Tired of all the online meetings ? Lack of life alternatives ? Today we are still forced to the online-side of the spectrum. The fact we can’t choose is not fun.

As facilitators we create settings in which we encourage participants to apply a learning mindset. Looking to our own practice of facilitating; the question is : ‘what do we learn from these forced online work settings ?’.

Let’s hope this is our way to learn & create ‘hybrid facilitation tracks’. Recently I had the opportunity to guide a team where the objective was to create connection & provide energy to the team in order to commit to the yearly goals & objectives.

What we did :

1. 4 weeks before the session participants were asked to review results from a personality test they did a few years ago and to think about specific talents of 2 team members.
2. I collected all input to be discussed during the first session.
3. Participants received during the first session a lunchbox at home and we made break-out rooms to lunch together, the physical energizers were integrated in other parts of the day.
4. Subgroups were made to work on ideas given during session 1 to come with specific proposals during session.
5. Participants received a teasing envelope with material for session 2.
6. Participants made a tangible personal ‘reminder’ of their actions after the second session.
7. We shared the reminders with the team.

Feedback of Inge ‘Head of Employer Branding & Employee Communication at AG’

« In the midst of the pandemic, I really felt I needed a ‘time out’ with my team. Our communication team had been overloaded and I wanted to help my enthousiastic coworkers to cope more together as a team with the challenges ahead.

It was clear I needed some support in facilitating these days.

Lara was able to provide us with 2 sessions in which we clarified, discussed, laughed and developed new ways of working.

In the end, we even changed to an online setting in which we literally juggled balls and laughed with ‘taking rhino’s out of a bath’.

We worked hard and it felt good. Very satisfied with the insights for my team and  a tangible way forward.”