From What to Why – How East Marsh United Found Clarity and Confidence Through the Win-Win Workout

In just one morning, East Marsh United (EMU) went from tough dilemmas to clear, shared priorities. Instead of feeling stuck between competing solutions, they uncovered the deeper aims that united them — and left with renewed purpose and confidence to act.

Since 2021, the Win-Win Workout has helped people find common ground on issues as divisive as 20 mph limits and Assisted Dying. But what happens when you apply the same approach to an organisation’s own aims and goals? That’s what we explored with EMU, a community group in Grimsby dedicated to tackling poverty, ill health and shortened lives on the East Marsh.

Exploring Aims Together
Thirteen of EMU’s staff came together in July 2025 to reflect on the deeper reasons behind their work.

The workshop began with a simple but powerful exercise: distinguishing between a solution (the “what”) and an aim (the “why”). It quickly became clear that while people often disagree on the “what,” they can almost always find common ground at the level of the “why.” Even light-hearted examples showed that uncovering these deeper aims opened up space for understanding and agreement.

Turning Dilemmas into Shared Vision
With the tools in hand, the group applied them to their own priorities. Three areas of potential tension were identified in advance, and teams explored each one.

  • Community Space: Should funds go to a large hub for events or immediate housing needs? By looking beneath the surface, the group found common ground in “creating a space that feels like home for the whole community.” By the end, they strongly favoured securing a long-term, community-owned hub that could meet diverse needs while also preserving local heritage and building autonomy.
  • Greening the East Marsh: Was tree planting the right next step? The group agreed the deeper aim was to build trust and pride first. Education, small steps, and care for private spaces would pave the way for shared community environments. Key quote: “You can’t jump straight to an avenue of trees — it starts with alleyways, then back gardens, then shared spaces.”
  • Other priorities: Across all groups, shared aims emerged quickly and gained universal approval — showing how much unity was already there, waiting to be uncovered.

The Impact
By the end of the morning, EMU’s team felt more aligned, energised, and ready to act. What began as dilemmas turned into clear shared visions.

Here’s what participants had to say:
“The workshop was really inspirational and it made us feel that we need to get on and do a bit more and secure that Community Hub.”
— Paula Graves, Community-led Housing Manager

“Your workshop is a magnificent and stimulating challenge to thinking… The way it was facilitated was a real model of how to do these things.”
— Billy Dasein, CEO

“I would heartily recommend Paul to any organisation… It’s certainly given me ideas for talking to the community about their plan. Come back soon, Paul, and have a beer at Docks Beers!”
— Jill Harrison, Lead for the Community Plan

Why It Matters for Organisations
Many organisations face competing priorities and tough decisions. The Win-Win Workout offers a practical, structured way to move beyond disagreements, uncover shared aims, and create the confidence to act together.

For East Marsh United, this meant walking away with clarity on next steps and the reassurance that they were working from a place of unity.

Bring the Win-Win Workout to Your Organisation
Does your organisation need help aligning on big decisions, setting goals, or overcoming tensions? The Win-Win Workout can help you discover the deeper aims that everyone can rally behind.

If you’d like to explore bringing a workshop to your team, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact paul@thinkingbox.info or perryw@talkshopuk.org