FacilitatorU.com

Don’t be an Allopathic Facilitator

davissm — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:20:13 +0000

Often we are called in to facilitate organizational interventions by organizations that are “sick,” meaning that their dysfunction has become so untenable that something simply must be done about it…”Our organization is broken and we need to fix it!” Pressured for a quick fix, we are often challenged to stand by approaches we know to be effective. In this week’s article, Don’t be an Allopathic Facilitator, we explore strategies to maintain a holistic approach to your interventions

Bringing Meetings Back from the Dead

davissm — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:06:43 +0000

One of my favorite books on facilitating meetings is “Death By Meeting,” by Patrick Lencioni. It’s framed in the form of a fable that is not only easy reading, but also helps you relate to the message. The message lays out the two main reasons meetings are usually so poor and what to do about them. I summarize the key points in this weeks article, Bringing Meetings Back from the Dead.

Know the challenges of leading leaders

davissm — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:57:27 +0000

Have you ever facilitated a group of facilitators? In my experience, this can be a challenging thing to do. Some of my most frustrating experiences with groups have occurred when working within groups of my peers. In this week’s article, Facilitating Facilitators, I reflect on these experiences and made some observations that may help us see facilitation a bit more clearly. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and specific comments on this matter.

Using the Socratic Method as a Learning Facilitator

davissm — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:09:41 +0000

What is the Socratic Method? The Socratic Method uses questions to guide your student on a journey of discovery leading toward greater understanding or increased performance.

Although facilitation is about moving people to where they want to go, the simple truth is that nobody moves anywhere unless they move themselves. The Socratic Method is a way to help people see when they need to move, and where they need to move to. It produces better learning and better solutions because it leads people to explore, challenge their thinking, and discover answers for themselves. Self-discovery facilitates action because individuals uncover for themselves what needs to be done and why. Click here to read the full article.

Creativity Generator for Managers

davissm — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:07:35 +0000

Our feature article in this issue Creativity Generator for Managers, is comprised of a short 15-question quiz, by Dr. Robert Epstein, to assess your ability to inspire creativity in others. Your scores will identify your current competency levels and will alert you to additional practices that may help you inspire more creativity in your groups or within your organizations. Click here for full article.

What Are You Projecting?

davissm — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:37:07 +0000

This past week I had the opportunity to co-facilitate another Journey of Facilitation and Collaboration Workshop in the University of Wisconsin in Madison. As always, it was a pleasure to watch this new group of facilitators unfold as a high-functioning team. While many beautiful insights and opportunities emerged, there is one I want to speak about in this issue as I believe it’s a topic that deserves discussion. That is, the concept of psychological projection, which we explore in this week’s article, What Are You Projecting?

Planning a Change

davissm — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:47:35 +0000

This week’s article, Planning a Change comes courtesy of Michael Cardus, founder of Create-Learning.com. When planning for a change you need to be both reflective and purposeful. Michael offers a great model for finding and filling the holes in both professional and personal change initiatives that if missing, could sabatage your efforts. Let us know what you think. Click here to read the complete article.

Process Paralysis: Don’t Let Your Facilitation Strengths Get in Your Way

davissm — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:25:18 +0000

As facilitators, we are keenly aware of group process and expert at facilitating it. However, is it possible that there are times when our process-oriented strengths hold us back? In this week’s article, Process Paralysis, we explore how inordinate attention on process might be an impediment to group progress. I realize this article may be a bit controversial, and being a closet radical, part of me hopes it is. So I welcome your comments, disagreements, or any other thoughts you’d be willing to share on this topic or anything that it might trigger for you. I look forward to hearing from you.

OIVEY, the Lost Secrets of Intervention

davissm — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:42:30 +0000

This week, I want to keep it light and playful, and as always, practical. Harry Webne-Behrman is a close friend and co-leader of the JOFC workshop in Madison and an expert on conflict resolution. Harry loves trying to teach me Yiddish phrases and loves it even more when I try to use them. Last week while working on an Intervention model, I discovered that the keys to intervention actually lie in an ancient and rather commonly used yiddish phrase. I share these ancient secrets with you in this week’s article, OIVEY, the Lost Secrets of Intervention. Please click here to read the whole article.

Lessons for a Dictator

davissm — Mon, 17 May 2010 22:15:40 +0000

Well Survivor did it to me again! Yes, I’m talking about the Survivor TV Series that appears on CBS every Thursday night. Each of the players this season had played the game at least once before and were dubbed either a hero or a villain based on their past performance on the show. The finale was last Sunday night and surely this season’s “Heros versus Villains” was without a doubt the most entertaining and intriguing one on record.

You may not be surprised to hear that I tend to watch this show with an eye on the fascinating group dynamics displayed each week. And this season, there were some deep lessons that I just have to relate to you as group leaders and change agents. So please have a look at this week’s article Lessons for a Dictator and tell me what you think.