Debrief (4 min): Whole group reflects on patterns, surprises, and the experience of receiving help.

Materials needed

• Chairs arranged in triads
• Timer
• Optional: note cards for clients to capture advice

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• The client stays facing the consultants — the turned-back position is essential; it frees the consultants to think aloud without self-censoring.
• Consultants ask too many clarifying questions instead of offering perspectives — keep the client's setup brief and trust the consultants' intuition.
• Running out of time — be strict with the timer so all three rounds happen.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Small triads are psychologically safe for people who struggle in large groups.
• The "turned away" position can be adapted: in remote settings, the client turns off their camera; for people with mobility restrictions, simply closing eyes works.
• Encourage consultants to offer ideas gently, using "what if" language rather than prescriptions.

Variations

• Troika + 15% Solutions: After consulting, each client names their immediate 15% action.
• Extended Troika: Allow 12 minutes per round for deeper challenges.
• Cross-team Troika: Deliberately mix people from different departments or organisations.

When NOT to use this

Avoid Troika Consulting when the challenges are too sensitive for peer advice (e.g., personal crises, HR issues) or when the group lacks enough trust for vulnerability.

Source & further reading

Developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless as part of Liberating Structures. See liberatingstructures.com.