solutions future focus Process Overview:

 

A program overview (for those of you facilitation and experiential nerds who enjoy seeing program overviews) of a Large Group, 95 people for 2 days-12 hours of Corporate TeamBuilding, Organizational facilitation and processing I led.

Below is the copy of What we will Do (with the companies name removed) that I sent to the executive director and his team.

The objectives for this project include;

  • Have Fun!
  • Get to know others
  • Develop a process to strengthen communication within and between departments
  • Develop a process to strengthen collaboration (information sharing, best practices) within and between departments.
  • Respect for the experience, diversity and talents of team members and departments
  • Develop an action plan to transfer ideas and skills gained from program into existing Culture.

 

team building & leadershipWhats Going to Happen?

– Create-Learning Facilitators Arrive and set-up

– Create-Learning trouble-shoots and ensures all audio / visual equipment is operational

– Companies planning committee and Create-Learning meet to go over logistics i.e. lunch, breaks, safety, order of events, what if situations, etc….

– Executive Director speaks about why all 95 staff members are here, Vision for the future, how the company is working towards that future, and Exec. hopes from our time together.

Opening and getting to know others activities;

  • Table groupings
  • True knot true
  • Card mingles
  • Switch:Change:Rotate
  • Processing Question:How does what was done apply to communication within the company?

Processing Continuum

  • Like you, not like you?
  • Choose a person discuss why you chose to stand where you are.

Mike shares opening discussion; Model and agenda for the day.

Plus utilization of self-scoring scale;

1. 0——-10 where would you rate current communication within the agency as a whole 0-non-existent; 10-absolutely transparent, known, and I can explain how it happens.

2. In order for you to see the communication processes as successful and competent where would you have to be on that same scale?

3. In I was to observe the department you work in, the team you work in and the boss you work for how would I know, without you telling me that you have moved up the communication scale?

 

SOLUTIONS FUTURE FOCUS PROCESS

Shared History: Paper lines the walls with decades starting with 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010. Each person will take marker and write words, draw images, representations of organizational and personal occurrences that brought them to being in the position they are now. Organizational examples – being hired, promotions, lateral moves, new executives, new bosses, projects that had impact, changing locations, funding, regulations, etc…

Personal examples – marriage, children, moving to different geographic locations, college, advanced degrees, meeting / leaving bosses, etc…

Ideal Futures: People will be asked to join into teams of no greater than 6 (need to discuss teams). In these teams they will accomplish the following goal;

Imagine 3 years in future September 28, 2013…Describe with vivid detail what your team would like the company to be like. Culturally, organizationally on all levels, visually, aesthetically, the communication process, the work flow, who you are serving, how are you serving them, accountability for great work and poor work – the more clear and distinct the better.

 

SnowBall FIGHT! Motion based activity with content questions.

  • Average amount of sleep per/night
  • Last time and place you went on a vacation
  • Where you work
  • One thing you have seen in our time together today you would like to see more of
  • Talent/strength you add to the organization

STAGNANT FUTURE: (should people stay in the same teams or do we mix them up?) People will be asked to join into teams of no greater than 6 (need to discuss teams). In these teams they will accomplish the following goal;

Imagine 3 years in future September 28, 2013…Describe with vivid detail what the company would be like if nothing changes, Everything stays the same as it currently is. Culturally, organizationally on all levels, visually, aesthetically, the communication process, the work flow, who you are serving, how are you serving them, accountability for great work and poor work – the more clear and distinct the better.

ACTION PLAN: (should people stay in the same teams or do we mix them up?) People will be asked to join into teams of no greater than 6 (need to discuss teams). In these teams they will accomplish the following goal;

  • Individually what are you prepared to begin taking action on?
  • What are you willing to be accountable for, to make the future of the organization ideal?
  • How will you know when you have achieved that action?
  • How will your supervisor know?
  • How will those who report to you know?

Then each person will be asked to share with their team of 6 what action steps and tasks they can be actionable to, for the creation of an ideal future of the organization and themselves in reference. Each person will have the handout: Goal Setting and Action Planning.

Following that each team will have some time to flip chart and share accountable action items with the agency as a whole. Most likely will just have the team write on flip charts action items, write their names next to what they are going to accomplish, then tape to the wall. Everyone will then have time to walk around and view other peoples flip charts and talk with one-another.

 

Large group concentric processing.

Potential questions of the group;

  • Describe your initial reaction to the day?
  • What were 2 things you enjoyed that will stay with you?
  • How was today’s time like work?
  • In what ways might you apply what was done today?

 

Experiential Transference of Individual/Team Accountability, Collaboration & Success.

 

CORONA OF CONVERGENCE: People will be asked to break into the offices / locations they work in daily.

Each team will be supplied a tennis ball and asked to do the following. Each person will write on the tennis ball one action they are willing to take and can start tomorrow, if not sooner to realize the ideal future of the company. Additionally the team must develop 3 to 6 possible problems. These problems are things that will block the team, company, the individual from accomplishing success with their action item. The problems will be written on index cards, 1-index card per/problem.

The teams will them be led to another area maybe outside? And then be involved in the following. Each team will have a Corona – 1-two inch round ring with 12-16 (depending upon the team size) long strings tied to the ring, radiating in a circle. Each team member will hold one string. Each team is responsible for transporting their tennis ball (action items) to the central PVC pipe placement stand that has their team letter on it all teams will transport their action items to a multi-level pvc pipe structure. Additionally the team will have to navigate the problems (that were written on the index cards) that are now manifested as ropes, trees, obstacles, etc… that are in their way. For successful completion all the action items (tennis balls) must be placed on the PVC pipe placement within 60 seconds of each other.

 

Potential Processing: using team handout reflection sheet

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That is what we did. Photos will be shared.

Questions and you would like your organization, team to be involved in a Solutions Future Focused Process, Contact Mike now to discuss.

 

michael cardus is create-learning