Change Implementation Techniques for Forming Transitional Team, Creating Alignment, Maximizing Connectedness and Creativity

Technique 9.1 Improve Your Facilitation Skills

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Facilitation is an important expertise for change management.

Reflecting is an important way to improve your facilitation skill. Effective reflection involves several steps

i. find a comfortable place where you can concentrate, be relaxed and work well by yourself.

ii. select a recent example of a facilitation experience

iii. make some notes about the event, that involved your facilitation role (including your style) by listing some of the interactions that occurred, especially the ones that did not develop as well as you would have desired, eg what was less effective, less satisfying, less supportive, or less helpful to you or others than desired?

iv. choose one of these aspects which you found difficult or challenging in some way, For example, how would you modify your behaviour to improve it, if the experience were to be repeated? (This is more powerful if the interaction is of a type which has happened to you more than once)

v. re-construct the experience in your mind, ie recall as much detail as you can by describing the situation, such as where it was (the setting); what time it was; who were present; what were the surroundings; how did it begin; your own actions and actions of others, etc

vi. focus on the most critical part of the situation, ie what you thought you were doing at the time; describe yourself as "A" and others as "B", "C", and so on. In particular

"...at the time, exactly what did you do and say? What were the actions and words which you would now like to perform and say differently? At the time, what did you expect these actions or words to achieve, for yourself and others?..."

Bob Dick, 1999

vii. develop a more detailed description by writing a description of the critical part(s) of the interaction. Describe your own words and actions, and the words and actions of the other people. Continue to describe yourself as "A" and the others as "B", "C and so on

viii. focus on the most critical part of the situation, ie what you thought you are doing at the time; describe yourself as "A" and others as "B", "C" and so on. Record the details in the "Actions and Words" column. (Initially, ignore the first column; complete this after the second column.)

viii) identify (and then record in the first column) the thoughts and feelings by reviewing the actions and words what you imagine what it was like at the time. As you recall your thoughts and feelings, give particular attention to

- thoughts and feelings which you did not express at the time

- assumptions you made about what the other(s) may have been trying to do

ix) interpret the interaction and achieve a deeper understanding of your actions and thoughts. Based your analysis on what you have just written, ie imagine that you are somebody else who does not know you and was not involved and who is reading your description of the first time. The success of this depends upon whether you are able to now adopt the role of an independent observer who is considering the interaction between people you do not know. Furthermore, imagine that the behaviour of the other person(s) is entirely a response to your behaviour. Follow this sequence

- write down the actions by you which may have triggered others' behaviour

- for each party's behaviour, offer an explanation of what might have caused this

- in particular, what misconception(s) may others have developed of your motives

- consider which of your actions might persuade others of the correctness of your assumptions

(NB Need to be aware of others acting on their feelings about what has happened, rather than reacting directly to your behaviour. There may be a number of explanations of how others' behaviours might be triggered by your actions)

x. develop an explanation in more detail by choosing the most likely explanation from your above analysis and develop it in more detail by taking into account the actual or likely reactions by you to others, ie

x) If OK with you, give your explanation to others for their comments regarding

- what other actions could be taken to achieve desired outcomes

- what type of behaviours triggered the unwanted reactions

- what type of mindsets/beliefs, etc allowed the situation to happen, eg controlling v. delegating, defensive v. open, win/lose v. win/win, task orientated or not, flexible v. inflexible, tactful v. direct, engaging v. dictatorial, open v. closed, rational v. emotive, academic v. practical, questioning v. acceptance, interactive v. directive, process orientated v. outcome focus, implicit v. explicit, censorship v. open, etc

(source: Bob Dick, 1999)