Tips for Facilitating Team Collaboration

Facilitation is a skill that you can learn through trainings, but you only improve through practice. Here are the 6 biggest things I’ve learned over the past 4 years 💠Tip 1: People are more likely to share honest feedback if you make space for a range of emotions, rather than only positive emotions. 💠Tip 2: Making space to talk about frustrations and challenges helps us better understand the underlying issues (and builds trust!). With good facilitation, that leads to productive discussions, not a chance to complain. 💠Tip 3: People often take awhile to surface that they actually think. Give them time to process and fully and effectively verbalize their thoughts and recommendations. 💠Tip 4: Erring on the side of being more inclusive has the potential to help identify more creative solutions. People have been more likely to surprise me with good insights than from saying "stupid" things. 💠Tip 5: When you as the facilitator offer ideas, frame them with, “We’re still in the brainstorming phase. I’m going to throw out an idea as a starting point, and I expect some of you will disagree.” --- > This matters because as facilitators, we often are hired as subject matter experts as well. Our role can bias the process when we make suggestions, so we have to be careful of how we frame them. 💠Tip 6: Avoid presentations. This is quite tricky because sometimes we need to present key data points, so that everyone is on the same page around the facts of the situation. If you do need to present information, consider: -       Sending out pre-reading materials to review before the session -       Keeping presentations to 5-minute intervals, with pauses for questions and activities in between -       If it’s about developing shared definitions, instead of doing a training, consider including the team in collaboratively developing a shared definition. Any favorite facilitation tips that I missed? 🤔 Feel free to share. #strategicplanning #stakeholderengagement #focusgroup #focusgroups #collaboration #trust #DEI #economicsresearch #socialscience #impactassessment #monitoringandevaluation

Do you have trouble getting the entire team to participate in group discussions, brainstorming sessions, etc.? To get people talking in group settings, create a safe and inclusive atmosphere. Here's how: 1. Set Ground Rules: Make it clear that all opinions are valued and that it's a judgment-free zone. 2. Small Talk First: Warm up with light topics so folks get comfortable speaking. 3. Use Open-Ended Questions: Questions that can't be answered with just "yes" or "no" open up the floor for more detailed discussion. 4. Direct Invitations: Sometimes people just need a nudge. Call on them directly but offer an easy out like, "Feel free to pass." 5. Silent Moments: Pause and allow silence. This gives people time to gather their thoughts and often encourages quieter folks to chime in. 6. Positive Reinforcement: When someone does speak up, validate their contribution, even if it's just a simple "great point." 7. Anonymity: Use tools or methods that let people contribute anonymously. Then discuss the anonymous points as a group. 8. Break into Smaller Groups: Big settings can be intimidating. Smaller group discussions can make it easier for people to open up. 9. Rotate Roles: Give different team members the role of facilitator or note-taker in each meeting to encourage active participation. 10. Follow-Up: If someone doesn't speak up but you think they have valuable insights, follow up privately. They may be more comfortable sharing one-on-one. Remember, the goal is not to pressure people into speaking but to make it easier for them to do so if they wish. #leadership #teambuilding #communication

What do all of the most innovative and successful companies have in common? Look at: Apple Google Microsoft They were all founded through collaboration. Steve Jobs had Steve Wozniak. Larry Page had Sergey Brin. And Bill Gates had Paul Allen. Steve Cockram and I have been collaborating for over ten years and we see it as our core strength.  It's a competitive advantage. But what does it even mean to ‘collaborate well’? It means to work jointly on an activity to produce or create something. As a leader, it is one of the single most important skills you can learn. When teams don’t collaborate well, things become disjointed:  • Relationships suffer • Communication falls off • Performance takes a hit But when those disjointed parts of a team come together and work in unison, great things happen. So, here are 8 ways you can use the power of collaboration to supercharge the performance of your team or organization: 1 Regular Check-ins Schedule regular check-ins or status updates to share progress, discuss challenges, and align priorities. This promotes transparency and keeps everyone on the same page. 2 Use Collaborative Tools Tools such as project management software, shared documents, and communication platforms help streamline communication. For teams to be able to collaborate effectively, communication is crucial. 3 Active Listening Practice active listening during team discussions. Ensure that everyone has an opportunity to express their thoughts, and actively seek to understand the different perspectives that everyone provides. 4 Set Clear Goals and Deadlines When goals and deadlines aren’t clear, it’s easy to lose focus and motivation. Establish clear and achievable goals with defined deadlines. This helps the team stay accountable for their individual and collective contributions. 5 Celebrate Successes When people do well, they may not know it unless you tell them. Always acknowledge and celebrate both individual and team successes. This reinforces a positive culture and encourages continued collaboration. 6 Provide Constructive Feedback How you frame a message is crucial. Offer constructive feedback in a respectful and considerate manner. Feedback should focus on improvement and be framed in a way that encourages growth. 7 Encourage Knowledge Sharing Instill a culture of knowledge sharing within the team. You want members to share their expertise and insights, promoting continuous learning and development. 8 Establish Clear Communication Channels Define communication protocols, including preferred channels, response times, and the format of updates. Effective communication is one thing, but increasing clarity in communication methods avoids misunderstandings. So, when you look at your team, how well do you collaborate? Remember, leaders define culture - if you want your team to collaborate more effectively, you will have to model it and champion it. That’s all for today’s message. I hope you enjoyed!

Facilitating working sessions is truly my favorite thing to do. Odd right? Especially when most people dread, what is typically, death by PowerPoint. For me, I learned the hard way that success leading these sessions would be determined well before I walked into the room. This is not a fake it till you make it experience. You can’t go into a session without a well-orchestrated plan that engages. You also can't expect a team to show up with all the best ideas when they haven’t been properly prepared. Seems simple enough – but it is something that often goes unplanned and uncommunicated. The session that is pictured was one of the most impactful to the business. Why? The thinking, planning, and tweaking of the agenda for the day, started months earlier along with getting the details out to the team weeks in advance. As a result, right from the start, the energy was electric. We were able to quickly embark on a journey of collaboration, growth, and shared learning around our clear common goal. Witnessing everyone arrive with A: understanding of their remit B: genuine enthusiasm and commitment was a powerful position to start and end with. Observing individuals stepping out of their comfort zones, sharing their thoughts, and challenging thinking (mine included) was incredibly rewarding and impactful. And we had some good laughs along the way (self-deprecation is always a go-to for me)! As leaders, we have the responsibility to nurture our environments where every team member feels empowered, engaged, and motivated. By creating spaces that encourage active participation and genuine dialogue, we lay the foundation for innovation, creativity, and sustainable growth. It is in these moments of collective engagement that we unlock the full potential of our team to realize the full value of our business. #TeamEngagement #Collaboration #ContinuousLearning #facilitationskills #strategysession #workshopfacilitation #strategicconsulting #Inspiration #funatwork #laughoutloud  

Quick Facilitation Tip: Start your virtual group meetings with a moment for everyone to unmute and greet each other. Yep - invite all 15, 30, 80 people to unmute for a moment and say "hi." Why: - This is relatively rare, so it will feel surprising (and engaging). - It primes the group for interactivity, and makes it more likely that they will vocalize (i.e., speak) later. - You will pull attention into the room (and away from email) because your participants are invited to DO something. Logistics note: If the group is large, be ready to "Mute all" after the group hello. If the group is small, encourage them to stay unmuted if their space allows. Caution: Don't do this technique and then dominate the mic for the duration of the meeting. It counteracts your attempt to make it feel more inclusive and interactive.