Here are some common scenarios and pain points a facilitator can help you with:
You might consider engaging a facilitator if any of the following scenarios apply:
- You’re lacking a clear process. You’ve got a big initiative to kick off — and you need to get the team dynamics right, but you’re lacking a defined process or approach. I can help you find the most productive course of action and give you a clear structure to follow.
- You want to ensure participation and contribution from everybody in the group. The louder, more extroverted group members take over while others fade into the background, unheard. I can deliberately balance out group dynamics and make it safe and comfortable for everybody to contribute.
- You want to eliminate bias from the process. It’s hard to remain truly neutral when you’re part of the team and/or have your own ideas about how things should be done. I can help ensure different perspectives are raised and considered, and ensure that any decisions about the culture within the team made are done so collaboratively — and based on what’s best for the team.
- You’re out of ideas and hitting a wall when it comes to building or improving the culture in your team. You have been mulling over it for a while and finding it difficult to land on a feasible solution or course of action? You need to inject some creativity into the process.
- Group dynamics are turbulent and/or delicate. Because the stakes are high, you might expect some conflict or disagreement within the group. I can help you manage conflict, keep discussions constructive and productive, and ensure that politics don’t get in the way of progress.
- You want to break away from conversations that don’t go anywhere when it comes to the culture in the team and want to move towards action. Maybe you’ve noticed that your meetings about your culture fall victim to endless talk and not enough action. I can help you break old habits and show your team new ways to collaborate.
- You want to foster full team ownership. There’s a big difference between a manager or project owner making a decision and the whole team making a decision collaboratively. In situations where you need full buy-in and ownership from the whole team, it’s essential to involve them in the decision-making process. I will ensure that everybody plays a part in how the project moves forward, fostering a collective sense of ownership and investment.
- Not every meeting or workshop requires an external facilitator. But, when the stakes are high and the outcomes of the workshop are essential for success, consider getting a facilitator on board.
- You don’t have the in-house expertise to plan and lead a workshop. Maybe you’ve identified that a workshop is the best step towards improving the culture in the team — but you don’t have the in-house expertise to plan and deliver one successfully. I can help lead the way, not only guiding you through a specific plan but also sharing practices you can use in the future.
