Leaders have done an amazing job at navigating challenges in the last few months. As we settle into the ‘new normal’, many leaders are finding it difficult to energise, motivate and connect their teams to help them shine.
In particular, leaders are telling us…
- The tools we are using to connect teams remotely have become stale
- Day to day demands leave no time to think strategically and look to the future
- People are fatigued and struggle to find the energy to contribute, and leaders struggle to manage under-performance remotely
So how can leaders freshen up their team conversations, and reclaim the spark that makes work a positive and productive part of life? It’s the start of Spring after all!
Let’s freshen things up!
As independent facilitators, 3rdView are often engaged to bring a fresh perspective to conversations. Here are three of our top tips…
- Make it human! Take some time up front to reconnect as humans and have a laugh. Mix it up with personal and professional, short and long term, a good vent and reflecting on what you’re grateful for. 10 minutes of ‘human’ at the beginning sets your conversation up for success.
2. Have a clear purpose. Make it someone’s job to spell out the purpose of the conversation and how it fits in to your work and your mission as an organisation.
3. Have clear roles. Appoint a dedicated facilitator to ensure there is ownership and focus every step of the way and that everyone has a genuine opportunity to connect and contribute.
Enjoy your chance to participate for a change!
What clients tell us
In recent weeks a number of 3rdView clients have engaged us to design, facilitate, and bring energy to critical conversations. Some have been face-to-face, and an increasing number have remote participants using videoconferencing software and digital collaboration tools like Miro.
We’ve found people respond well when they have the chance to attend a carefully designed and facilitated conversation. Here are some of the reflections from three stakeholder groups that highlight where people are coming from, and what can be achieved…
Leaders
Leaders who’ve been battling to move critical tasks forward told us
- We got a lot further than I expected!
- Everyone actually behaved really well
- Finally, we’re on the same page!
Attendees
Attendees who had been finding things a real grind noticed the change. In their feedback they told us
- I finally felt like I had a voice
- That was actually a lot of fun!
- Thank you for creating a ‘safe space’ for us
The internal person who would have had to facilitate without us
The other group whose reaction is interesting are those ‘internal consultants’ or leaders who often end up trying to facilitate these difficult conversations. They often step up because they have a vested interest in the conversation, but even the best multi-tasker often has a battle on their hands to get consensus. These people told us
- It was great to be able to focus on the content and not have to worry about process
- The team appreciated and respected having someone external in the conversation
Where to from here?
Regardless of where you’re at, there is no better time to freshen things up.
- Choose an important conversation that requires genuine collaboration that will give everyone a boost when it delivers the required outcomes
- Engage a dedicated facilitator to create a safe and fun space where your people can rediscover their spark and reconnect with purpose
- Take the time to consciously design a fresh and positive experience for attendees
You won’t regret it!
