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Spring Event Education Session:

Facilitating Teams & Project

March 14, 2013

2© 2012 Patina Solutions, Inc.

Facilitating Teams & Project Teams

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You’ll have a better understanding of facilitation theory, techniques and

possible applications.

You will know the appropriate role of a facilitator and what is expected of

successful group members.

You will understand the difference between a facilitator and a leader.

You will gain insights into managing challenging behaviors in meetings.

You will learn some ways to effectively deal with resistance.

You will enter your next facilitation opportunity with more confidence and

less anxiety.

You will help groups and projects teams operate more effectively.

Session Objectives

More inclusion through effective facilitation is thought of as a practice of ensuring that people in organizations feel they belong, are engaged, and connected through their work to the vision, goals and objectives of the organization.

Why It Matters…:

“Inclusion is a sense of belonging – feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so than you can do your best work.

Inclusion is a shift in organization culture which creates higher performing organizations where motivation and morale soar.”

The Inclusion Breakthrough: Frederick A. Miller & Judith H. Katz

Miller and Katz

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The Engagement Pyramid

According toDave Barry

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “meetings”.

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What Challenges Do Your Meeting Face?

Small Group Discussion:

In small groups, identify common challenges meetings face. Select one to present to the large group.

Large Group Round Robin:Each small group will have an opportunity to present 1 item.

2012 Life Path Partners 9

Use small groups for divergent thinking and use the large group for convergent thinking…

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Tip of the Week!

Learned Helplessness

Have you ever experienced this?

Causes of Meeting Ineffectiveness

Incorrect or Inadequate Attendance

32%

Lack of Effective Meeting Controls

49%

Other5%

Poor Preparation

14%

Evaluating the Need for a Meeting

Consider the following:

4,000 employees @ $60/hr. x 750 hours/year in meetings or $180,000,000.

Question: Could a portion of that cost be put to a more productive use?

Quick Hits

In your mind, assess all the meetings you attend and ask:

Is my participation adding value?

Is what I receive worth the time spent?

Is this meeting necessary? What alternatives would we have if we eliminated this meeting?

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Point To Ponder #1

Prior Planning

Prevents

P***

Poor

Performance

CAREFUL PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Highly Ineffective Inexperienced

Expert

Highly Effective

Experienced

Reasonably Good

Planning Effort

Planning Actual Meeting

Meeting Result

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Proactive Steps in Meeting Planning

Includes: Identify the meetings desired outputs

Identify the time available & bodies

Create and distribute an agenda designed to achieve the

desired outputs, 1 WK prior

Send data, charts, spreadsheets with agenda

Ensure agenda item owners are ready

Identify potential problem people and hotspots in

advance and identify prevention strategies

Point To Ponder #2

The Agenda is Your Flight Plan

A well designed agenda is a reflection of the thinking needed by a facilitator to do a good job

A Good Agenda Includes...

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What types of things?

Sample Agenda

Facilitator: John Doe

WHO WHAT Item Output TIME

Led by John,Everyone participates

Check In Warm up: Help participants get to know each other and focus on meeting objectives

8:15 - 8:45

Everyone Review Ground Rules Ensure buy-in among whole group and reduce conflict

8:45 – 8:50

Susan Background of situation

Clarify the situation, the client’s needs, and gain consensus on our starting point

8:50 – 9:30

John, Small Groups

Activity: Brainstorm root causes, multi-vote on top 3

Generate at least 10 core problems and identify the top 3

9:30 – 10:10

Everyone Break 10:10 – 10: 20

Assuming we could go out to lunch today, what process would you recommend we use to help 11 people reach a decision on a lunch location in a timely manner?

CASE IN POINT….

It’s about process…

Facilitation Steps:

1. Brainstorm list of places - 2 min.

2. Decide on useful criteria to aid in the selection -

3 min.

3. Eliminate those that fail to meet all the criteria -

2 min.

4. Multi-Vote the remainder - 2 min.

5. Use a secondary Multi-Vote to select a location -

1 min.

“A process is a series of steps, in sequential order, to produce a specific result”

Multi-Voting

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1. Brainstorm a list

2. Clarify what each item on the list means

3. Merge similar ideas

4. All participants receive 1/3 the number of

remaining items on the list in “votes”

5. Participants must use their votes on different items rather than

using all or some of their votes on 1 item

6. Participants vote on the items with show of hands, PVI’s or

anonymously

7. Rank order the voting results to identify the #1 or top items

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I have seen too many facilitators…

Point To Ponder #3

Facilitation is about making thework of the groupeasier, NOT doing the work of the group

- WHY?

Point To Ponder #4

Spread the Wealth!

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Spread the Wealth Assigning Roles, which include:

Leader/Project Manager

Meeting Facilitator

Timekeeper

Small Group Facilitator

Recorder/Documentarian/Note-Taker

Flip-chart Writer/Scribe

Meeting Participant (what is their role?)

Point To Ponder #5

GroundrulesAre A Good Thing…

What are Groundrules?

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Seven Killer Ground Rules for Effective Meetings

1.) Share all relevant information.

2.) Everyone has a chance to speak without interruption.

3.) No idea is a bad idea. All ideas and opinions will be respected.

4.) All ideas and opinions will be encouraged to survive the “Relevant Test”: a.) You’ve stated the reasoning behind the idea/opinion b.) You’ve given a specific example c.) You’ve shared any personal intention or benefit to you

Mary Lee Gannon, author of “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox”

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Seven Killer Ground Rules for Effective Meetings

5.) All participants are invited to ask questions of an existing point of

view.

6.) The focus should be first on alignment on goals, not solutions or

personal intentions. The group can then create solutions to an agreed

upon mutual goal.

7.) Before the meeting ends, the group will jointly design next steps that

demonstrate the level of commitment necessary to succeed.

Mary Lee Gannon, author of “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox”

Point To Ponder #6

Think of a facilitator as a traffic copor air trafficcontroller

Use specific words and phrases to direct traffic:

Observing – “My observation is…”

Clarifying – “What’s the difference between….”

Focusing – “Let’s revisit why we’re discussing…”

Stimulating – “What are all the ways we can…”

Balancing – “Are there other points of view….”

Summarizing – “What were the key ideas presented… ”

As a traffic cop or air traffic controller

Point To Ponder #7

Great facilitators have very active listening skills

Six Skills for Active Listening

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1. Pay attention Maintain direct eye contact.

2. Withhold judgment Active listening requires an open mind.

3. Reflect Learn to mirror the other person's information and emotions by paraphrasing key points.

4. Clarify Don't be shy to ask questions about any issue that is ambiguous or unclear. Open-ended, clarifying and probing questions are important tools.

5. Summarize Restating key themes as the conversation proceeds confirms and solidifies your grasp of the other person's point of view and builds trust.

6. Share As you gain a clearer understanding of the other person's perspective, you can then introduce your ideas, feelings and suggestions.

Point To Ponder #8

Great facilitators possess a good sense of timing and know when to intervene

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Suggestion: Let people “wrestle” with the ideas or issues…

Avoid rescuing participantstoo early

Why?

Point To Ponder #9

Great facilitators are sensitive to and understand group dynamics

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Group Dynamics

1.Forming – Unclear roles, goals and expectations

2.Storming – Different ideas collide

3.Norming – People take responsibility

4.Performing – Able to function as a unit

Point To Ponder #10

Great facilitators understand the advice –

Just Don’t Do Something, Stand There!

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The Power of Silence

One of the most vital aspects of facilitation is when and how to use silence.

Sometimes taking a deep breath and keeping you mouth shut is the most inventive way to get others to take responsibility, generate new ideas and get meaningful discussions moving.

Point To Ponder #11

Can you be the group or project leader and facilitate your team as well?

Thoughts?

1. Objective & impartial

2. No vested interest

3. Remains neutral

4. No input on content

5. Not in decision making

6. Monitors team process

1. Active team member

2. A vested interest

3. Voice opinions/ideas

4. Provides input

5. Part of decision making

6. Represents the team

7. Gets resources

Facilitator – Leader/PM Roles

Tips when they are one…

Discuss with the group the differences: be authentic

Tell people when you are in one role or another

Temporarily hand the facilitation to another person

Be clear which role you are in when decisions or

choices are being made

Make conscious choices about which role you need to

play and when to play it

Other ideas?

Point To Ponder #12

Icebreakers can be helpful for the first couple meetings…

Using Icebreakers

What are the disadvantages and advantages of icebreakers?

IcebreakerExample . . .

. . .

. . .

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Connect all 9 dots using 4 straight lines without lifting your pen/pencil off the paper once you start

Other Points To Ponder

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What?

Why?

How?

The Parking Lot…

Watch out for…

The Power of the Pen

When working in small groups…

De-brief Every Meeting

What Worked? Do Different?

Start on time

Open with a Check-in – (any distractions?)

Review the agenda and process.

Assign meeting tasks, i.e. timekeeper, recorder

Establish or review ground rules.

Help the group work through the agenda.

Provide and solicit feedback along the way.

Close the meeting with a meeting evaluation.

Effective Meeting Checklist

Dealing With Difficult Behaviors

Meeting Design and Planning

Icebreakers, Building Relationships

Ground rules

Understanding & Flexing to Styles

Providing Observations & Perception Checking

5 Levels of Intervention Strategies

Ideas for Managing Difficult Behaviors

Prevention (groundrules, agenda, small groups)

(feedback & ask for ) Medium-Level Intervention

Non-Intervention (not worth the effort, distracting)

Low-Level Intervention (reinforce groundrules)

(deselect from the team) High-Level Intervention

Intervention Strategies

Handling Conflict in the Group

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Maintain your neutral position. Help the group be mindful of its ground rules. Intervene immediately if members launch into personal

attacks. Let group members know they have been heard by

paraphrasing and summarizing the points of view being expressed.

Check in often with group members to make sure they feel they have been heard correctly and feel understood.

Work with the group to expand participants’ understanding of one another’s viewpoints.

Guidelines for Working Through Conflict

Advanced principles

1. Ensure everyone has the same definition of

facilitation (Technical expert/facilitator versus

neutral facilitator)

2. You don’t need to react to every comment or

thought (Hmm…will suffice)

3. Design the process and let it take its course

Advanced Principles

4. If you don’t know what to do, ask the group

5. Create an environment where people are comfortable

voicing their views without having to defend them

6. All voices should be heard during important

discussions

Advanced Principles

7. Honor the past, and assess the present before

exploring the future

8. Take care when choosing facilitation tools, as

you need to completely understand how

each tool, such as the affinity process, works

About the Speaker

Jeff Hanan is a National Practice Director in Leadership & Organizational Development at Patina Solutions. The L&OD practice provides consulting services and training in organizational change, process improvement, project management and employee and organizational assessments.

Jeff’s previous positions include Vice President of Human Resources for a two-hospital, integrated healthcare delivery system in Green Bay and Director of Personnel Services for a large regional health system. Jeff holds a Bachelors degree from UW-Whitewater and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Contact Jeff at jeffhanan@patinasolutions.com or 414.520.6701

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