Devil's Advocate
Stress-test ideas by arguing against them
A structured exercise where participants deliberately argue against accepted viewpoints to challenge assumptions, expose weaknesses, and ultimately strengthen ideas. The term comes from the Catholic Church's historical practice of appointing someone to argue against canonization. In business, it's a powerful tool for avoiding groupthink, vetting decisions, and building more resilient strategies.
Ready to customize for your team?
AI will generate a workshop tailored to your industry, roles, and challenges
Learning Objective
Participants will learn to constructively challenge ideas, identify hidden assumptions, build stronger arguments through opposition, and create a culture where critical feedback strengthens rather than threatens.
How It Works
The Devil's Advocate Process: 1. Present the Proposal (5 min) One person presents an idea, plan, or decision they believe in. Explain reasoning and expected benefits. 2. Assign the Advocate (2 min) Select 1-2 people to play Devil's Advocate. Their job is NOT to be negative, but to find weaknesses that make the idea stronger. 3. The Challenge Round (15 min) The Devil's Advocate uses these techniques: - Question assumptions: "What are we assuming that might not be true?" - Demand evidence: "What data supports this claim?" - Present alternatives: "What if we did the opposite?" - Find logical flaws: "Does this conclusion follow from the premise?" - Consider stakeholders: "Who might disagree and why?" 4. Strengthen & Revise (8 min) The presenter incorporates valid challenges. The group helps refine the idea. Rules: - Attack ideas, NEVER people - The advocate doesn't need to believe their arguments - Concede when a point is well-defended - Goal is stronger ideas, not winning debates
Example Scenarios
AI will generate scenarios like these, customized for your context:
- Strategy: A proposal to enter a new market segment with existing products
- Product: A recommendation to rebuild the platform from scratch
- Sales: A plan to change the pricing model to subscription-based
- Operations: A proposal to outsource a critical business function
- HR: A recommendation to implement a four-day work week
Free to try • No credit card required