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| Master
Facilitator Journal | Issue #0204, May 17, 2005 | 7,000 Subscribers.. |
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Dear
friends,
In this world of accelerating
technology, it's easy to get lured into thinking that the right
technology can solve any of our problems. It's important to look
at the specific strengths and weaknesses of each technology, particular
when applied to the field of human communications, and even to consider
the problems it can cause if used inappropriately. This
week's article,"Facilitating with Technology," explores
the pros and cons of using technology as a tool to group process
management.
If you are involved or plan to be involved facilitating or managing
virtual teams, you'll want to attend our upcoming 5-day teleclass
starting June 13th called Managing
People You Rarely See. This teleclass will be of interest to facilitators
and leaders working with virtual groups. Click
here to check out the details on this class, and if you're interested,
register now to take advantage of our early registration discount
by May 20th.
Due
to the great reception we received on "The Improvisational
Facilitator" teleclass, we've scheduled two additional sessions
of this class in June. This class is very interactive and uses many
innovative experiential activities that will surely surprise you.
Please see details here.
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Starts June
13th
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Starts
June 6th
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Self-Guided
Version
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| Group
Management Skill |
Facilitating with Technology
Know
the pros and cons of facilitating with technology
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| The
Point |
With all the hoopla today around the
Internet and the use of communications technologies, it's tempting to
fall into thinking that technology might solve some of our most nagging
problems, or even worse, draw our focus away from them into an acceptable
distraction.
In this issue, we'll explore some of the benefits and pitfalls of facilitating
with technology to help you to determine when best to use it, and when
not to.
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| Application
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Benefits of Employing Technology in Your
Facilitation:
- To help groups in different locations
work together in real-time.
This is a key reason many organizations employ technology and can save
lots of time and money in travel costs if implemented effectively.
- To build trust with groups in
major conflict. "Virtual" communication changes the
group dynamic providing distance (both physical and psychological) that
can sometimes break up patterns that contribute to conflict because
members can focus on the technology in addition to one another. Often
this gives them something else that they can hate in common.
Most forms of technology create anonymous data, making it easier to
find agreement when information is separated from personalities.
- To increase the creativity of
"stuck" groups.
Technologies can provide the means for groups to come together and collect
their ideas in a clean format without all the paper, flipcharts, and
other clutter that can impede the creative process. Some technologies
even encourage the creative process by providing easy means to vote
on and evaluate multiple options.
- To increase group productivity
and speed. Certain types of audience response systems and groupware
allow large numbers of participants to vote on and prioritize lists
instantly, saving lots of time over the manual method.
- To provide real-time documentation
of group activities. Computer
technology can provide group members printouts of group process, results,
and action items immediately so that they leave the meeting with copies
in hand to share with others, and as a guide to help put the energy
of the meeting into action.
- To quantify qualitative information.
Tools exist that can quickly collect, analyze, and store ratings from
participants on subjective information. This information can statistically
reveal group tendencies and can also aid in measuring group progress
over time.
- To elicit anonymous feedback.
The ease with which technology can generate anonymous feedback
from a large number of people is a great way to get more objective data
from participants that fear retribution from authority. This paperless
approach also allows for easy storage and retrieval for a variety of
purposes such as coaching, training recommendations, and developing
employee competencies.
- To link disparate organizations.
With the rapid changes in organizations due to mergers, downsizing,
and reengineering, technology can link groups from different parts of
the enterprise and create "knowledge management" solutions,
which quickly give groups applied information about various tasks.
When Not to Use Technology
- To cover or substitute for a lack
of good facilitation skills. Technology is simply a tool for
facilitation and should not be viewed as a crutch. An unskilled carpenter
with a hydraulic hammer can build a crummy structure fast.
- When the group's decisions are
likely to be overruled by an autocratic decision maker.
Facilitation with technology will often encourage a democratic process.
Those leaders that don't approve of this approach will resist it. Once
again, leader buy-in to process is critical.
- To avoid solving problems.
Technology often brings people together through anonymous means.
It's easy for people to focus on the technology and seem hard at work
while avoiding the critical issues such as role clarification, expectations,
or examining flawed strategies.
- To introduce newly formed groups
to working together. Technology applied to a new group coming
together for the first time can block the intimacy needed to start the
stages of group evolution. People need a chance to get acquainted face-to-face
before leaning on technology for group work.
- To avoid confrontations or the
building of trusting interpersonal relationships.
People can hide behind the technology to avoid the challenging issues
of power, control, and conflict.
Adapted from "The Facilitator's
Fieldbook," Justice & Jamieson.
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| Action |
This week, think about how you might
better employ or balance the use of technology to support facilitation
in your organization. We'd love to hear you're perspectives and
experiences. Please
send us your comments.
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Resource
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 The
Facilitator's Fieldbook, by Thomas Justice & David W. Jamieson
What is facilitation?
Ironically, it's a difficult word that means "to make easy."
When applied to businesses and organizations, facilitation means helping
people work together in groups and teams to achieve their goals.
Comprehensive in scope,
yet extremely practical and to the point, The Fieldbook is perfect for
both novice and experienced facilitators. Those new to the art of facilitation
will find clear guidance on basic how-to information. More experienced
facilitators will discover advanced methods for use in more challenging
facilitation situations and simple models for facilitating both large
and small groups.
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| In
the Spotlight |
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Managing People You Rarely See
5-day
Teleclass on the Management and Facilitation of Virtual/Distributed
Teams
Unlock the potential of your virtual team as an effective
distance manager |
|
The
Art of Managing an Outstanding Virtual Team. Managing people from
a distance isn’t easy.
Do you need to get rapid
results from people collaborating across multiple locations? This
class will discuss managing remote relationships and frameworks
for successfully managing projects across large distances. There
are issues created by the geographic distance between team members.
But those issues can be overcome, and in fact, the potential of
a distance team to accomplish amazing feats far outweighs any logistical
liabilities. Project development teams scattered around the country
or around the globe can take advantage of the best scientific minds,
technical skills and subject matter experts...if they can manage
the remote relationships effectively. This course will build remote
management competencies by providing a framework for success and
applying it to real-life examples. The course contains consolidated
information packed into a one-day format.
Benefits
to Participating in the Training:
1. Build group
cohesion, avoiding the "us and them" trap
2. Establish communication protocols that work for different organizational
cultures
3. Obtain organizational support and resources by creating the connections
to larger operational goals
4. Include group members' individual goals to create a shared purpose
that increases commitment
5. Build a common language for setting goals and project milestones.
6. Clarify roles, responsibilities, and relationships for increased
accountability.
7. Collaborate and learn from a community of your peers, all passionate
about building and managing virtual teams.
How
the 5-Day Format/Training works...
1. You dial into your class every day for 5 days (Mon-Fri) for a
60-minute focused training segment using a conferencing bridge.
2. You work through a learning guide during the 5 days, which accompanies
the class as a resource.
3. You will have the opportunity to dialogue with the instructors
and your classmates via an online list serve during the course to
tap the wisdom of the community.
4. During the week, you may access the instructors via email for
help.
Training
Agenda...
Here's what you'll be learning and doing during this course...
A Virtual Team Orientation
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Virtual team definitions
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Learning the most from this teleclass
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Basic Recommendations for distributed teams
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Leadership and management shifts required for virtual work
Establishing shared purpose
- Why
is a shared purpose important?
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How to build shared purpose effectively
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Leverage the strength of your shared purpose
Building
Trust Swiftly
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Trust and fear in the virtual workplace
- Techniques
to build trust between co-workers
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Anticipate and avoid “Trust-busters”
Promoting
Outstanding Communication
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A closer look at listening
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The role of conversations in workplace communication
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Management communication considerations
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Communication practicalities: time changes, methods, and options
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Developing your team’s communication protocol
Designing Appropriate Work Processes
- Tracking
work and projects
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Reporting status and progress
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Resolving issues before they become a crisis
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Receiving and processing information
Consciously
Creating Group Culture
- ·Stages
of group development applied to virtual teams
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Results, Recognition and Renewal
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Evaluating success and learning from experience
Also
included with your training...
In addition to the 5-Day training described above, you also receive:
1. Free Workbook, ($20 value) to reference and
to anchor your learning and facilitate commitment to action.
2. Free access to the RealAudio version of the 5-Day training
($69 value).
3. Free Articles and Resources ($25 value):
- Leading
Distributed Teams
- Connective
Management
- Mistakes
Virtual Teams Make
- Top Issues
for Managers of Virtual Teams
Pricing...
The full cost of training/access is only $89 including the free
items (worth $104) listed above. Everything you read about above
is included. And, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Non-profits can receive a 20% discount. Contact
us for registration instructions.
Registration...
Immediately
upon completion of your registration, you will receive an email
with instructions to access the course and free bonuses above.
This course is limited to 20 individuals, first come, first served.
Early
Registration Special: Sign up by May 20th for only $79!
Dates...
June 13 - 17, 2005, 10:00 AM PDT, 1:00 PM EDT (NY Time), 60 minutes
each day.
Please click
here
to register.
One-Day
Live Version
Interested
in a one-day "live" version of this class offered to your
group? Email
us to
discuss options.
Your
instructors
Jessica Hartung, founder of Integrated Work Strategies
(IWS) and principal consultant, has spent fifteen years focusing
on the relationship between individuals and their work – how
business goals can be more successfully achieved while people enjoy
the process. She holds a Master of Science in Management from Regis
University, a BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan, and
is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA). She is a
member of the International Coaches Federation, which is recognized
nationally for maintaining the highest standards in the coaching
profession, as well as the Institute for Management Consultants,
part of the global community that certifies management consultants
in accordance with international standards. Jessica is included
in the National Register's Who's Who in Executives and Professionals,
2004 Edition. Jessica has been active in the Boulder business community,
providing volunteer services to assist high school students learning
leadership skills in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce.
 Steve
Davis,
M.A., M.S., is an Facilitator's Coach, Infopreneur, and free-lance
human, helping facilitators, organizational leaders, educators,
trainers, coaches and consultants present themselves confidently,
access their creativity, empower their under-performing groups,
enhance their facilitation skills, and build their business online
and offline. Steve spends most of his time building and running
FacilitatorU.com. He also
publishes a weekly ezine for facilitators called, the Master
Facilitator Journal, continues to write ebooks, design teleclasses,
and maintain a part-time coaching practice. His breadth of experience
spans business, corporate management, engineering, teaching, spiritual
psychology, and wellness, offering a pragmatic yet creative coaching
foundation. To learn more about Steve, visit his website at www.livingmastery.com.
About the satisfaction guarantee
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with this package, simply
email us with a request to refund/credit your credit card in the
full amount and we will do so immediately. It's our policy to do
this and we honor this in every single case. This policy completely
removes the buying risk for you and keeps our customer-satisfaction
rates extremely high.
Comments?
Please contact
us with your comments.
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Master Facilitator Journal Web Site
Feature Article:
Facilitating with Technology