Library of facilitation techniques

Shadowing describes the practice of accompanying/observing someone for a defined period of time during their work and learning from this observation.

Stakeholder Interviews are conducted by practitioners with key stakeholders in their ecosystem, such as decision makers, team members, peers, or customers both within and outside an organization. The interviews allow you to step into the shoes of the interviewees and see their role through their eyes.

• 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

Learning Journeys invite participants to step out of their daily routine and to experience places, people, and organizations that are relevant to issues they are working on.

One idea enters the circle. The group builds it together, one sentence at a time. Every statement begins with "Yes, and..."

The Iceberg Model is a diagnostic tool that is used to analyze systemic structures and identify blind spots that cause a team/organization/society to collectively reproduce results that no one wants.

A quick, physical activity to energize participants