Wise Crowds (the wisdom of the group)

Wise Crowds is a liberating peer consultation structure derived from Liberating Structures, credited to Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. It allows a person, the 'client', to quickly receive advice on a real challenge from 3 to 4 'consultants'. The game fosters a unique listening experience: the client presents, clarifies, then steps back and listens without intervening while the group works for them. It is a longer version, with more consultants, than Troika Consulting.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Framing the intention and format

   5 min

   The facilitator presents the objective: 'We will use the wisdom of the group to help each person move forward on a real, concrete, and current challenge.' They explain that Wise Crowds is played in sub-groups of 4 to 5 people, with one client and several consultants. They announce the exact sequence for each client: 2 minutes for presentation, 3 minutes for clarification questions, 8 minutes for advice while the client listens with their back turned, followed by 2 minutes for client feedback. They specify that one cycle lasts about 15 minutes and that roles will rotate according to the available time.

   Tip — Emphasise from the start that the challenge must belong to the client: not a theoretical topic, not a general complaint, but a situation they can act upon.

2. 2

   Forming groups and choosing the first clients

   5 min

   The facilitator forms groups of 4 to 5 people; with 4 to 40 participants, this allows for multiple consultations in parallel. In each group, participants designate a first client, with the others becoming consultants. The facilitator asks clients to mentally formulate a simple request for help: 'What do you want your peers to help you with today?' They remind the group that they are not there to judge the person, but to enrich their options for action.

   Tip — If several people want to be clients, start with the one whose challenge is the most mature or urgent; this sets the tone and avoids overly vague topics.

3. 3

   Client presents the challenge

   2 min per client

   The facilitator starts the timer and says: 'Client, you have 2 minutes to present your challenge and your request for help. The consultants will listen without interrupting.' The client briefly describes the context, what is blocking them, what they have already tried if relevant, and then formulates the question on which they wish to receive help. The consultants note important points and resist the urge to advise too early. This step serves to establish a common material before any analysis.

   Tip — Gently cut off overly long narratives: 'What is the specific question you want to entrust to the group?' The quality of the request conditions the quality of the advice.

4. 4

   Clarification questions

   3 min per client

   The facilitator announces: 'The consultants now have 3 minutes to ask only clarification questions. No advice, no interpretation, no solutions at this stage.' The consultants seek to understand the facts, constraints, involved parties, and what the client expects. The client responds briefly, without going into lengthy justifications. The goal is to make the challenge clear enough for the recommendations to be relevant.

   Tip — Watch out for false questions that are already advice, such as 'Shouldn't you...?' Reformulate: 'Ask a question that really helps you understand.'

5. 5

   Consultants' advice, client listening

   8 min per client

   The facilitator gives the key instruction: 'Client, turn your back to the group and listen without speaking. Consultants, you will exchange freely for 8 minutes: advice, recommendations, action paths, useful hypotheses.' The client does not respond, correct, or defend their viewpoint; they listen and identify what resonates. The consultants talk among themselves as if they were working for the client, seeking concrete options rather than consensus. This distancing protects the client and frees the group's creativity.

   Tip — Physically position the client with their back to the group in person; remotely, ask them to mute their microphone and slightly turn their gaze away. This detail significantly changes the quality of listening.

6. 6

   Client feedback

   2 min per client

   The facilitator invites the client to face the group again: 'You have 2 minutes to share what you take away, what surprises you, and the next avenue you want to explore.' The client does not respond point by point and does not debate the advice received. They name useful ideas, new insights, or questions that remain open. The consultants listen without justifying themselves, allowing the client to take responsibility for what they carry forward.

   Tip — Ask the client to conclude with an action statement: 'Following this consultation, I will...'. This prevents the feedback from being merely appreciative.

7. 7

   Rotation and collective closure

   15 min per remaining client, then 5 min for closure

   The facilitator rotates roles: a new client presents their challenge and the group follows the exact same 15-minute sequence. Depending on the total duration of 45 to 60 minutes, the group conducts as many cycles as possible without shortening the key times. At the end, the facilitator gathers the participants and asks for some learnings about the method, not the confidential details of the challenges. They remind everyone that Wise Crowds works because each person alternates between a posture of help, listening, and choice.

   Tip — Do not compress the 8-minute step to save time: it is better to have fewer clients than to produce superficial advice.

Variants

• Remotely, create breakout rooms of 4 to 5 people. The client mutes their microphone during the 8 minutes of advice and can turn their gaze away or hide the window to reinforce the listening posture.
• For a 45-minute workshop, deliberately limit the number of clients per group and strictly maintain the 15-minute cycle per client, rather than reducing speaking times.
• For a very large group, divide participants into several sub-groups of 4 to 5 and synchronise the cycles with a common timer announced by the facilitator.
• For participants who are not used to helping each other, ask clients to prepare a request statement before the first cycle: 'I would like to receive help with...'