I used to lead parenting workshops, and one of the key takeaway messages was, “Connect before you correct.”
I’m hearing echoes of that concept as people wrestle with how best to maintain relationships digitally over what is becoming a long time apart. As I continue to observe what great teams do in these strange days, they emphasize connection before content. Continue reading “Connection Before Content”
Once you see something, you can’t unsee it.
I remember feeling that way after taking a beginner art class several years ago. The instructor encouraged us to look not at details, but at patches of dark and light in a landscape. That perspective was new to me, and it highlighted the spaces between things in new ways. I can’t not bring it to my awareness anymore. Continue reading “The Spaces in Between”
One of the key skills of a facilitator is ensuring all voices are heard. It’s something we keep in mind in every meeting and in the overall design of projects. Within the core competencies of the International Association of Facilitators, we pledge to promote inclusiveness by encouraging “positive regard for the experience and perception of all participants.” In the IAF Statement of Values and Code of Ethics, members “strive to engender an environment of respect and safety where all participants trust that they can speak freely.” Hearing from everyone in the room is part of most facilitators’ DNA.
Can you already hear echoes of the contradiction I’m struggling with? Continue reading “When Inclusive Isn’t Safe”
I’m going to break one of my cardinal rules of facilitation right off the top: don’t remind a group of all they’ve lost. Avoid any variant of, “If we were meeting in person, we would…” or “If only we were together, we’d be able to…” Instead, leverage what you do have and can do. It keeps the energy positive and allows our attention to move to a more generative place.
But let me just say: don’t you miss variety in our venues? Continue reading “Set the Tone”
Default settings exist so that we don’t have to make conscious decisions about too many things over and over again. They move choices onto autopilot for us. That’s a very useful thing, as our brains can hold far more in our unconscious zones than in our conscious ones. Making too many decisions is exhausting. (If you’re curious how Obama handled decision fatigue during his presidency, have a look here.) Continue reading “Disrupting our Defaults”
