Team Retreats and Processes * When is a retreat useful? * When do you need an outside facilitator? * Facilitator and participant responsibilities * What is your approach to retreats? * Sample team projects About my work Mary Dingee Fillmore, Director Clients Projects	Facilitator and Participant Responsibilities As your facilitator, you can expect me to: remain neutral and objective create an environment where people are civil and creative, so new solutions can emerge ensure that everyone's views are heard and respected, and that there is overall balance among different perspectives help the group uncover underlying issues and assumptions structure the discussion so it is both efficient and inclusive manage conflict so it moves the group forward measure every comment and activity in terms of its ultimate usefulness to meet the group's goals give the group feedback about its functioning help the group enforce the groundrules we agree upon, including timeliness. If you ever feel that I could do better, in any way, to meet these expectations, please tell me right away. Raise your hand, pass me a note, talk to me on a break, e-mail or call me. What Is Asked of Participants? As a group member, I ask you to: come to our meetings on time, prepared and ready to work together. Be direct but civil. help me perform my functions as facilitator. I am human and occasionally miss a tangent or a non-verbal signal. I welcome your assistance. treat each other with respect. We are all here for the same reason and owe each other a careful hearing and thoughtful questions. be open and flexible in approaching our mutual tasks. Try out different ideas. We're here to be creative, not take rigid positions and hold to them. stay on task and on point as much as possible. Avoid dominating the discussion. If you have spoken and others haven't, encourage them to speak up. help set groundrules that matter to you.
© 1996 - 1998 Mary Dingee Fillmore, Changing Work <mfillmore@usa.net>. All rights reserved.