Totemics should be more than just a theory and methodology. In order to innovate through communication you must actually communicate. This adds a human element which is often difficult to overcome. If you are close to a project or area of the business you will be undoubtedly passionate about it. Often times people who have been at the company longer will feel they know better.
But what is more important than any longevity, skills or education is listening. When we truly listen we can understand others perspectives and points. The trouble is because you may have different skill sets, knowledge or just be in a totally different department of an organisation you may not fully understand the language being used. This could be through technical jargon or because assumptions in knowledge and information are being made in the presentation of the point.
Exercises bypass all this. They give individuals a third party topic to present within. This in turn takes away the passion and eliminates any language barriers preventing understanding. Imagine you are a car company discussing safety features. An Engineer discussing things with a purchasing manager would have very different objectives and view points. Using something unfamiliar to