Library of facilitation techniques

Trust Workshop Activities

Group activities and facilitation techniques for reflection and review.
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Deborah Rim Moiso

Hybrid checkpoint

Punctuate any hybrid event with moments in which participants joining remotely and in-person briefly get together to discuss their experiences at the gathering.

Tech tasks

Send all the people participating in person a link to join the online call.

Tech host create as many breakout rooms as the number of attendees in the smallest cohort, pairing each with one or, if necessary, two, participants from the other group.

3
Joran Oppelt

Elephants, Dead Fish, and Vomit

  • Frame: Famously utilized by AirB&B to get at the heart of some of their culture issues. The idea is that there are three things that move the needle on psychological safety and team effectiveness:

    • Elephants - The "elephants in the room" or things people are avoiding and not talking about. These tend to create a sense of ambiguity and helplessness. Elephants must die.
    • Dead Fish - These are the "old tapes" that people refuse to let go of. They've been around so long that they're beginning to stink up the place. These tend to sour people on each other by undermining trust and creating fictions. Dead Fish must disappear.
    • Vomit - This is our ability to speak freely, directly, and openly with another person without fear of reprisal. If we're not listened to in this way, it can build up over time and bad things can happen. Vomit has to happen.
  • Outcomes: Creates more honesty and psychological safety; Surfaces crucial issues on the team

  • Demo: Leader shares an example of an old tape or story they've been carrying around and are ready to let go of
  • Process/Steps:
    • Facilitator introduces the framework by drawing three columns on a flipchart (or a flipchart for each)
    • Facilitator asks the group for an example of either an Elephant or a Dead Fish
    • Team members affirm, clarify, or provide additional context
    • Group decides how to appropriately address or let go of the issue (usually by naming some hard, next steps)
    • Facilitator captures on flipchart
    • Group is invited to add to the flipcharts over the course of the day
    • Facilitator reviews additions at the end of the day
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