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Great facilitation is a critical factor for a successful team meeting, and it's especially important when facilitating a creative session when you want contributions and ideas from everyone present. This blog covers a few elements in a module from our creative facilitation training course; to help maximise inputs from a wider team of different characters, from "Chatter Box Charlie" to "Masterful Maria".
In addition to the profiles and techniques listed below, consider using two broad styles of facilitation from soft (catalytic, cathartic, supportive) to strong (confronting, prescriptive, informative). Both styles can be relevant and used in the same meeting. However, when selecting a style, consider the impact on the different individuals and the overall group. Think also about your own body language and the impact you are making e.g. whether you stand or sit, your tone of voice etc.
1. Chatter Box Charlie - Use the Cards
Charlie always has something to say, with an opinion on everything! Often he has great ideas but talks way too much, stifling inputs from the rest of the group. One simple technique, is to use creative feedback cards combined with breaking the team up into smaller groups...so more people can speak at the same time (not just Charlie). With the cards, set the question that you want the team to consider, and get them to write their answers down on cards (before speaking out aloud). You can then have the permission to ask each person in turn for their answer, and if necessary, set a time limit for their contribution. See if you can spot Charlie in one of our Innovation Workshop sessions!
2. Positive Paula - Wear Black Hats
Paula is normally always positive. This can be great, however, there are times in the creative process that we want to check this thinking and ask people to challenge and refine ideas. This is when you can start to use Edward De Bono's Six Hat Thinking. Paula is a perfect candidate to wear the Black Hat, encouraging her to see the deeper problems of a given idea or initiative. Alternatively, you can use role play techniques, encouraging Paula to look a the problem through the eyes of other people who might have a different point of view.
3. Negative Nick - Role Play Games
Nick tends to have a more negative frame of mind....a trait often covered by people who are managing the finances or who come from a regulatory background. This thinking should be encouraged, but it needs to be managed. As a facilitator, be ready to use Edward De Bono's Yellow Hat Thinking, to encourage Nick to look for the positive aspects of an idea that is being proposed. When evaluating ideas, you can even encourage the whole team to physically wear the yellow hats and to brainstorm all the things that might be good about a given idea. Role play is again another way of encouraging people to free their minds from closed negative thinking. For example, ask Nick what ideas James Bond or Harry Potter would have if they were part of the team.
4. Reserved Rebecca - Give Her a Voice
Reserved Rebecca can be an equally challenging to manage as Chatter Box Charlie. She tends to be "super bright" and can have lots of ideas, but is reserved about coming forward. Maybe she has a soft voice or feels that she is too junior to contribute to the discussion. As a facilitator, look out for Rebecca and encourage her to speak. Using creative cards can help (as described for Charlie above). Alternatively, you might want to use online tools, where people can share ideas in a meeting or at a time when they are feeling most creative. For example, we ran a large brainstorming meeting in 2008 in Singapore, with delegates from 10 different countries. We utilised an online tool call virtualHOTHOUSE to capture ideas from the whole team. In team feedback, two ladies, with very quiet voices, said "at last, my voice can now be heard". Today we use an online brainstorming tool call Zip-Zap Ideas® to capture individual ideas and comments from the whole team.
5. Masterful Maria - Set the Agenda
Finally, how to manage Masterful Maria? She is normally the boss and tends to be aloof from the meeting, or drops in and out when she is not on a phone call to someone else. In more hierarchical cultures that we work with, this character can be especially challenging. The best technique for Maria is to use De Bono's Blue and Green Hat Thinking. This requires you to have a clear objective and agenda for the meeting, that is agreed with Maria in advance, including some of the techniques that you are going to use. Also look to "manage expectations" on what the team is likely to achieve in each session, and politely ask Maria to avoid the "comings and goings" that might unsettle the group. But ideally, try to involve her in the smaller break out sessions, breaking down any hierarchies that might limit inputs from others.