The Power Of Team Facilitation
Is your work team struggling to come up with solutions and reach the goals you want? Team facilitation can help improve communication, find solutions to problems, and create unity among your team. Are you wondering how a team facilitator helps? We will explore a few of the things a facilitator does for your team.
The Group Is More Powerful Than The Individual
A facilitator will help your team recognize that as a group they are more creative and powerful than any one individual. Every team has strong and shy individuals. The problem is those shy and quiet individuals may hold the key to your success. A facilitator helps them to join in the conversation and to share their ideas, even when they have remained silent in the past.
It Starts With Trust
Team facilitation has to start with building trust among the team members. Everyone needs to realize that no matter what they say or share, they will not be laughed at or belittled. Some of the craziest thoughts from your team will start new lines of conversation and exploration that uncover solutions you never dreamed of. Without trust, those ideas remain hidden.
Brainstorming – Building Ideas from Ideas
Every idea, every suggestion, every random thought has the potential of leading you to the perfect solution. When ideas are thrown on the table, a facilitator helps your team to start exploring the idea from every angle. What would happen if you tried it? How could you change this idea to make it work better? Can you combine this thought with other ideas to create an even better solution? Brainstorming sessions with a facilitator make sure everyone feels secure and confident in sharing ideas.
Judgment Is Not Allowed
Ideas can be judged. Solutions should be examined thoroughly. Plans can be critiqued. People cannot be judged. It is critical when you are doing team facilitation exercises or working with a team facilitator, to leave personal judgments at home. They do not belong in the exercises. This is a time to make sure everyone’s ideas flow freely. That everyone feels confident to share. You want to unlock the power of your team from the person with 3 Masters Degrees to the factory worker who knows the process inside out. No person’s ideas have more merit than others. They are all keys to your solution.
Weird Exercises To Break The Ice
Do not be shocked when your team facilitator asks everyone to participate in some strange exercise. Sync Claps, Paperclip Exercises, Strength Envelopes, and 3 Question Mingle seem odd when you are asked to do them, but they work. These seemingly silly and strange exercises are used to get the conversation flowing, to help people relax, and to get you laughing. When everyone gets in the right state of mind, team building and brainstorming becomes more powerful. Trust the process your facilitator uses.
Team facilitation is a powerful way to take your team to new levels. You will discover untapped strengths on your team. The power is not limited to the time your hold the sessions either. The new trust and camaraderie created in your team will show up every day.