What are some innovative team facilitation techniques?

Team facilitation is the art and science of helping a group of people achieve their goals and objectives in a collaborative and effective way. As a facilitator, you need to design and lead engaging and productive sessions that foster creativity, learning, and alignment among your team members. But how can you do that in a way that is innovative and adaptable to different contexts and challenges? In this article, we will explore some of the latest and most innovative team facilitation techniques that you can use to boost your team's performance and satisfaction.

1 Liberating Structures

Liberating Structures are a collection of 33 simple and powerful methods that can be used to facilitate any kind of group process, from brainstorming and decision making to feedback and evaluation. They are based on the principle of giving everyone equal voice and opportunity to participate, while creating a safe and positive space for dialogue and action. Liberating Structures can be combined and adapted to suit different purposes, sizes, and durations of sessions. Some examples of Liberating Structures are 1-2-4-All, Impromptu Networking, Troika Consulting, and 15% Solutions.

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Rajdeep D.
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Here are a few innovative team facilitation techniques: 1. Open Space Technology: Allows participants to self-organize around topics they're passionate about. 2. Fishbowl Discussions: Small group openly discusses while others observe, promoting deep dialogue. 3. Liberating Structures: Simple, effective methods to engage and include everyone in discussions. 4. Design Thinking Workshops: Encourage creativity and problem-solving through a human-centered approach. 5. World CafÃ©: Creates a cafÃ©-like atmosphere where participants rotate tables to discuss different topics. These techniques foster collaboration, creativity, and inclusivity, enhancing team dynamics and productivity.

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2 Graphic Facilitation

Graphic facilitation is the use of visual tools and techniques to capture, organize, and communicate the key ideas and insights of a group session. Graphic facilitation can enhance the engagement, clarity, and retention of the participants, as well as create a shared vision and understanding of the outcomes. Graphic facilitation can be done by using flip charts, whiteboards, sticky notes, or digital platforms, and by employing different elements such as icons, symbols, colors, and fonts. Graphic facilitation can also be done by the facilitator or by a dedicated graphic recorder.

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Tobias Lienhard

Dein begeistertes Team: ProjectFacilitation ðŸ˜€
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Gemeinsam grafisch Gestalten! Das ist etwas ganz auÃŸergwÃ¶hnliches! Dazu empfehle ich die Methoden von Tom Wujec! Mit seinem TED-Talk zu "got a wicked problem?" hat er mich vor vielen Jahren angesteckt :) Ich sag nur "How to make toast"?

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3 World Cafe

World Cafe is a conversational method that can be used to explore a complex or strategic question with a large group of people. World Cafe involves setting up several tables with a specific topic or sub-question, and inviting the participants to join any table they are interested in. The participants then engage in several rounds of dialogue, changing tables and cross-pollinating ideas after each round. The facilitator then harvests the main themes and insights from each table and synthesizes them into a collective wisdom.

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4 Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based approach that can be used to facilitate change and innovation in teams and organizations. Appreciative Inquiry focuses on discovering and amplifying the best of what is, rather than fixing or solving the problems. Appreciative Inquiry involves four phases: Discovery, where the participants share their stories of success and positive experiences; Dream, where the participants envision the ideal future state; Design, where the participants co-create the strategies and actions to achieve the vision; and Destiny, where the participants implement and celebrate the results.

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5 LEGO Serious Play

LEGO Serious Play is a playful and creative method that can be used to facilitate team building, problem solving, and strategy development. LEGO Serious Play uses LEGO bricks and other elements as a medium to express and communicate the thoughts and feelings of the participants. LEGO Serious Play involves three steps: Build, where the participants construct a model that represents their answer to a specific question; Share, where the participants explain their model and listen to the others; and Reflect, where the participants discuss and learn from the insights and perspectives of the group.

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6 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Tobias Lienhard

Dein begeistertes Team: ProjectFacilitation ðŸ˜€
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Unbedingt die "3D-Welten" von Janek Panneitz checken! Das ist eine kleine Revolution in der Haptik und Optik von Moderationsmaterial. Dazu Ã¼brigens nachhaltig, weil beliebig oft wiederverwendbar :) Mehr dazu auf: thinking-without-boxes.de

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Martin Goodman

Engineer / Trainer & facilitator / Generalist / Helping Engineering Organisations
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One thing I have found useful is to borrow the concept of "Flip Learning" from education. Not everyone thinks the same or performs well in group situations. Flip leaning allows participants to digest/learn/investigate background material before arriving at a session. The aim is to eliminate some of the group think that can happen in workshops by allowing people to bring a view to start with whilst being open to refining and exploring in the light of others during the workshop. I feel this particularly benefit remote teams offering the opportunity to think before the session. Similarly giving access to material gathered after the workshop to participants is also of benefit for thoughts to be crystalized following a time of reflection.

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What are some innovative team facilitation techniques?

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4

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1 Liberating Structures

2 Graphic Facilitation

3 World Cafe

4 Appreciative Inquiry

5 LEGO Serious Play

6 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Facilitation

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What are some innovative team facilitation techniques?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Liberating Structures

2 Graphic Facilitation

3 World Cafe

4 Appreciative Inquiry

5 LEGO Serious Play

6 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Facilitation

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