I tried something with the group from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, the session I did on the 1721 smallpox epidemic in Boston. As you may know, I like to have a group work through a historical situation as it really happened–from week to week, as unknown events and situations emerge. That’s the river of history I talk and write about so often. In this case, I did something new with this technique. About 75% of the way into the events of 1721, I asked the group to think about which of the four leaders involved was in the key position in the event and what that leader ought to do next. The group seized upon my question; an amazing set of responses followed. My question wasn’t exactly a “here’s the situation/what’s your move” type. It pulled them on to a different analytical plane and also asked them to think simultaneously in the past, present, and future. If you’re in one of my uocoming sessions, you can expect something like this. I bet you’ll do fine.