Facilitator's guide - The Extraordinary Team



Facilitation

The New Secret Weapon for Professional Speakers

Kristin J. Arnold CMC, CPF, CSP

Quality Process Consultants, Inc.

11304 Megan Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 USA

703.278.0892

About Kristin Arnold

|president |Kristin J. Arnold, CMC, CPF, CSP helps corporations, government and non-profit organizations achieve |

|QPC Inc. |extraordinary results. With years of team-building and facilitation experience, Kristin specializes |

| |in coaching executives and their leadership, management and employee teams, particularly in the areas|

| |of strategic, business and project planning, process improvement, decision-making, and collaborative |

| |problem-solving. |

| |In addition to facilitation services, QPC Inc. offers diversified programs around the team concept to|

| |meet the needs of CEOs, COOs, executives, managers and team members. Her highly customized speeches |

| |and seminars have become instrumental in achieving higher performance and results within the |

| |workplace. |

| |As a master facilitator, Kristin also trains other facilitators. “I train your people to do what I |

| |do—facilitate teams to higher levels of performance.” |

|author & columnist |An accomplished author and editor of several professional articles and books, as well as a featured |

| |columnist in The Daily Press, a Tribune Publishing newspaper, Kristin is regarded as an expert in |

| |team development and process improvement techniques. Her experience and renowned passion for |

| |extraordinary teams have enabled her to build a solid clientele, primarily through referrals, that |

| |extends throughout North America and Europe. |

|education |Kristin graduated with high honors from the United States Coast Guard Academy. She also earned a |

| |Master of Business Administration degree, with an emphasis on Marketing Strategy, from St. Mary’s |

| |College in California, again graduating with high honors. |

|credentials |Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association (2002) |

| |Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF) from the International Association of Facilitators (2002) |

| |Certified Management Consultant (CMC) from the Institute of Management Consultants (2002) |

| |Qualified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (1999) |

| |Certified Kolbe Consultant (2004) |

|IFFPS/NSA |Kristin served as President of NSA-Virginia in 2000-2001; Lab Faculty for the Facilitation Skills Lab|

| |in 2000; Founding member and Chair of the Facilitators Professional Experts Group (PEG); Lab Chair |

| |for the Interaction Skills Lab. She currently serves on the NSA Professional Development Council as |

| |the Lab Director for all Labs in 2003-2005. |

Facilitation Complements Your Speeches

Pre-Event

Focus

Clarity

Planning

Team Building

Problem Solving

The Event or “Speech”

Next Steps

Goal Setting

Implementation

Project Launch

Post-Event

Plans

Follow Thru

Focus Groups

Team Building

Problem Solving

Follow-Up Sessions

Typical Facilitated Sessions and Sample Agendas

|Pre-Event |

|The Focused Conversation 14 |

|Planning/Goal Setting 15 |

|Team Building 16 |

|Problem Solving 17 |

|Post-Event |

|Maintaining Momentum/Next Steps 18 |

|Planning/Goal Setting/Implementation Planning 15 |

|Project Launch 20 |

|Follow Up Sessions |

|Planning 15 |

|Maintaining Momentum 18 |

|Focus Groups 19 |

|Team Building 16 |

|Problem Solving 17 |

Facilitation: Defined

|Is |Is Not |

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|Guide on the ______________ |Sage on the _______________ |

|Process Notes |

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The Anablep: The Four-Eyed Fish

Be an Anablep, a fish that lives at the top of the water.

Its eyes are split in half; the top part sees in the air and the bottom half sees in the water. So,the anablep sees fish below and birds above, in one picture!

The Anablep Facilitator sees the process as well as content…

[pic]

Complimentary Skill Sets

|Facilitation |Both |Speeches |

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|Process Notes |

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International Association of Facilitators: Competencies

IAF's work has identified the following six foundational areas of competency[1]:

|A. Create Collaborative|B. Plan Appropriate |C. Create and Sustain|D. Guide Group to |E. Build and Maintain|F. Model Positive |

|Client Relationships |Group Processes |a Participatory |Appropriate and |Professional |Professional Attitude|

| | |Environment |Useful Outcomes |Knowledge | |

A. Create Collaborative Client Relationships

1. Develop working partnerships

• Clarify mutual commitment

• Develop consensus on tasks, deliverables, roles & responsibilities

• Demonstrate collaborative values and processes such as in co-facilitation

2. Design and customize applications to meet client needs

• Analyze organizational environment

• Diagnose client need

• Create appropriate designs to achieve intended outcomes

• Predefine a quality product & outcomes with client

3. Manage multi-session events effectively

• Contract with client for scope and deliverables

• Develop event plan

• Deliver event successfully

• Assess / evaluate client satisfaction at all stages of the event or project

B. Plan Appropriate Group Processes

1. Select clear methods and processes that

• Foster open participation with respect for client culture, norms and participant diversity

• Engage the participation of those with varied learning / thinking styles

• Achieve a high quality product / outcome that meets the client needs

2.Prepare time and space to support group process

• Arrange physical space to support the purpose of the meeting

• Plan effective use of time

• Provide effective atmosphere and drama for sessions

C. Create and Sustain a Participatory Environment

1. Demonstrate effective participatory and interpersonal communication skills

• Apply a variety of participatory processes

• Demonstrate effective verbal communication skills

• Develop rapport with participants

• Practice active listening

• Demonstrate ability to observe and provide feedback to participants

2. Honor and recognize diversity, ensuring inclusiveness

• Encourage positive regard for the experience and perception of all participants

• Create a climate of safety and trust

• Create opportunities for participants to benefit from the diversity of the group

• Cultivate cultural awareness and sensitivity

IAF Competencies

3. Manage group conflict

• Help individuals identify and review underlying assumptions

• Recognize conflict and its role within group learning / maturity

• Provide a safe environment for conflict to surface

• Manage disruptive group behavior

• Support the group through resolution of conflict

4. Evoke group creativity

• Draw out participants of all learning and thinking styles

• Encourage creative thinking

• Accept all ideas

• Use approaches that best fit needs and abilities of the group

• Stimulate and tap group energy

D. Guide Group to Appropriate and Useful Outcomes

1. Guide the group with clear methods and processes

• Establish clear context for the session

• Actively listen, question and summarize to elicit the sense of the group

• Recognize tangents and redirect to the task

• Manage small and large group process

2. Facilitate group self-awareness about its task

• Vary the pace of activities according to needs of group

• Identify information the group needs, and draw out data and insight from the group

• Help the group synthesize patterns, trends, root causes, frameworks for action

• Assist the group in reflection on its experience

3. Guide the group to consensus and desired outcomes

• Use a variety of approaches to achieve group consensus

• Use a variety of approaches to meet group objectives

• Adapt processes to changing situations and needs of the group

• Assess and communicate group progress

• Foster task completion

E. Build and Maintain Professional Knowledge

1. Maintain a base of knowledge

• Knowledgeable in management, organizational systems and development, group development, psychology, and conflict resolution

• Understand dynamics of change

• Understand learning and thinking theory

2. Know a range of facilitation methods

• Understand problem solving and decision-making models

• Understand a variety of group methods and techniques

• Know consequences of misuse of group methods

• Distinguish process from task and content

• Learn new processes, methods, & models in support of client’s changing/emerging needs

3. Maintain professional standing

• Engage in ongoing study / learning related to our field

• Continuously gain awareness of new information in our profession

• Practice reflection and learning

• Build personal industry knowledge and networks

• Maintain certification

IAF Competencies

F. Model Positive Professional Attitude

1. Practice self-assessment and self-awareness

• Reflect on behavior and results

• Maintain congruence between actions and personal and professional values

• Modify personal behavior / style to reflect the needs of the group

• Cultivate understanding of one’s own values and their potential impact on work with clients

2. Act with integrity

• Demonstrate a belief in the group and its possibilities

• Approach situations with authenticity and a positive attitude

• Describe situations as facilitator sees them and inquire into different views

• Model professional boundaries and ethics (as described in ethics and values statement)

3. Trust group potential and model neutrality

• Honor the wisdom of the group

• Encourage trust in the capacity and experience of others

• Vigilant to minimize influence on group outcomes

• Maintain an objective, non-defensive, non-judgmental stance

The Facilitative Process

Confirm Objectives

Develop Process/Agenda

Facilitate Session

Generate

□ Organize

□ Make Decisions

□ Action Steps

□ Summarize

Generate Minutes

Follow Up

Cultural Considerations

|Set the Tone |For interaction: Engage them quickly with a pertinent question in small groups or dyads. |

|Good Icebreaker |Introduce yourself and tell us a bit of information about doing business in your country that we |

| |wouldn’t otherwise know. |

|Encourage Participation |Use small groups. Mix ‘em up by “counting off” around the room in numbers or by another common |

| |attribute. |

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| |Ask for volunteers rather than randomly calling on an individual. Don’t single out an individual |

| |unless it has been pre-arranged. |

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| |Compliment individuals for participating. |

|Pace |Slow it down – more “think time” is needed. |

|Language |Be aware of the differences between the Queen’s English vs. American English. |

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| |If possible, have your instructions written down as a handout or as a visual. |

|Que Talk Time |Make sure everyone who wants to participate can by acknowledging the order of response. |

|Humor and Idioms |Test it out first and when in doubt, leave it out! |

|Body Language |Americans tend to be very casual, so be more aware of alignment between what you are verbally saying |

| |and what you are physically displaying. |

|Protocols |Be aware of seating assignments as well as the hierarchy to participate/engage in the activities. |

Facilitation Fees

Event-Based

Use your current fee schedule for a speech

❑ Use your current fee schedule for training

Project Based

Calculate the overall time you will devote to the project:

o Planning

o Interviews/surveys

o Preparation

o Travel to/from

o Event Facilitation

o Meeting Minutes/Summary/Recommendations

o Follow up

❑ Use your current fee schedule for consulting work

Value Based

❑ Read Alan Weiss’ Book on Value-Based Fees!

Agenda: Focused Conversation[2]

Note: We can really help our clients by facilitating a great conversation where they get really clear on their objectives and desired results.

Open

Invitation to participate

Focus the topic

Explain background/context/relationship to prior events

Forestall any objections

Objective Questions

❑ What are some of the events that led up to this problem?

❑ What else do we know about the background of this problem?

Reflective Questions

❑ What has been the most frustrating part of this?

❑ How has it affected you personally?

❑ How has it affected all of our work?

Interpretive Questions

❑ If this issue remains unsolved, what the possible effects on our organization and client?

❑ What are other implications?

❑ What are some of the root causes to this issue?

Decisional Questions

❑ What are some of the things we can do to solve the problem?

Summarize and Next Steps

Thank you

Agenda: Planning Retreat

Welcome

Review Purpose, Objectives

Review Agenda & Ground Rules

Team Activity

Content Review/Overview

Presentation

Reactions/Q&A

What we need from the team (usually goals and/or plan)

Generate Ideas

Brainstorm on stickies what needs to be done in a defined timeframe

Organize the Ideas

Affinitize/Categorize stickies

Create “headers”

Small Group Activity

Give each group the “header” and categorized stickies

Each group to create a goal statement, based on the content of the majority of the stickies

Stickies that don’t “fit” can be off-loaded to another group.

Report out Goal Statements to the Larger Group

Questions/Comments?

Are these the right goals? Strategic? Missing Anything?

Confirm direction

Small Group Activity

Identify Major Milestones to achieve the goal

Identify estimate timeframes

Identify resources required

Identify goal “champion”

Report out Goal Statements, Critical Milestones, Resources and Champion(s)

Test for logic

Look for “two-fers” (a critical milestone that cuts across two or more goal statements)

Confirm/assign champion(s)

Summarize and Next Steps

Agree on Communications Strategy/Next steps

Review Understandings & Commitments

Confirm commitment to plan

How can we make sure the plan won’t work?

Turn the negatives into positive actions

Concluding Remarks

Agenda: Team Building

Welcome

Review Purpose, Objectives

Review Agenda & Ground Rules

Team Activity

Extraordinary Teams

Review Characteristics

Identify the Strengths & Opportunities

Reinforce and Celebrate the Strengths

Select the top three opportunities that will make a difference

Develop Most Important Opportunity

Provide “Just in Time” Training

Discuss implications for the team

Identify opportunities for improvement

Capture possible action items

Develop Next Most Important Opportunity

Develop Third Most Important Opportunity

Action Plan for Success

How can we make sure the plan won’t work?

Turn the negatives into positive actions

Select the top ten most important actions

Summarize and Next Steps

Review Understandings & Commitments

Bye!

Agenda: Problem Solving

Welcome and Objectives

Review Agenda

Establish Ground Rules

Team Activity

Problem Definition

Why It’s Important to the Organization

Questions and Answers

Brainstorm

❑ Where’s the pain in the process?

Prioritize

Top Three Areas of Pain in the Process

Brainstorm

❑ What’s causing the pain for each of the top three areas?

❑ What metrics are currently in place and what are the trends?

Prioritize

Top Three Root Causes

Verify Root Causes

Does the data confirm/deny your belief?

Walk through the process

Brainstorm Solutions

Prioritize/Build a Consensus

Confirm Agreement

Develop Solution/Implementation Plan

Pilot/Test plan

Full implementation Plan

Metrics

Agree on Metric(s)

Agree on Monitoring Plan

Summarize and Next Steps

Review Understandings & Commitments

Confirm commitment to plan

Agenda: Maintaining Momentum

Welcome

Review Purpose, Objectives

Review Agenda & Ground Rules

Team Activity

Brainstorm

Ideas to Maintain Momentum

Review the “action plan”

Confirm agreement to each task/effort

Ask for a volunteer to “champion” the effort

Check for others who might “help” with the effort

Agree on specific due date

Agree on Method to Follow Up

❑ Record action items in meeting minutes

❑ Review action items at the beginning of each meeting

❑ Post a “team task list” in the common area

❑ Refer to the team map with critical milestones

❑ Display the project’s metrics

❑ Report out progress orally or written. (Agree on format!)

Agree on Process to Follow When Deadlines Slip

❑ Ask for help

❑ Reprioritize

❑ Sponsor involvement

❑ Consultant help! (

Celebrate Success Along the Way!

Confirm Commitment to Plan

Agenda: Focus Groups[3]

Welcome

Thank you for coming!

Explain Purpose, Objectives and what will be done with the responses

Show example of what you will be discussing

Participant introductions

Review Agenda and Brainstorming Ground Rules

Temperature Gauge

Quick show of hands on a scale with regard to how valuable the product is

Brainstorm

❑ What are the specific things about the (product) are going well and should be definitely carried on into the future?

❑ If you could change one thing about (product name), what would it be?

❑ A satisfying (product name) is one that is…

❑ A satisfying (product name) is one that results in…

❑ A satisfying (product name) is one that does not result in…

Prioritize the brainstormed list

For each top priority, ask the group:

❑ What does (attribute name) mean to you?

❑ What do we need to do to the product to make it (attribute name)?

❑ A satisfying (product name) is one that results in….

Brainstorm

❑ What are the major barriers to accomplishment?

Small Group Activity

Select a barrier and develop a proposal on how best to overcome the barrier

Report out proposal

Summarize and Next Steps

Last thoughts or comments?

Thank you!

Agenda: Project Launch

Welcome and Objectives

Review Agenda

Establish Ground Rules

Team Activity

Project Definition

Why It’s Important to the organization

Why each member is on the team

Review Charter Elements

Questions and Answers

Develop the Overall Project Schedule

Identify “high level” tasks

Map out tasks

Agree on critical milestones and timeframes

Assign Champions

Review the Overall Project Schedule

Step back: Are we missing something?

Contingency Planning

Next steps to flesh out the schedule

Establish Ground Rules for Success

Prepare Kick-Off Presentation

Identify what we need to include

Identify how we are going to present it

Identify who is going to prepare and/or present each piece

Agree on timeframes

Summarize

Establish Next Meeting Agenda

Critique (+/()

Bye!

Recommended Readings

Team Skills

Arnold, Kristin, Team Basics: Practical Strategies for Team Success, QPC Press, 2000, ISBN 0-9676313-0-0

Covey, Stephen, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon and Schuster, 1989, ISBN 0-671-70863-5

Doyle, Michael, & Straus, David, How to Make Meetings Work, A Jove Book, 1982, ISBN 0-515-09048-4

Katzenbach, Jon, The Wisdom Of Teams, Harvard Business School Press, 1993, ISBN 0-87584-367-0

Kayser, Thomas, Mining Group Gold, Serif Publishing, 1990, ISBN 1-878567-02-0

Parker, Glenn M., ed., The Handbook of Best Practices for Teams, Volume 1. Contributing author Bette Krakau., HRD Press & Irwin Professional Publishing, 1996.

Parker, Glenn M., ed., Best Practices for Teams. Contributing author Bette Krakau, HRD Press, 1998.

Scholtes, Peter, The Team Handbook, Joiner Associates, 1988, ISBN 0-9622264-0-8

Facilitation Skills

Bacon, Terry R., High Impact Facilitation, International Learning Works, Inc., 1996, ISBN 1-57740-029-1

Bens, Ingrid, Facilitating with Ease!, Jossey-Bass, Inc., 2000, ISBN 0-7879-5194-3

Farrell, John D. and Richard G. Weaver, The Practical Guide to Facilitation: A Self-Study Resource, HRD Press, 2000, ISBN 1-57675-095-7

Hunter, Dale, Anne Baily and Bill Taylor, The Art of Facilitation, Fisher Books, 1995, ISBN 1-55561-101-X

Justice, Tom and David Jamieson, The Complete Guide to Facilitation: Enabling Groups to Succeed, HRD Press, 1998, ISBN 0-87425-432-9

Kaner, Sam. Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making, New Society Publishers, 1996, ISBN 0-86571-347-2

Kiser, A. Glenn, Masterful Facilitation, American Management Association, 1998, ISBN 0-8144-0398-0

Rees, Fran, The Facilitator Excellence Handbook, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1998, ISBN 0-7879-3888-2

Roberts, Barry J and Kevin Upton, The Compleat Facilitator, Howick Associates, 1994, ISBN 0-9646972-0-3

Schwarz, Roger M., The Skilled Facilitator, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994, ISBN 1-55542-638-7

Schuman, Sandy (ed.), The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation, Jossey-Bass, 2005, ISBN 0-7879-7160-X

Weaver, Richard G & John D. Farrell, Managers as Facilitators, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 1997, ISBN 1-57675-016-7

Process Tools

Brassard, Michael, Diane Ritter, The Memory Jogger II, Goal/QPC, 1994, Pocket Guide

Brassard, Michael, The Memory Jogger Plus, GOAL/QPC 1989 ISBN 1-879364-02-6

Lawton, Robin, Customer-Centered Improvement Tools For Teams, International Management Technologies, Inc., 1995, NO ISBN #

Kearny, Lynn, The Facilitators Toolkit, HRD Press, 1995, ISBN 0-87425-268-7

Tague, Nancy, The Quality Toolbox, ASQC Quality Press, 1995, ISBN, 0-87389-314-X

Easel Charting Skills

Brandt, Richard C., Flipcharts: How to Draw Them and How to Use Them, Pfeiffer & Co., 1989, ISBN0-88390-031-9

Burn, Bonnie, Flip Chart Power, Pfeiffer & Co., 1996, ISBN 0-88390-485-3

Graphic Guides, Inc. Fundamentals of Graphic Language Practice Book, Graphic Guides, Inc., 1993. ISBN 1-879502-00-3

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[1] See iaf- for more information.

[2] For more detail on how to conduct a focused conversation and MANY more sample agendas, check out R. Brian Stanfield’s The Art of Focused Conversation: 100 Ways to Access Group Wisdom in the Workplace. New Society Publishers and the Canadian Institute for Cultural Affairs.

[3] Adapted from Ken Miller’s The Change Agent’s Guide to Radical Improvement. See and Judith Sharken Simon’s Conducting Successful Focus Groups. See

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