- The document describes a tool called "Two Toppings" that was created by the author to anonymously gather feedback from employees of a company he was assessing. - The tool uses a metaphor of a cheese pizza where employees each contribute two sticky notes - one with their favorite topping and one with their second favorite topping, with suggestions for improving the company written on the back. - This allows the employees to anonymously provide suggestions without fear of repercussions, and helps the author strategize coaching activities with the company based on the aggregated feedback.

1. Two Toppings —An anonymous participation tool—
By Masa K. Maeda Nov 5, 2017
Back in 2013 a digital financial company in Miami called me to help them improve its teams
efficiency. To understand how operates, communicates and collaborates I performed an
assessment using some existing collaboration frameworks—including two I created. During
the first day of the assessment activities and having understood the strong command and
control style on the executive and management layers it became clear to me that I needed to
capture some information from employees anonymously. This was important to ensure
employees would express themselves without fear of consequences for their boldness.
I came up with Two Toppings a high collaboration framework that occurred to me based on
family therapy. It is very simple and straightforward, yet very powerful.
Two Toppings steps:
1. Preparation:
1. Draw a cheese pizza on a board or flipchart
2. Give each participant 2 sticky notes and a pen
2. Setting the metaphor. Tell the participants: “This is a tasty cheese pizza prepared with
good quality dough and cheese… but it’s kind of boring that it only has cheese. One way
to making this an amazingly delicious pizza is by adding toppings.”
3. Setting the task.
1. Tell the participants: “What I am about to say next is directed to each one of you
individually and not as a group, okay?”
2. Tell them: “First off please write the name of your favorite pizza topping on a
sticky note and the name of second favorite topping on the other sticky note.”
3. Once the’ve done that, the them: “The company is aware that it has a lot to
improve and the board of directors has identified that you are the best person to
contribute withy the following: Let us know what are the two most important
actions the company must take to become number one in the industry worldwide.
To do so write one of those two actions on the opposite side of one of your
stickies and the second one on the opposite side of your other sticky.
4. Now have them post their two toppings on the pizza. That way, everyone can
read the ingredient but nobody can read what they wrote about the company.
The information participants provide is useful, straightforward and sometimes even daring,
which helps me strategize the coaching activities with the customer.
I have also done in digital format using the Weave platform by Conteneo which now allows
anonymous participation.