The Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It. process is a way to identify and healthily resolve tensions and uncertainties. These tensions may emerge from internal conflicts where a participant is unsure what action to take in an uncertain and ambiguous situation. The process can also be used to resolve conflicts and tensions between individuals and within teams.

The Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It. concept is based on the natural human behaviour of trying to avoid uncertainty and conflict by idealising outcomes, rather than engaging with them in reality. The possible outcomes for complex and uncertain situations are often idealised in euphemisms and platitudes that never actually result in effective resolution and action. Rather than idealising outcomes, process identifies tensions, helps understand contributions to those tensions, provides options and invites action.

The purpose of Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It. is to clearly identify tensions, uncertainties and ambiguities. It is a way to surface underlying tension and identify how to resolve it. Many tensions emerge because people think that actions were intentional and intended to compromise them in some way. By actually naming tensions and identifying contributions to them, by claiming what we might be contributing, we can move beyond ambiguous intentional/unintentional perceptions. After naming tensions and claiming contributions, gaming our options opens up the possibilities we have to resolve conflict and move beyond tension. Acting on these choices gives participants agency and helps them to team any tension or conflict.

• • To identify and resolve tensions that are usually unspoken or avoided
• • To differentiate between intentional and unintentional actions
• • To identify fundamental elements in ambiguous and uncertain situations
• • To understand options for taking action
• • To claim contribution so positive action can be taken rather than just automatically apportioning blame
• • To help create psychologically safe work environments
• • To understand and explore diverse perspectives
• • To be inclusive of different identities, needs and beliefs

Human Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It Cards and/or App Black Sharpies

All participants are provided with a set of Human Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It. Cards and/or App Depending on budget, the cards can be written on with black Sharpies. If budget is limited, the cards can simply be used as prompts and responses are written on post-its with black Sharpies.

Participants may already have an issue that they wish to resolve. If not, invite participants to surface a tension or unspoken conflict by asking a framing question. Framing questions might include:

Where are you encountering tension that needs to be resolved?

Why do you feel that you might be being blamed for an unhealthy situation?

The first step in the Name It. Claim It. Game It. Tame It. process as to identify the challenges the user is facing all the tension that they are encountering by naming it.

NAME IT.

The user identifies what is challenging them by completing the sentence ‘My challenge is…’ The user may have a number of challenges and by working through them and writing them down they can identify their most significant challenge or a specific challenge that they would like to navigate using the process.

CLAIM IT.

After identifying what their challenges, the user reflects on what the are contributing to the situation. Often, challenges and tensions are blamed on other people or circumstances. These identifies what the user’s contribution is by completing the sentence ‘My contribution is…’ the user may be contributing to the tension by actions that they are taking or not taking. Even if the user feels that they are in the right in the situation, that perspective is still contributing to the tension.

GAME IT.

Understanding and claiming contribution naturally opens up a range of choices for a user. These choices may range from not doing anything and keeping the situation exactly the way it is all the way through to choosing to take some radical action. These choices are written down by completing the sentence ‘My choices are…’ this process of writing down choices provides the basis for taking action to resolve the tension or to navigate the challenge.

TAME IT.

After writing down the choices, the user commits to action by completing the sentence ‘My commitment is…’ The user then commits to taking this chosen action within a specified timeframe.

Be as specific as possible when naming the challenge. Be as honest as possible when claiming contribution. When exploring choices, make them as practical and actionable as possible. Ensure that actual actions are committed to rather than just commitments to making action plans.