The Breakthrough Lab was developed as a result of two generations of intensive research sponsored by the Organizational Learning Center at M.I.T. and the John F. Fetzer Institute. The research focused on critical thresholds facing pioneering individuals and organizations, and explored ways to accelerate and improve the process of innovation.
Now anyone can benefit from this groundbreaking research.
* Special thanks to Dr. William Ury and his colleagues associated with the Global Project on Conflict Negotiation at Harvard for allowing to use a photo from a lab with their team.
The Breakthrough Lab is a unique environment for addressing the kind of questions that can unmake or redirect a business or career. In a safe environment, we explore our most challenging business issues in a playful, yet disciplined way. Mistakes lead to discernment and better decisions instead of shame or failure.
Similar to a martial arts dojo or a "flight simulator", we can anticipate future scenarios, and explore together what happens when we take one path instead of another. But we go beyond sharing opinions.
We re-enact real world dynamics so we can see how things happen. We use role playing and simulations to pressure-test possible solutions and new behaviors. Because more than one person attempts a resolution, each individual gets to observe and evaluate different ways to approach common problems. There's also an opportunity to learn about the ripple effects of one's decisions and actions.
In The Breakthrough Lab, each person gains experience with a repeatable process for evolving on purpose: how to quickly uncover what’s needed, develop viable solutions and new responses, and then practice new behavior. This unique mix of learning from direct experience, plus prototyping new behaviors and solutions makes it possible to realize a new idea or desired change at a pace that would have been impossible before.