It was so typical. Eight people, the regular bunch. New client kick-off, business as usual. And it showed.

You’ve done it before, and before that and before that. A dozen or a hundred or perhaps a thousand times before. The typical meeting, with everyone in their typical roles. Often, people even sit in the same spot.

Why are we surprised, then, when the outcome is usually the same as well?

Instead of approaching that moment as JAM, maybe there’s a different way. Instead of focusing on how similar this time is to last time, instead of realizing that the similiarities demand similar approaches, maybe, just maybe, the team could focus on the differences. How is this opportunity different? What could we try that might have a radically better outcome?

Different isn’t always better, but if all you want is the same, send a memo.