In any organization, there is frequent requirement to convene a few people to:
- hear multiple diverse viewpoints;
- develop a shared understanding of issues or preferences, thereby clearing the air and getting rumour and incomplete perspectives out on the table;
- develop shared commitment to a stated direction, whether that be at the strategic, tactical or operational level;
- establish a clear and committed plan of action for the organizational unit;
- subjectivelyassess the likelihood of success of a particular suggested course of action, thereby raising collective confidence and mutual support;
- establish or clarify roles and accountabilities, either operationally or for a specific project;
- or merely get to know one another.
These are ideal occasions to exploit the talents of an external facilitator. In this way, all members of the assembled team – including the “boss” – focus on what the team is trying to accomplish, rather than having to manage the agenda and the session dynamics.
The usual end result of a facilitated group retreat is first, a clear description of the desired “end game,” and second, an action plan or “playbook” to get there, outlining what’s to be done, by whom, and by when. This lays the foundation for managers to track and manage progress towards the creation of a “new reality.”
So it is even more powerful to select a facilitator with a broad range of business and professional experience that can be brought to bear “on the fly” in the midst of these sessions to ensure the “end game” and “play book” or action plan are both ambitious and “doable.”