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Greetings!
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 Are you looking for new methods to engage people in your meetings and create a high level of ownership and engagement, read our article on Open Space and if you need an experienced facilitator we can help. Check out our new regular columns on Technology Tools for collaboration, becoming DiSC Savvy and the Facilitator's Toolkit. These regular columns will provide you with quick and easy tips to lead better meetings and work more effectively with others. I promised last month that I would begin highlighting our new cadre of facilitators. This month I would like to tell you about Anne Neal. Anne and I have worked together on several projects and both became qualified as ToP (Technology of Participation) trainers last year. Anne is easy to work with but she really cares about the details and about creating the kind of environment where people can flourish.  Anne has been in the human development field for over fourteen years with a lifetime emphasis on personal and professional growth. Anne is an experienced trainer, facilitator and executive coach and has worked with a wide variety of groups and individuals offering group process, leadership development, strategic planning and coaching services. She is best known for her energetic commitment to people achieving their highest vision. Anne is an exceptional facilitator who helps you get the results you desire.
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| What is Open Space?
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 Open Space Technology is one way to enable all kinds of people, in any
kind of organization, to create inspired meetings and events. Over the
last 20+ years, it has also become clear that opening space, as an
intentional leadership practice, can create inspired organizations,
where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results
with regularity.
In Open Space meetings, events and organizations, participants
create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around
a central theme of strategic importance, such as: What is the strategy,
group, organization or community that all stakeholders can support and
work together to create?
With groups of 5 to 2000+ people -- working in one-day
workshops, three-day conferences, or the regular weekly staff meeting
-- the common result is a powerful, effective connecting and
strengthening of what's already happening in the organization: planning
and action, learning and doing, passion and responsibility,
participation and performance.
When and Why?
Open Space works best when the work to be done is complex, the people
and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and
potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was
yesterday. It's been called passion bounded by responsibility, the
energy of a good coffee break, intentional self-organization, spirit at
work, chaos and creativity, evolution in organization, and a simple,
powerful way to get people and organizations moving -- when and where
it's needed most.
And, while Open Space is known for its apparent lack of
structure and welcoming of surprises, it turns out that the Open Space
meeting or organization is actually very structured -- but that
structure is so perfectly fit to the people and the work at hand, that
it goes unnoticed in its proper role of supporting (not blocking) best
work. In fact, the stories and workplans woven in Open Space are
generally more complex, more robust, more durable -- and can move a
great deal faster than expert- or management-driven designs.
What will happen?
We never know exactly what will happen when we open the space for
people to do their most important work, but we can guarantee these
results when any group gets into Open Space:
1. All of the issues that are MOST important to the participants will be raised.
2. All of the issues raised will be addressed by those
participants most qualified and capable of getting something done on
each of them.
3. In a time as short as one or two days, all of the most
important ideas, discussion, data, recommendations, conclusions,
questions for further study, and plans for immediate action will be
documented in one comprehensive report -- finished, printed and in the
hands of participants when they leave.
4. When appropriate and time is allowed for it, the total
contents of this report document can be focused and prioritized in a
matter of a few hours, even with very large groups (100's).
5. After an event, all of these results can be made
available to an entire organization or community within days of the
event, so the conversation can invite every stakeholder into
implementation -- right now.
6. AND... results like these can be planned and
implemented faster than any other kind of so-called "large-group
intervention." It is literally possible to accomplish in days and weeks
what some other approaches take months and years to do.
The good news, and the bad news, is that it works. Good news because
it gets people and work moving, bad news because that may mean lots of
things are going to be different than before. Wanted things can appear,
unwanted things disappear, and sometime vice versa -- but that's how
life is. In short, then, Open Space brings life back to organization
and organizations back to life.
Reprinted with permission from Michael Herman, Michael Herman Associates and www.michaelherman.com |
The DiSC Corner
Are You DiSC Savvy?
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Team members who like to talk a lot, are good communicators, enthusiastic, optimistic, and people-oriented are High "I" Styles (Influencing). These "I" styles are fast-paced, talkative, persuasive, dramatic, friendly and can be show offs. They love social recognition, popularity, and enjoy having fun. When
working with the I's remember to be friendly, smile, relax, and have fun. I's tend to be very expressive and relate well to others who are also expressive. When communicating with I's use a fast pace, be persuasive and colorful. I's like public recognition for their accomplishments and abilities and need work environments where they can relate well to others. Do ask I's their ideas and opinions and don't talk down to them. They work best in a positive atmosphere where they have freedom from controls and are not overwhelmed with too many details. If you are an "I" you can increase your flexibility by learning to manage your time better, be better organized, and when making decisions use objective data not just intuition or emotions.
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Quotes to Ponder:
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
Herm Albright
"Few
things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A
word of optimism and hope. And you can do it when things are tough."
Richard M. DeVos
"People
deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong...Why not try and
see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?"
Thich Nhat Hanh
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| Save 15% |
Register for Herding Cats Basic Facilitation Workshop and mention this coupon for a 15% Discount off the full price of the course
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Offer Expires: May 13, 2009
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Public Workshops in Denver:
Herding Cats Basic Facilitation
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 Are your meetings like Herding Cats?"
How much time do you spend in meetings? Ineffective
meetings may be costing you time and money? If you
want your meetings to be engaging, focused, purposeful and to produce the
results you want this workshop is for you.
Date: May 14-15, 2009
For more information or to register click here
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| Technology of Participation (ToP) Group Facilitation Methods Workshop
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 Advanced
Skills
Learn three specific methods:
1. Focused Conversation
2. Consensus Workshop
3. Action Planning
June 4-5, 2009 in Denver
$645.00, Public Sector Discounts available
For more information click here |
| Facilitator's Toolkit |
Do your meetings stay focused and on track or do they drone on and on? Use verbal warnings to keep your meetings on track. VERBAL WARNINGSVerbal warnings help the group increase their meeting effectiveness by pacing their discussions about each agenda item.
Steps:
1. Set times for each agenda item. This can be done prior to the meeting or with the group at the beginning of the meeting.
2. Appoint a time keeper and ask them to keep the group on track by giving verbal warnings for each agenda item prior to the time being up. (Example - 5 minute warning, 2 minute warning, etc.)
3. If a discussion is not complete in the allotted time, negotiate with the group as to how they wish to complete the discussion. They can: - Continue the discussion for an agreed amount of time by taking time away from other agenda items and still end the meeting on time.
- Agree to stay longer to complete the discussion. Decide how much additional time should be given the item and when the meeting will end.
- Table the discussion for now and add it to another meeting agenda.
- Wrap up the discussion immediately.
- Delegate the discussion or decision to a task force, committee, or person.
Watch your meetings improve as people become more aware of timelines and less likely to wander. |
Technology Tools & Tips Corner
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When you need to schedule a meeting and find out people's availability Meeting Wizard is a great free online tool.
In Meeting Wizard you can propose several dates, specify what kind of meeting your holding i.e., webconference, face-to-face, etc., specify the location, and send a message to a group of people quickly and easily. Each person responds to their availability and you can be notified after each response or after all responses. A quick glance at the meeting availability chart shows which dates work best and you can send out a confirmation to all participants.
This is such an easy tool to use you won't resort to the torture of trying to arrange a meeting through email again. Sign up for this tool at www.meetingwizard.com
If you don't need to check availability but you need to confirm a date, time, and location, meeting wizard can confirm you meetings quickly.
The next time you need to schedule or confirm a meeting try Meeting Wizard.
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