Agency – Adaptability – Aspirations – Internal State

AAA Plus Framework

What Is The AAA Plus Framework?

We tend to believe that all we need to do is set a goal, develop a strategy, execute and persist until we are successful.

But behaviour of individuals and teams is much more complex than that.

What if your goals are unclear or contradictory? What if you don’t really believe in your capacity to reach them? What if you’re using the wrong approach for the context at hand? What if you lack the motivation or energy?

Even if we are not aware of them, these dimensions interact dynamically and understanding that system is the key to unlocking stuck situations.

What is different about the AAA Plus Framework?

The AAA Plus Framework takes a systematic view: behaviour is not linear (goal → strategy → action). It’s dynamic – your (often hidden) beliefs about what you can influence, what you want, your capacity to adapt and your current state all interact and shape each other.

Understanding these interactions helps identify where the leverage points for solutions and new ways of thinking lie.

One of the most consistent findings while using the AAA Plus framework with individual and teams is that people initially assume they are stuck because of strategy or tactics – they just need to find the right approach or dedicate more resources. In practice, the real blockage is almost always elsewhere.

The Framework is simple and intuitive, yet grounded in cutting-edge neuroscience as to how our brains actually make sense of and act within the world. As pioneering neuroscientist Karl Friston shows, our brains construct powerful models of the world – not the world as it objectively is, but the world as it affects us. These models contain and generate our sense of agency, our predicted consequences of our actions and our goals. They provide the organising basis for the Framework.

As such, the Framework is not just an abstract model of human behaviour. It is grounded in how all living organisms operate – agents (things) pursuing goals (aspirations) through adapting to circumstances. In evolutionary history this has consisted of behaviour change and physical evolution. What makes humans distinctive is the cognitive layers we have placed on top of these underlying processes: our capacity to reflect, imagine, plan, simulate, choose, etc. The Framework works at that intersection.

The Framework has four dimensions:

Agency – Our perceived possibilities and limits for self-directed choices and action*
Aspirations – Our goals, values and vision
Adaptability – Our ability to anticipate, learn, adjust and find new approaches
Internal State – Our complete psychological and physiological configuration.

These dimensions overlap and interact dynamically. For example, low (sense of) Agency often reduces Aspirations. High Aspirations without Adaptability leads to frustrated dreaming. High Adaptability with unclear Aspirations can lead to lack of focus and drift. And all of them are shaped by – and shape – our Internal State, which is generally experienced as an ‘overall feeling’ (open/ closed, low/high energy, pleasant/ unpleasant, etc.)

Crucially, there is no fixed starting point. You can enter the Framework anywhere and follow the thread wherever it leads, because the different aspects of the system are entirely inter-dependent, overlapping and dynamic. The insights emerge through exploration.

*Agency here is your perceived possibilities and space for self-directed action, not to be confused with ‘objective circumstances’. Even in constrained circumstances, what you believe is possible shapes what you attempt.

How to use it

The Framework can be used at different levels, from individuals to teams to organisations, as it is entirely scalable.

The starting point is identifying an issue or goal that we want to address, as behaviour and choices are contextual – the heart of cognitive flexibility and innovation is having the appropriate approach for the specific circumstances. This could range from conflict within teams to applying for a new job, or from an unhealthy lifestyle to wanting to have more social impact.

The goal or issue is then explored through the different dimensions, highlighting possible inconsistencies, contradictions and sticking points. In doing so, leverage points for change and alignment between the different dimensions are revealed. In teams, conversations automatically bring out the various assumptions that people are working upon.

For individuals, the challenge is that people are nearly always constrained by their existing world models, which they assume to be objective and rational. The Framework provides them with the opportunity to explore different perspectives and understand the different (and often competing) drivers of choice and behaviour.

The Framework is suitable for exploring both small and large issues and can be used in short, focussed conversations of an hour or so through to systematic analysis and planning.

The Online Assessment

The online assessment is a tool for helping individuals or teams identify where potential blockages and opportunities for change lie. It captures the core dimensions of the AAA Plus Framework in a focused and accessible format – but its real value lies less in the scores themselves than in the reflection and discussion they provoke.

The online tool is self-scaled – you provide scores according to a set of statements. But as with all assessments, answers can only provide a snapshot as they cannot capture the full context and complexity of change.

The real benefit comes not just from the scores, but from considering your answers – this is where reappraisal and genuine insight happen. Many people find that the process of reflection itself begins to shift things.

For some people the insight alone is enough to provoke changes in perception and action. For others, this might be the start of a deeper-dive into our workshops and coaching, where the focus is on solutions, tools and techniques.

Are you ready to take the assessment?

Click on the button below to take the 10 – 15 minute assessment to identify where you might be stuck and potential leverage points.

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