Note: If you want the full story and step-by-step walkthrough, listen to the latest podcast version of Confessions of a Facilitation Artist where I break this down in detail.

Snowstorms in Michigan have me thinking about “crap storms”—my go-to technique for surfacing fears and risks through playful pre-mortems, inspired by Gary Klein’s method of imagining project failure upfront. It counters optimism bias, sparks honest talks, and primes killer solutions for personal hurdles or team brainstorms.

I use it solo when fears flood in on tough problems: jot worst cases, laugh at the absurdity, then flip to “What’s the best outcome instead?” With teams, before ideation on products or challenges, it releases tension in under 10 minutes and boosts creativity.

Simple Steps to Run a “Crap Storm”

* Set the scene (1 min): Explain it’s a fun pre-mortem: “Imagine this project/feature/plan failed—what’s the worst that could happen?” Encourage ridiculousness.

* Silent brainstorm (2-3 min): Everyone writes crap storm events individually, like “Clients demand refunds via billboards!” No talking yet.

* Share and laugh (3-5 min): Go around; each shares 1-2 favorites. Normalize fears with humor—watch the energy shift.

* Flip the script (2 min): Ask, “Now, what’s the opposite—our dream outcomes?” Transition to solution brainstorming.

Try it for holiday family drama too: name the aunt-induced nightmares, then design your ideal boundaries. This quick flip from fear to focus is facilitation gold.

That’s it!

I admit this week is short in the blog version. My past self has the foresight of batch recording a few weeks ago since I knew how crazy life would be. My present self was barely able to get out the blog version. I have had the flu the last few days and this is all I have to give! See you next week.

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