Virtual Facilitation - The Big Bang Partnership

Facilitation ideas for mission, vision & values

Jo North — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 11:29:10 +0000

Dr. Jo North

One of the members of my Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators Facebook Group asked me for some ideas for creative facilitation activities to use when working with groups to establish their vision, mission and values.

Vision, mission and values really help connect people. They support a shared sense of purpose and direction and are important ingredients for collaborative team working and performance at organisation, team and project level.

Defining Vision, Mission & Values

Let’s start off with defining what vision, mission and values mean. There are different definitions. I am going to use the ones that I use, those that I have taught on strategy and innovation programmes in universities and commercially as well. These are pretty accepted definitions, but of course you’ll also find variations on those themes.

A vision is aspirational. It’s a statement of where the business, team or person wants to be in the future. A great vision looks ahead, is purposefully ambitious and realistically stretchy.

The mission of a team or a business is the core purpose. It’s why that team or business actually exists, the very reason a team or business has been set up. The mission really defines the ‘why?’ behind what what the organisation does, and its reasons for doing it.

The values are the important principles, important beliefs, ways of behaving and seeing the world that connect everyone. They represent how the business does business.

Facilitation in action: values-based project collaboration session at Northumbrian Water

Get Your Mission, Vision, Values Workshop Toolkit Here

Facilitation Focus – Engagement, Contribution & Buy-in

When you are in workshops, don’t create the detail and specific wording of the vision, mission and values with a full team, or a large group of people. Instead focus on gathering the input from your delegates, and engaging them in generating ideas and raw content so that the final versions are crafted, your delegates will feel and know that they have directly contributed. It can be really frustrating and clunky to try craft the final words and solutions by committee. Instead, get the input from everybody, put it all together, condense and shape it outside the workshop, and then bring it back to the delegates for final validation in a separate session.

Video: Facilitation ideas for your mission, vision and values workshop

A Menu of My Favourite Facilitation Techniques

Here are my favourite creative facilitation techniques for getting the content for a vision, mission and values in workshops with delegates. Depending on how much time you have, you can mix and match all of these. I will share a couple each for vision, mission and values, and you can mix them up and integrate them. You don’t have to stick to just one activity per vision, mission or values theme.

Creative Facilitation Techniques for Developing a Shared Vision

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…

My first favourite facilitation technique for Vision is ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…‘ – or the WIFI technique.

Ask your delegates to work in small groups to complete the statement ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…‘ as many times as they can, focusing on things that they would be able to influence, or control, or create.

You could ask ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if, in one year…, three years…, in five years…’ and invite them to write as many different statements as they can for each time horizon.

‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…‘ is so simple, but surprisingly powerful. It opens up possibility and positive thinking.

Example of a Wouldn’t It Be Fantastic If… delegate briefing

Variation – Wouldn’t it be fantastic if… collage activity

Another activity you can do which works really well is to provide some magazines, old newspapers, glue sticks, scissors, big pieces of paper. Invite your workshop participants to complete the statement ‘wouldn’t it be fantastic if…’ through a collage, or a poster, using images and headlines from the newspapers and magazines, cutting out and sticking things down, writing and drawing. Using different stimulus materials such as the words and pictures, and getting hands on with cutting and sticking activate different parts of our brain and generates different ideas. Also, getting people to work in small groups on this is a really nice way of getting them to collaborate, start talking and create something together.

Magazine collage – facilitation technique

Get Your Mission, Vision, Values Workshop Toolkit Here

Variation – Wouldn’t it be fantastic if… 3D activity

The third way to use ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…‘ is to ask delegates to build something, i.e. make something in 3D, that represents their vision of the future. I know this might sound a bit unusual, but this honestly does work! Some of these activities sound really difficult or odd to explain in words, but when you are in practice in the workshop, they can work really, really well.

Provide materials such as Lego, Play-doh or other modelling clay, or clean trash for junk modelling. I actually enjoy collecting clean rubbish for a few weeks in the run-up to a workshop! Save cardboard boxes, maybe some old gift bags, or tags, and a bit of Sellotape, string, tubes and whatever is available. Delegates always thoroughly enjoy making their creations out of rubbish!

3D Modelling in Lego

Why these creative facilitation techniques work

There is method and rationale behind these facilitation suggestions. When you ask delegates to build something in 3D, the magic comes when they actually explain what they have built. They use words to talk about their creation that are different from how they would respond to a straight question and answer conversation. Workshop participants use different words, and explain it differently. They talk about the model or the poster, which shifts their perspective. I really recommend that you use a dictaphone, a recording app on your phone or tablet to voice record delegates’ descriptions, or at least get the key points, phrases and things they are coming out with out onto flip chart as they are speaking.

Creative Facilitation Techniques for Developing a Mission

Ask ‘why?’

The mission is the core purpose of why the business or the team exists.

A really nice facilitation technique for this is to use the ‘Why?’ technique. Ask delegates to answer the question ‘Why are we in business?’ on a flip chart or sticky notes, writing down as may reasons as possible. Ask delegates to ask ‘why?’ again for every item they gave written down. For instance:

‘Why are we in business?’

‘Well, we exist because our customers need us to provide sandwiches for when they need to eat at work’.

‘So, why do those customers want those sandwiches from us? What is it that we do differently?… ‘

Delegates keep asking ‘why?’ several times over until they get to the core purpose of the business.

Simon Sinek‘s famous Ted Talk, Start with Why, is a good one to watch if you’re thinking of using this activity.

Ask ‘who do we serve, and how?’

Most of us feel that we are really contributing and doing something meaningful when we are doing it for other people. So, by asking delegates to consider ‘Who do we serve? Who are the people we are really trying to help? What is it that we bring that is special and unique?’ can be a powerful way of exploring the core purpose of the business.

Invite delegates to explore ways in which they might complete the purpose statement using the process I’ve included here in these visuals below:

Steps to creating a purpose or mission statement

Purpose or mission statement outline

Get Your Mission, Vision, Values Workshop Toolkit Here

Storyboarding

The third facilitation activity I suggest for helping delegates to think about their mission is storyboarding.

Ask delegates to create a whole customer journey, or a customer experience scene-by-scene, breaking it down into the key components of what the organisation, group, or team does for customers. Delegates could draw, sketch, maybe use magazines, newspapers and cut things out, stick them down to create different scenes

The final scene in the storyboard is to show the impact on the customer, or transformation, that the business has provided. That transformation could be really big or really small.

Ask delegates to create as many customer journey storyboards as they can. Then ask them to review all of their creations – especially the transformations they enable for their customers – and use their insights to shape the contents of the mission statement.

Creative Facilitation Techniques for Developing Values

Values are the guiding principles that drive our behaviours, our standards, our ethics, our way of working, how we do business, and they are super important for teams. There are some really nice things you can do in workshops to help you delegates to define their shared values.

This is what we look like when we are working at our very best…

Invite teams to create a poster which depicts them working at their very best, when they are really on fire, performing brilliantly, everything is going well and the customer is delighted. Ask delegates to create this in images and then as a next stage add in some key words that describe the values in action.

Sticky note value activity

Pair people up and ask them to write 3-5 positive words that describe the very best qualities of the colleague they are paired with on sticky notes, only writing one word per sticky note (so each person will write 3-5 sticky notes).

Individuals share their sticky notes with their colleague in their pair, and have a discussion about them.

The next step is for all of the sticky notes to be put out onto a wall, or white boards, and get clustered, so that similar ones are put together. What you are doing at this stage is taking the very best qualities in the existing team, getting all those describing words out in the team’s language, and identifying themes so that the values can start to emerge.

The final phase of that activity is actually then to ask the group to write a sentence or two each around what they mean by those words, and if those words were relevant to the business, to describe the business, how those words would be used to describe the business.

Get Your Mission, Vision, Values Workshop Toolkit Here

Attribute listing

The third creative facilitation technique for developing values is called ‘attribute listing’. Provide a pile of cards, each with a different potential value on it. Use about 40-50 different cards, with just one word per card, on tables around the room. Here are some examples of words you could use in the visual below.

Examples of value words for your attribute listing cards

Ask delegates to do a ‘sort’ in small teams to identify which words are relevant to them, and which ones aren’t, and to add any in that are missing. Have some blank cards available for this.

The next step is for delegates to prioritise from the cards they have chosen, and select a final set of just 3-5 words per group.

The last step is for delegates to write a statement that defines each of the words they have chosen, and present their thoughts back to the wider group. As an example, here are the values of our business, and the supporting definition statements for each of those values.

Our company values and definition statements

Next steps

Each of these techniques for vision, mission and values facilitation sessions is tried and tested. They successfully help to create content that can then be crafted and word-smithed as a further stage.

If you’d like some easy tips to help bring your company values to life, turning them from words on a page into your organizational culture, have a look at my article here. You might also enjoy this article on the ROI of a strong mission, vision and values.

Get Your Mission, Vision, Values Workshop Toolkit Here

Thank you so much for reading – I hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful. I’d love to hear how you get on with them when you use them. Please do get in touch with any questions. If you’re interested in expanding your creativity, impact and confidence as a facilitator, join my free Facebook group, Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators. We are a group of supportive, collaborative and like-minded facilitators. You will be made very welcome when you come to join us.

About the Author

Founder and CEO of The Big Bang Partnership Ltd & Idea Time. Innovator. Author. Business Coach. International Keynote Speaker & Facilitator. Director Technology & Transformation at Port of Tyne. Leader of the UK’s Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub. Non-Executive Director. Associate in Business Innovation and Creativity at University of York.

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Reverse Brainstorming for Creativity and Innovation

Jo North — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 18:24:16 +0000

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming is a targeted approach to scrutinizing and refining existing ideas by generating critiques. Most useful for evaluating a shortlist rather than during the initial sifting of ideas, the reverse brainstorming method works brilliantly in scenarios where new or complex ideas have little room for error, where sequences of events must align perfectly, or when implementation spans various teams.

Reverse brainstorming is sometimes known as ‘negative brainstorming’. The essence of the reverse brainstorming method is simple. It uses the usual brainstorming approach to pinpoint what could go wrong in a project, helping to spot possible issues before they happen. As a result, reverse brainstorming can initially seem starkly pessimistic—it’s sometimes even termed the “tear-down” method. But, when it’s facilitated well, it actually feels positive and energizing.

Here’s how to leverage reverse brainstorming in your creative problem solving workshops, innovation sprints and design thinking, and why it could be your go-to for sparking new ideas.

How Reverse Brainstorming Works

The reverse brainstorming process begins with the team members focusing on negative outcomes related to the specific problem at hand. By highlighting possible negative ideas, the group can uncover potential problems and root causes that might not emerge in traditional brainstorming sessions.

The Method in Action

1. Problem identification

Start by clearly stating the original problem or challenge. This ensures that all team members understand the issue at hand.

2. Generate negative outcomes

Use a flipchart or online whiteboards to collect ideas about what could go wrong. This step opens up new perspectives and uncovers potential issues.

3. Transforming negative to positive

Next, flip each negative idea to find creative solutions. This is where negative thoughts become potential solutions.

Reverse Brainstorming: Quick Example

Consider customer service. Using reverse brainstorming, teams can identify possible reverse solutions to improve customer satisfaction. By working through negative questions in real time, the team can address potential risks and come up with effective solutions.

Why Use Reverse Brainstorming?

Reverse brainstorming flips traditional methods, encouraging a fresh approach to problem-solving. It can have the opposite effect of typical brainstorming by providing:

A fresh perspective. It prompts the team to look at the problem from unconventional angles.
Effective solutions. By focusing on negative aspects, it often reveals the best way to prevent or solve potential problems.
Permission to raise concerns. Reverse brainstorming provides an opportunity for the team to share their concerns without judgement.

Steps to Successful Reverse Brainstorming

A successful session follows these steps:

First step: Define the problem and set a time limit for the session to ensure focus.
Second step: Collect negative ideas, allowing for wild ideas and absurd suggestions.
Third step: Turn the ‘bad ideas’ into creative solutions, looking for the best ideas that offer real solutions.

Reverse brainstorming is a great creative problem-solving technique that can lead to innovative solutions. It’s a really useful tool to add to your facilitation toolkit.

Next Steps

For tips, techniques and guidance on how to facilitate a brainstorming session, take a look at these guides:

If you’d like to explore more creativity techniques for your workshops, team meetings and design sprints, you’ll find these other articles helpful:

About the Author

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How to Moderate a Meeting: Effective Moderation Tips

Jo North — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 12:30:54 +0000

How to Moderate a Meeting: Introduction

To moderate a meeting means to oversee and guide the discussion to ensure it remains focused, efficient, and inclusive. The moderator sets the agenda, enforces time limits, and facilitates dialogue among participants. The moderator’s role involves balancing speaking opportunities, managing disruptions, and steering the conversation toward productive outcomes. In essence, the moderator’s job is to ensure that the meeting achieves its goals while maintaining a respectful and engaging environment for all attendees.

Leading a meeting efficiently and effectively is an important skill. Whether you’re chairing a conference call, an online meeting, or a hybrid panel discussion, mastering the art of moderation can transform what could have been a chaotic gathering into a productive atmosphere.

My Experience as a Meeting Moderator

I have been a professional meeting moderator for over a decade, and have moderated meetings for literally thousands of people from places dotted all round the world. Clients often call on my meeting moderation skills, especially when they need to discuss difficult or challenging topics with diverse stakeholders.

This article outlines my essential strategies for effective meeting moderation, from setting ground rules to managing time and facilitating engagement.

Preparing Yourself

Mental Preparation

Cultivate the Right Mindset

Approach the meeting with positivity and openness. Expect that every participant brings value to the table. A constructive attitude helps manage discussions, even when they become challenging.

Visualize Success

Spend a few moments visualizing a successful meeting. Imagine engaging discussions, productive outcomes, and positive feedback.

Manage Anxiety

If nerves are an issue, practice deep breathing exercises. Recognizing that nervousness is normal can help reduce its impact, allowing you to focus on facilitating confidently and effectively.

Physical Preparation

Rest Well

Ensure you get a good night’s sleep before the meeting. Fatigue can affect concentration, decision-making, and energy levels, which are crucial for a moderator.

Dress Appropriately

Choose comfortable clothing that also reflects the meeting’s tone. Looking professional, even in a virtual environment, can influence how participants perceive and interact with you.

Set Up Your Space

Organize your physical or virtual workspace. Minimize distractions, check your internet connection, and ensure your audio and video equipment works well.

Getting Organized

Review the Agenda

Familiarize yourself with the meeting agenda thoroughly. Understanding each item’s purpose and expected outcome allows you to steer the conversation effectively.

Prepare Materials

Have all necessary documents, notes, and resources at hand. This could include the meeting agenda, participant list, and any background information relevant to the discussion topics.

Test Technology

For virtual meetings, test your software and hardware in advance. Know how to use features like screen sharing, mute/unmute participants, and manage breakout rooms if needed.

Plan for Contingencies

Have a backup plan for common issues, such as technological failures or unexpected absences. Knowing how to quickly pivot can keep the meeting on track despite obstacles.

Set Clear Objectives for Yourself

Identify what you aim to achieve as a moderator. Whether it’s ensuring every voice is heard or keeping the discussion within time limits, having clear goals helps maintain focus.

Preparing Your Meeting Participants

Here’s how to ensure participants are ready and equipped to contribute meaningfully.

Send Out Pre-Meeting Materials

Distribute the Agenda Early

Share a detailed agenda at least a few days in advance. This document should outline topics for discussion, objectives, and any relevant questions to consider.

Provide Background Information

If the meeting covers complex topics, include briefs or summaries that participants can review. This ensures everyone comes prepared with a basic understanding. You could also organize for key experts to give lightning talks at the beginning of your meeting.

Assign Pre-Meeting Tasks

For meetings that require input or presentations from certain attendees, communicate these expectations clearly, including any deadlines for submitting materials.

Communicate Expectations

Clarify Roles

If participants have specific roles during the meeting, such as presenter or note-taker, inform them ahead of time. This clarity helps individuals prepare accordingly.

Set Ground Rules

Outline expected behaviors and meeting etiquette. This might include guidelines on muting microphones when not speaking, turning on video, and how to signal a desire to contribute.

Offer Guidelines for Participation

Encourage Questions

Let participants know how and when they can ask questions, whether through a designated Q&A time, raising their hand, or using a chat feature in a virtual setting.

Promote Engagement

Explain the importance of active participation and how it contributes to the meeting’s success. Encourage attendees to come with ideas, questions, and feedback.

Provide Technical Instructions

For virtual meetings, send out the link, meeting ID, and any necessary passwords well in advance. Include instructions for downloading software if needed.

Test Technology

Encourage participants to test their setup before the meeting. Provide a contact for technical support in case they encounter issues.

Offer a Point of Contact

Identify a Go-To Person

For any pre-meeting questions or concerns, designate a contact person. This could be an assistant, a co-moderator, or yourself.

Setting the Stage

Establish Clear Objectives

Before anything else, clarify the purpose of the meeting. A detailed agenda will help you to keep discussions on track.

Lay Down the Ground Rules

At the beginning of the session, introduce the ground rules. This could include guidelines on speaking time, handling background noise, and the use of cell phones. Clear rules prevent disruptions and ensure a smooth flow.

During the Meeting

Managing Time

As a good moderator, keeping an eye on the clock is your responsibility. Set time limits for agenda items and stick to them. This approach avoids the pitfall of certain topics consuming much time, leaving little for others.

Facilitating Discussion

Encourage participation by asking the right questions and inviting opinions from all group members. A productive moderated discussion ensures that no single person dominates, promoting a balanced exchange.

Create a dynamic environment by encouraging meeting participants to share new ideas. A good facilitator asks open-ended questions, prompting thoughtful responses. If you notice an awkward silence, use it as an opportunity to invite quieter members to contribute, ensuring equal opportunity for all.

When faced with negative feedback or disruptive behavior, respond in a polite yet firm way. Great moderators know how to turn potential conflicts into constructive discussions. A deep breath and a calm demeanor can help maintain a productive atmosphere.

Handling Technology

Make sure that you’re familiar with the Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Amazon Chime or other technology that you’re using. Use features such as the chat box for collecting questions in real time, keypad controls, waiting room and other features for managing large groups.

Observing Non-Verbal Cues

Even in an online environment, visual cues and body language play a crucial role. They can indicate when someone wishes to speak or is experiencing technical issues. Make sure that you pay attention to these non-verbal cues when you moderate a meeting.

Ending the Meeting

Wrapping Up

After the end of the meeting, reflect on what worked well and what could be better next time. Seeking feedback from board members, new researchers, and other attendees can provide valuable insights for improving your moderation skills. Remember, successful moderation is about learning and adapting.

Conclude with a summary of key points and action items. Set the agenda for the next meeting, ensuring a clear continuation of the discussion.

Post-Meeting Follow-Up

Update meeting notes and share them with participants. This helps keep everyone on the same page and reinforces the progress made.

Tips to Moderate a Meeting for the First Time

Preparation is key: Conduct thorough research on the discussion topic. A prep call with panel members or key speakers can be a great way to start.
Practice active listening: Show that you value participants’ input by responding to their ideas and integrating them into the discussion.
Stay neutral: Maintain your role as a facilitator by not letting your own opinions overshadow the discussion.
Manage disruptions politely: Address late arrivals or disruptive behavior in a polite but firm manner. A gentle reminder of the ground rules usually suffices.

Next Steps

It is not always easy to moderate a meeting successfully, but adopting these best practices will set you up for success. Remember, the role of the moderator is to guide the conversation in a way that achieves the meeting’s objectives while ensuring a fair and engaging experience for all participants. With practice and dedication, you’ll not only improve your skills as a moderator but also contribute significantly to the productivity and success of your meetings.

If you’d like any support or mentoring for developing your own skills and confidence to moderate a meeting, please do get in touch here to book your power hour with me. Or, if you’d like to explore booking my services to moderate a meeting on your behalf, please get in touch here for a no-obligation online chat. I look forward to hearing from you!

About the Author

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Guide to Lightning Talks for Innovation and Design Sprints

Jo North — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:22:30 +0000

Lightning Talks: An Introduction

Lightning talks are short presentations that pack a powerful punch in terms of content and engagement. They’re especially useful during innovation and design sprints, offering a quick-fire way to explain a problem and any constraints, share ideas, spark new conversations, and fuel the creative process. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about using lightning talks in your innovation sprints and design sprints. I also cover how to make your lightning talk a success.

What Are Lightning Talks?

At their core, lightning talks are brief, typically around five to seven minutes. They’re designed to convey a key message or idea succinctly and effectively. This format encourages speakers to focus on the most important parts of their message, making them a valuable tool for sprint participants.

Speakers prepare powerpoint slides with clear bullet points, ensuring their message is direct and to the point. The short time limit helps maintain a brisk pace and keeps the audience engaged.

How to Use Lightning Talks in Your Innovation and Design Sprints

I tend to use lightning talks at the beginning of a sprint, to set the scene and make sure that participants have a thorough understanding of the problem statement and its requirements before ideation activities begin. I also place “wild card” lightning talks at different points throughout longer design and innovation sprints. The purpose of this is to firstly give participants a short mental break from direct problem solving, allowing their creative subconscious some time and space to work in the background. In these middle stages I also want to disrupt and re-energize participants’ thinking. This is where the “wild card” element is so important. I’ll usually invite someone from another industry who has successfully tackled a similar challenge previously, or a key stakeholder with a fresh perspective.

Longer Lightning Talks for Complex Research and Technical Challenges

Whilst many facilitators aim for around seven minutes per lightning talk, I’ll suggest slots of 10-15 minutes to my delegates. This is because I often facilitate sprints with academics and experts focused on complex technical issues, and those few extra minutes help to provide sufficient depth for the sprint. I find that I will often need to ‘coach’ people that I have invited to give lightning talks before the event. These are often senior people, many have deep technical expertise or have undertaken detailed research. They are used to presenting in the conventional format and timescales, having much more time and being able to cover more detail. However, with support, they are all usually up for the challenge and enjoy doing things differently. An additional benefit is that their talks are well-received and appreciated for their focus and punchiness.

Scheduling Your Lightning Talks

When I’ve scheduled lightning talks towards the beginning, or in the middle of a sprint, I ask delegates to engage in active listening. I brief them to grab a stack of real or virtual sticky notes, depending on whether the sprint is in-person or online, of course, and to individually write down ideas and questions that occur to them during the lightning talk. This way, we make sure that useful thinking isn’t lost. After the lightning talk I’ll ask them to work in breakouts to share their questions and ideas, and integrate them into their work.

Finally, towards the end of the sprint, I ask delegates to present the solutions they have been working on to each other, and sometimes users or customers, in the lightning talk format. Doing so keeps things pacy and focused, which is especially important after everyone has been working so hard throughout the sprint. It ensures that energy remains high, and the sprint is enjoyable and productive to the end.

Planning to Give a Lightning Talk

Focus on Key Points

When you’re planning to give a lightning talk, the most important thing is to select a specific topic and stick to it. Whether it’s a research project, a technical challenge, new product feature, or an innovative design idea, ensure your talk is focused. Bullet points on your slides can help keep your message clear and prevent you from straying off topic. Make your slides visual and don’t overload them with data.

Keep It Short and Sweet

Given the short time frame, you’ll need to distill your content to its essence. Think about what your audience needs to know and what you want them to remember. This isn’t the time for an in-depth analysis; instead, highlight the key points that will inspire and inform.

Engage the Audience

The success of your lightning talk often hinges on how well you connect with your audience. Ask questions, include short, relatable anecdotes, and use visual aids to make your points more vivid. Remember, the goal is to spark new conversations and ideas, not just present data.

Submission and Selection

If you want to submit a ‘pitch’ to give a lightning talk at a sprint, conference or other event, submissions usually involve a brief overview of your topic. Being the primary author, your submission should outline the significance of your talk and why it would be of interest to the audience. Keep your description punchy, focusing on the transformation or impact that your lightning talk will have, rather than the detail of what you’ll cover. Selection for lightning talk slots is often competitive, and fitting your idea into the specific format can increase your chances of being chosen.

Best Practices

Rehearse

As with any presentation, practicing your talk is crucial. Time yourself to ensure you stay within the given time limit. Rehearsing in front of colleagues or friends can provide valuable feedback and help you refine your lightning talk.

Visuals Matter

Powerpoint slides should complement your talk, not detract from it. Use visuals that reinforce your message and remember, less is more. Avoid cluttering slides with too much information.

Be Ready for Feedback

Lightning talks are a great way to test ideas and get feedback. Be prepared for questions and even written comments from audience members. This feedback can be invaluable for refining your ideas or research.

Next Steps

Lightning talks are a great way to share ideas quickly, making them an ideal format for innovation and design sprints. They encourage speakers to concentrate on the essence of their message. The result will be a platform for sparking new conversations and collaborations. By following this guide, your innovation or design sprint will feature successful lightning talks. These will captivate and inform your audience, contributing to better sprint outcomes.

If you’d like any help with your innovation sprints or design sprints, please do get in touch here. I’ll reply to book in a no-obligation Teams or Zoom call to discuss your event. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

About the Author

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Disney Creativity Method for Sprints and Workshops

Jo North — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:35:23 +0000

What is the Disney Creativity Method?

The Disney Creativity Method, inspired by Walt Disney’s approach to bringing his creative ideas to life, is a structured framework that involves four distinct roles or phases: the Dreamer, the Realist, the Critic and the Wise Observer. Each role focuses on a different aspect of the creative process:

The Dreamer is where the ideation begins, allowing for the free flow of creative and crazy ideas without judgement.
The Realist takes these ideas and develops a strategic plan, transforming dreams into actionable steps.
The Critic evaluates the plans, looking for potential flaws and refining ideas to ensure they are robust and viable.
The Wise Observer provides a balanced, unbiased perspective. It takes the best from the Dreamer, Realist and Critic outputs and assimilates them into a single, balanced, cohesive solution.

Why use the Disney Creativity Method in innovation sprints and workshops?

In innovation sprints and workshops, where time is limited and productivity is essential, the Disney Creativity Method channels creative energy efficiently. It ensures that participants generate a breadth of ideas but also move systematically towards a practical, thought-through plan of action.

Benefits of using the Disney Creativity Method

Here are some of the benefits of using the Disney Creativity Method.

Diversity of perspectives

The method values different ways of thinking, which encourages participants to look at problems from multiple angles. This diversity leads to more comprehensive solutions and is ideal for collaborative settings where different perspectives can lead to innovative breakthroughs.

Giving structure to people’s natural tendencies

The Disney Creativity Method structures people’s natural tendencies for imaginative, practical and risk-aware thinking into ‘roles’, providing a constructive space for each viewpoint. This separation can prevent conflict and keep the team focused on the goal.

Full cycle thinking

The method mirrors the full cycle of product development or problem-solving, from concept to critique. This makes it particularly useful in design sprints and innovation workshops, as it aligns with the rapid progression from ideation to prototype to feedback.

In a workshop setting, the Walt Disney approach offers a framework for iterative refinement. Ideas are are honed and improved on, helping to achieve better quality outcomes.

Flexibility across workshop themes

The Disney Creativity Method is flexible and can be applied to various workshop themes, from service design to product development. It provides a clear structure for ideation that can be tailored to the specific goals of the sprint or workshop.

Balanced consideration of ideas for implentation

It is a powerful tool for organizing thoughts and actions during creative sprints and workshops. It leads to the generation of novel ideas and ensures that these ideas are both actionable and well-considered before implementation.

Simple to use

Finally, the Disney Creativity Method is a simple and straightforward tool for facilitators to use, and for delegates to apply.

Disney’s Creative Method – the four-part approach

Disney’s creative strategy involves a four-part approach that Walt Disney himself leveraged to build the empire we recognize today. The Walt Disney method, outlined by neurolinguistic programming (NLP) expert Robert Dilts, uses different roles played by Disney and his close associates in the creation of theme parks and animations. The approach consists of the Dreamer, the Realist, the Critic and the Wise Observer– each offering a different perspective on the creative process.

The Dreamer phase: imagining the ideal

The first part of the Disney creative strategy is the Dreamer phase, where the role of the Dreamer is to envision ideal solutions without limitation. Walt Disney encouraged his team members to think creatively, using their imagination as if they had a magic wand.

The Realist phase: crafting a plan of action

Following the Dreamer phase, the Realist takes over. The role of the Realist is to progress a promising creative idea into a realistic plan.

The Critic phase: managing quality and risk

The Critic phase is vital, acting as the devil’s advocate to ensure a high degree of quality in the final plan by spotting risks and weaknesses. The role of the Critic is not to shoot down good ideas but to refine them, by asking and answering questions such as: “What could go wrong?” “How can we improve?”

The Wise Observer: bringing everything together

The Wise Observer stage helps integrate the insights from each phase into a coherent whole. It guides the session towards synthesis, where the imaginative, the practical, and the critical coalesce into a unified strategy or solution.

The Wise Observer is an important part of the Disney Creativity Method, particularly in group settings, because it brings an extra layer of reflection and oversight that increases the effectiveness of the creative process. Including it in your facilitation ensures that the dynamic interplay between dreaming, planning, and evaluating is productive, and aligned with your sprint or workshop’s ultimate objectives.

How to Facilitate the Disney Creativity Method in innovation sprints and workshops

Disney’s strategy goes beyond simple idea generation. It’s about embracing different ways of creative thinking. Small teams within Disney’s studios would often use different rooms to symbolize separate roles, moving from the Dreamer room to the Realist room, to the Critic room and then finally undergoing a Wise Observer stage. Each room had a different function, and it was this separation that allowed Disney’s ability to extract the best ideas and forge them into tangible expressions of creativity.

Use warm-up exercises

Start with exercises that warm up the group to different ways of thinking. For example, quick brainstorming sessions where each idea is followed by a question typical of another perspective. The alternative uses or random stimuli techniques are great ones to use if you’re short of time.

Set the stage

Start by setting the stage for your design or innovation sprint by explaining the Disney Creativity Method to your participants. Describe the roles of the Dreamer, Realist, and Critic, and the Wise Observer. Make sure everyone understands these are roles they will adopt to explore different facets of creative thinking.

Create physical zones for each perspective

Allocate different sections of your workspace to each role, creating distinct zones where participants will embody the Dreamer, Realist, Critic and Wise Observer in turn. This physical movement helps in shifting mindsets and makes the transitions between roles more tangible. If you’re facilitating an online session, use different zones within a virtual whiteboard.

Start in the Dreamer zone

Kick off the session in the Dreamer zone. Encourage participants to unleash their creativity, dreaming up bold, innovative ideas without concern for feasibility or constraints. Encourage free-form discussion, sketches, or any form of expression that captures their visions. There are lots of creative thinking techniques you can use with your delegates. Have a look at my articles on brainstorming techniques, the Lotus Blossom method and SCAMPER technique, for example.

My YouTube video on Creative Thinking Techniques for Strategy and Innovation

Move to the Realist zone

Transition to the Realist zone once you have a collection of ideas. Guide participants to transform these concepts into actionable steps. Ask them to identify what resources, time, and actions are necessary to turn these dreams into reality, capturing their thoughts into an action planning template.

Scrutinize the plans

Move into the Critic zone. Here, invite participants to scrutinize the plans developed in the Realist space. Look for potential flaws, challenge assumptions, and stress-test the ideas against real-world constraints. Remind your teams to come up with potential solutions and mitigations, rather than just a list of problems and risks. Idea bulletproofing techniques are helpful for this stage.

Bring everything together

Now’s the time for participants to step back and reflect in the Wise Observer zone. Participants should look at the ideas and feedback gathered from all three perspectives to make objective decisions and refine the action plan.

Encourage participants to cycle through these roles multiple times, refining and improving ideas with each rotation. This iterative process is essential for developing well-rounded and robust outcomes.

Conclude by asking everyone together to consolidate the ideas, plans, and critiques into a set of final concepts, plans and solutions. These should represent the best of the creative, practical, and critical work done throughout the sessions.

Debrief

Wrap up by having a debrief session. Discuss what was learned, which ideas are worth pursuing, and decide on the next steps for developing the chosen concept further.

Additional tips for facilitating the Disney Creativity Method

Keep the energy high and transitions clear

Remember to keep the energy high and the transitions clear. Facilitate with enthusiasm and keep participants focused on the task at hand, ensuring they fully commit to each role as they adopt it. This approach will help your team tap into the full scope of their creative potential, guided by the inspired methods of one of history’s most prolific creators.

How to work with strong thinking style preferences

When facilitating a group with a strong preference for one of the Disney perspectives, it’s important to guide them to appreciate and use the full range of perspectives that the Disney Creativity Method offers.

Highlight the value of each role

Begin by emphasizing the importance and benefits of each role in the Disney Creativity Method. Explain how each perspective contributes to a more rounded and comprehensive approach to problem-solving and innovation..

As the facilitator, model the behavior you want to see. Actively demonstrate how to inhabit the Dreamer, Realist, Critic or Wise Observer role to show the group the kind of thinking you expect from each.

Reinforce and praise the contributions made from each perspective. When the group sees the value in different types of thinking, they may be more open to adopting a new approach.

Encourage empathy

Encourage participants to empathize with the perspective they’re less comfortable with. Ask them how someone they admire might think in the Dreamer, Realist, or Critic role.

Bring in external perspectives

If the group is heavily skewed towards one perspective, bring in someone from outside to play the role of the missing perspectives. This can provide a fresh viewpoint and challenge the group’s predominant thinking style.

Set clear objectives

Make it clear that the objective is to explore different perspectives, not just to validate what the group already knows. Frame the session as an experiment in thinking differently.

Reflect and debrief

After each role switch, hold a speedy debrief session. Discuss what it felt like to adopt a different perspective, what was learned, and how it could be applied to their work in the sprint.

Ensure creativity flows in the right direction

To prevent conflict between the roles, it’s essential to engage them in an appropriate order. Dreamer’s ideas are fragile; they can be easily dismissed as crazy ideas if the Critic intervenes too early. Therefore, the Walt Disney method suggests that one should only move to the critic room after the realist has developed a complete and viable plan.

Disney Creative Method vs Six Thinking Hats

I personally find the approach just as effective and much easier to facilitate than a method such as de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, another tool with a similar purpose.

Six Thinking Hats

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats is a thinking framework designed to streamline discussions and decision-making processes. Each “hat” represents a different perspective, encouraging users to shift their thinking mode to analyze issues from multiple angles.

The Hats

1. White Hat

Focuses on data and information. It’s about objectively looking at the facts available.

2. Red Hat

Represents feelings, hunches, and intuition. No need to justify emotions; it’s about understanding the emotional response.

3. Black Hat

Considers the negatives and what could go wrong. It helps identify risks and barriers.

4. Yellow Hat

The opposite of the Black Hat, focusing on positivity, benefits, and value.

5. Green Hat

Encourages creativity and new ideas. It’s about exploring alternatives and solutions.

6. Blue Hat

Manages the thinking process. It organizes the other hats and ensures the guidelines are followed.

Application

This method is used in group discussions or individual thinking to explore different perspectives, make decisions, solve problems, and enhance collaboration.

I generally opt for the Disney method over Six Thinking Hats for my creative problem solving workshops, innovation and design sprints around 90% of the time.

The key similarities and differences are detailed here.

Similarities

Structured thinking

Both methods provide a structured approach to thinking, breaking down the process into distinct stages or roles that allow individuals or teams to tackle issues from various angles.

Role switching

Each encourages changing mental ‘hats’ or roles to explore different perspectives. This prevents cognitive biases that might arise from only using one style of thinking.

Creative and critical thinking

They integrate both creative and critical thinking processes. They recognize that generating ideas is just as important as evaluating them.

Problem-solving

Both methods are used for problem-solving and decision-making, particularly in group settings like meetings, workshops, or brainstorming sessions.

Sequential process

Each method suggests a sequential process, moving from one type of thinking to the next, to build upon the outputs from the previous stage.

Differences

Number and type of roles

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats has six distinct roles signified by colored hats, each representing a different type of thinking (emotions, information, optimism, caution, creativity, and management). In contrast, the Disney Creativity Method uses four primary roles (Dreamer, Realist, Critic, Wise Observer).

Complexity and flexibility

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats can be seen as more complex than the Disney method due to the larger number of perspectives. However, this also allows for more flexibility, as any of the hats can be used at any time as the situation demands, not necessarily in a linear fashion.

Sources

This article is informed by the work of Robert B. Dilts and the works on Disney’s creative processes. Dilts’ exploration of Walt Disney’s strategy provides a roadmap for turning creative potential into a solid creative output. The NLP community has widely documented these principles, and they can be found in detail within Dilts’ publications on the subject, such as Strategies of Genius (1994/5), Volume 13, Capitola, Meta Publications.

About the Author

The post Disney Creativity Method for Sprints and Workshops appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

Be a Great Meeting Facilitator: Skills and Tips

Jo North — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:09:00 +0000

How can you spot a great meeting facilitator?

A great meeting facilitator has a fantastic ability to harness the collective creativity and wisdom from everyone in the virtual or physical room. They facilitate with confidence, have exceptional leadership skills and an intuitive connection with people, whilst also creating structure and process to achieve target outcomes from the workshop, design or innovation sprint, event or meeting.

A great meeting facilitator makes the whole art and process of facilitation look natural and easy. A not-so-great facilitator makes for a painful experience, not just for the delegates but also for themselves too.

Live video recording: How to be a Great Facilitator

Improve your meeting facilitation skills

When you think that one of the most common human fears is giving a presentation (called glossophobia, by the way), apparently affecting 75% of the population, imagine being in the position of leading a group of people for the duration of a whole event when it’s not going so well!

Being a great meeting facilitator takes skill, practise and self-awareness, as well as preparation. And even if you’re a highly experienced facilitator, you can always grow and develop further. Great facilitators never stop learning, experimenting and sharpening their craft.

In this article, I share some of the things that I’ve learned from facilitating thousands of people, both online and in person, in innovation, strategy, training, team building and community co-creation events.

I’ll cover some of the key questions that I get asked most often when I’m coaching and training people rookie and more experienced facilitators.

What makes a great meeting facilitator?

Understanding the facilitator role is the first step toward effective meetings. You’re not just a meeting leader but also a neutral party that guides the meeting process. Your primary role is to achieve the common goal by ensuring that the right people engage in productive discussion.

A great meeting facilitator is someone who:

Is a great leader
Creates a process that delivers results and that is structured, yet flexible
Brings people together
Harnesses the collective creativity, wisdom, experience and energy of everybody in the room to deliver the objectives
Is mindful, present and intentional
Makes the meeting/workshop a positively memorable experience
Helps attendees to work through challenges
Has the ‘smarts’ and has done the research to be able to hold their own and stay apace with the contents of delegates’ discussions

1. Emotional intelligence is at the core of great facilitation

Reading the room

An effective meeting facilitator understands body language and adjusts strategies accordingly.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence means being able to access, interpret, manage and express emotions, relate to others and understand their perspectives. It’s about how we pick up on and empathize with the emotions that other people are feeling and influencing others positively and with integrity.

It also means being ‘un self-consciously self-aware’. In the moment, mindful, focused, intentional and in flow.

This is important because we can then listen better, connect better, and influence not just individuals, but also the group. This helps to get the most from the process and experience and achieve the task at hand.

Emotional intelligence is a key ingredient of great facilitation

Empathy is essential for great facilitation

One of the key ingredients of emotional intelligence is empathy.

Empathy is the ability to:

Appreciate other people’s points of view
Value all contributions
Be non-judgmental
Put ourselves in other people’s shoes

Great meeting facilitators are not judgmental and they appreciate others’ points of view. There is no view that they think is right or wrong. They provide space for all views, hence, they create psychological safety.

My video explaining Psychological Safety

Psychological safety means that people feel they’re in an environment where they can share their ideas, they can challenge, they can say what they think and speak out, and they feel their opinions, and point of view will be valued.

Sometimes there are difficult or sensitive issues and being emotionally intelligent helps us to make sure that we tread the right path and that we lead attendees through that in a way that is psychologically safe.

Emotional intelligence is also needed when we’re bringing together a new team, or people who haven’t worked with each other for a while and the group is just starting to build or rebuild that connection.

We need emotional intelligence to read a room, whether it’s a virtual or a physical room.

And, we need emotional intelligence to assess ourselves in the process, to ensure we are both self aware AND working through our creative subconscious.

At the end of the day, an excellent meeting facilitator is more than just a skilled leader or a scrum master. It’s someone who blends different roles to guide team members toward a common goal while managing different personalities and roles. Effective facilitation leads to productive meetings where each single person feels heard and engaged.

2. A great meeting facilitator is ready for anything

The second key ingredient for how to be a great facilitator is to be ready for anything.

It may seem like a series of paradoxes here.

With emotional intelligence, I talked about using creative subconscious and also being considered and focused.

And here you need to have a plan, yet, be ready for anything.

But they’re not paradoxes. These are actually complementary things.

It’s super important to go into any session you’re facilitating prepared and with a plan.

Think through contingencies and options for things you think might go different than planned.

And while planning is important, so is being flexible. Sometimes it’s important to just put the plan aside, because your participants need to go in another direction to get the desired results. This could just be for part of a session, or the remainder of it. So be ready for anything. Be prepared to think on your feet. Stick to your plan, but don’t be wedded to it.

3. Design and lead an effective process to achieve your workshop objectives

It’s the job of a great meeting facilitator to design a process that will achieve the desired outcomes.

This process should be well thought out. Processes that are structured step-by-step work really well.

Setting the Stage

The Meeting Agenda

Craft a detailed agenda to outline agenda items, time limits, and the purpose of the meeting. This should be sent out ahead of time. At the beginning of the meeting, a quick check-in can help set energy levels right.

Ground Rules and Safe Space

Establish ground rules to maintain a safe space where different perspectives can be aired without judgment.

Meeting Participants and Group Dynamics

Right People and Team Members

Include the right people in the meeting. This usually means team members, team leaders, and sometimes, a meeting sponsor to validate the goals of the meeting.

Small Groups and Different Personalities

For larger teams, break into small groups to explore different roles and new ideas. Be mindful that different people bring different personalities and strong opinions into the room.

Facilitation Techniques

Open Discussion and Open-Ended Questions

Foster open discussion by asking open-ended questions. This encourages meeting participants to explore common ground.

Time Management and Next Session

Keep an eye on the clock to ensure that you stick to time limits for each agenda topic. If you run out of time, use a “parking lot” to save ideas for the next session or meeting.

Plan for all sorts of different activities, textures and levels of energy all the way through so that the process feels good for the attendees. You’ll find my articles on How to Design a Virtual Innovation Sprint and How to Get Ideas Flowing helpful.

One of the things I see with newer or less confident facilitators, or facilitators who haven’t planned too well, is if they lack confidence about what they’re doing or they’re not clear about where they’re going with something, the attendees will try and take over the facilitation.

So be strong and confident. Be prepared to lead through the process. You’re not giving the answers or coming up with the outputs, but you are making sure that everyone is working with the process to get them to the end result.

After the meeting

Action items and meeting notes

At the end of the meeting, summarize action items and key takeaways. Make sure to send out meeting notes promptly.

Good News and Next Time

End on a positive note by sharing any good news and setting expectations for the next meeting or session.

IMPORTANT: If the group is working on something and doing what they need to be doing, it’s okay for you to step back for a while and let them do their thing. You don’t want to get in the way of great progress.

4. Generate collective energy

A great meeting facilitator is magnificent at generating collective energy.

Energy is infectious! So If you are energetic, positive, and enthusiastic, people pick up on that and they will enjoy being led by you.

Sometimes you might need to be a bit calmer, maybe you need to be a bit more thoughtful, because you need your attendees to be calmer and thoughtful at those points for different types of activity.

You lead the energy of the room through what you do. You set the tone, style and the pace of where you need people to be.

Think of it as leading your participants on a journey. There are times where people need to be really highly energized, working quickly and moving around quite rapidly. Then, at another time, something may need some thoughtful reflection.

5. Combine strength and warmth

Great facilitators combine strength and warmth.

A great facilitator needs strength to lead. As a facilitator, you need to keep people on task, intervening if a conversation goes off on a tangent, or if somebody is dominating the conversation. So an appropriate level of assertiveness is important.

However, warmth is important too.

Research shows that attendees do better and enjoy sessions more when they have a good rapport with a facilitator, when there’s a likability, connection and mutual respect.

Showing that you care about the delegates, their experience, and that you value everybody’s contribution, goes a long way to bring warmth into the meeting.

So what we need to do is dial up strength AND dial up warmth, to get the right balance for any situation.

Here’s an example. There are instances when I’m facilitating that I really need people to be on time, and I’ll be very clear about that. I may say “Please be back at this time with this task completed.” I give a clear instruction, say it nicely whilst making it very clear by my tone that this is important and that I need everyone to be back on time.

Warmth is about engaging, appreciating, recognizing everybody’s contribution, and being non-judgmental.

And that combination, strength and warmth, are the two ingredients that when you put them together, create what we call CHARISMA! It’s a great way to dial up your facilitation X-factor!

8. Professional considerations

The best way and best practices

Good meeting facilitation isn’t one-size-fits-all. The best meeting facilitators adapt best practices to fit the meeting goal and type of meeting, whether it’s an agile team or a project meeting.

Career path and key meeting facilitation skills

Being a skilled meeting facilitator can be a valuable career path. Important skills include active listening skills, the ability to handle strong personalities, and making a personal connection with group members. Keep working on continuous professional development.

7. Just add YOU

And finally, just add you! You are the magic ingredient in great facilitation.

Be yourself. Don’t try and be anybody else. Don’t try and do things the way another facilitator does them.

Use your style and lean into the authentic you, because people will enjoy that.

And it’s better to be an authentic you than a poor copy of somebody else.

So find your style.

I’ve got a free masterclass for you on how to find and develop your authentic signature facilitation style. There’s also a blog with all the videos and a playbook as well.

So just add YOU. Be distinctive. Be memorable, for the right reasons.

Every great facilitator is known for who they are, what they do, and how they do things. Create your facilitator brand; that is, your personal presence. And bring that to the room every single time.

How to be a great meeting facilitator – putting it all together

When we put this all together, at the heart of it is YOU! Your authentic self, your personal brand, your facilitation style, which is powered by your emotional intelligence.

How to be a Great Meeting Facilitator graphic. Copyright The Big Bang Partnership Limited 2023.

You’re tuned into what is going on, honing in on what you’re doing, ready for anything.

You’re generating the energy that you need in each moment, utilizing different energy throughout the session, leading with the just the right blend of strength and warmth. And, you’re effectively taking people through the engaging, highly effective process and series of activities that you’ve designed.

You’ve designed an excellent process to achieve the objectives of the event, and everyone wins.

Next steps

If you’d like to develop your facilitation skills further, and be part of a wonderful, supportive and like-minded community of facilitators, come and join my FREE private Facebook group, Idea Time for Facilitators. You’ll be the first to find out about new articles and videos, too, when you join. Can’t wait to see you in there!

About the Author

The post Be a Great Meeting Facilitator: Skills and Tips appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

How to Facilitate Culturally Diverse Groups at Work

Jo North — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 06:49:00 +0000

How to Facilitate Sessions for Culturally Diverse Groups of People at Work

I’m often asked for tips on how to facilitate culturally diverse groups in workshops and design sprints.

Diversity Matters

Diversity is not just a good thing; it’s essential for creative thinking. Teams with diverse cultural backgrounds bring different perspectives, ideas, and solutions to the table.

Experience and Expertise

I have facilitated sessions with thousands of people from all around the world, often with people who come together from different countries and cultures for workshops. These sessions include, amongst others:

High performance remote team working
Innovation and design thinking sprints
Creative and technical solutions to win contracts worth millions of dollars
Developing competitive edge through advanced customer experience

Photo: Dr. Jo North

Virtual and Face-to-Face Workshops

People will often fly into an accessible transport hub, we will use the conference facilities at a local airport hotel, and after the session and post-event networking, people fly back to their respective countries.

I also facilitate scores of online workshops and sprints with people from all over the world coming together to collaborate, innovate and engage in knowledge exchange activities.

Here are my top tips to help you to facilitate culturally diverse groups with success.

Use Facilitation Fundamentals

From my experience the success factors for facilitating diverse, multi-cultural groups are not very different from working with people with similar backgrounds and locations. My main piece of advice is that facilitation great practice are even more important when you work with a culturally diverse group of delegates. Here’s a detailed article on How to Be a Great Facilitator.

Role of the Facilitator

Most people in business do have the insight, understanding and emotional intelligence to appreciate that their colleagues from different geographies may have a different set of expectations, customs and practices. The role of the facilitator is to support the creation of cohesion and synergy for the group. It’s also to role-model respect and space for individual differences and preferences. The facilitator needs to ensure that people who aren’t from the local or majority culture can participate fully and be heard.

Some Factors to Consider When Facilitating Culturally Diverse Groups

Some key factors to consider when facilitating a culturally diverse group of people include the following.

Challenging and Being Challenged

Cultural differences with regard to authority, challenging and being challenged. In some cultures, saying “I disagree” may be viewed as aggressive. In others, it may be a welcome invitation for constructive debate.

Cognitive Style Preferences

As you would for any group, consider and cater to different cognitive style preferences. For example, for structure versus flexibility, and analytical versus intuitive approaches.

Perspectives on Different Behaviors

Perspectives on different behaviors. For example, the importance (or lack of) of punctuality; one person talking at a time; staying on task; checking phones or emails when in session.

Expectations of Working Patterns

Different working hours, length of business days, breaks. Also how these might affect peoples’ energy in the workshop.

Reduce Language Barriers

Consider Different Levels of Language Comprehension and Fluency

Varying levels of understanding and speaking the language used in the session. Go further than you normally would to provide written content and visuals.

Some people process written language more easily than the spoken word.

Use images. Slow down your speech, without sounding patronizing. Make the most of online tools such as closed captioning.

I worked with a large international group of people online recently. Before the event, I circulated a glossary of key terms and a ‘cheat sheet’ of main takeaways from the session.

Ways of Doing Business

Your diverse participants may have different expectations when it comes to how to do business. For some cultures it is essential to socialize and build relationships first. For others it’s more important to start tasks and projects as quickly as possible.

Each learning context must be adapted to suit the needs of intercultural teams. This includes understanding their prior knowledge, social skills, and group processes.

Invite guest speakers who can offer a unique perspective on topics relevant to diverse backgrounds.

The role of the facilitator is to support the creation of cohesion and synergy for the group whilst also respecting and making space for individual differences and preferences.
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Diverse Cultures Exist in Local Teams Too

Each one of the items above also applies to teams from the same organization who work at the same location. The differences sometimes become more obvious in separately located groups, that’s all.

Be open-minded, facilitate with heightened emotional intelligence, and anticipate positive energy and outcomes. These approaches will help you to generate a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Important Facilitation Considerations

The other key piece of advice is to do your homework well in advance of the event. Make sure that you are crystal clear on how any of your delegates prefer to work. Understand any specific needs that they may have.

Examples include:

Making sure that you provide the opportunity for people of some faiths to pray at certain times
Providing appropriate food and drink refreshments. A group of delegates I worked with came to the UK from Malaysia. They strongly disliked our British cold sandwich at lunchtime approach. Participants felt much more at home when some hot food was provided. Everyone else said they preferred the hot food over the cold when it arrived too! It turned out to be a nice way of bringing the whole group together over lunchtime. Also be mindful of particular religious or other dietary food requirements.
Consider any clothing conventions and be respectful of those.

By learning as much as you can in advance, you can adjust your facilitation approach appropriately. You can also help participants to make the most of a terrific and exciting opportunity to work with a diverse talent pool of people.

Facilitation Tips for Working with Culturally Diverse Groups

Whilst it’s important to understand and be mindful of cultural differences, it doesn’t become a bigger challenge or issue than it really is.

Wherever I have worked, I have found that people are people. We have more that connects us than things that separate us.

It’s also super important not to stereotype anyone based on anything: not just culture, but gender, age, appearance and so on. Every person is unique.

My recommendation is that you facilitate even more mindfully and with some adjustments to ensure that you accommodate everyone as much as is reasonably practical.

Build in time for icebreakers and relationship building, as well as task-focused activities. You might find my article Do people behave differently when they are in groups? Insights into group dynamics for facilitators helpful, too. If you’d like some ideas for energizers, download my free Outdoor Energisers for Workshops resource.

Set Expectations Upfront

When it comes to differing prefernces with regard to timings, structure and etiquette (e.g. using phones, talking when others are speaking), make expectations clear right at the start of the meeting.

My tried and tested method for doing this is to propose a written ‘agreement’, the rules of engagement for a successful and productive session.

Ask the group if they are happy to commit to sticking to it to get the most done in the time available.

Everyone I have ever asked so far has said yes, and usually stuck to it!

I do ask delegates (as I usually do) to let me know if they are expecting an urgent call or email. If so, they receive a virtual ‘pass’ from the group to check their phone and step outside to make or receive any urgent calls.

Working in a Second Language Can Be Tiring and Challenging

Quite often, I experience working with delegates who are super-articulate and fluent in English even though it’s not their native language. Other delegates may find listening to, working in and speaking in English as a non-native language much more challenging. It can also be mentally tiring for them. For that reason, I make doubly sure that I offer delegates optional written and visual information to complement my verbal communications when I am working with international groups.

How to Facilitate People with Different Views on Challenge

When it comes to facilitating people with differing cultural views on disagreement and challenge, explain that for the session it is an important part of the solution development process.

Position the activity as a fun, entertaining (and therefore non-threatening) part of the day.

My creative techniques toolkit includes activities such as Provocation, which I’ve described below. Including approaches that are deliberately designed to get people focussed on knocking ideas down, so that they can collaborate to build those ideas up again, can be a positive, productive and enjoyable exercise.

Collective Ownership of Ideas

Emphasize that the objective of debate is to focus on the ideas and potential solutions that the group has collectively generated so far. This ensures that challenge will have a collective rather than personal focus.

Use Breakout Groups

One very simple way to support collaboration of diverse groups is to use small breakout groups, threes or pairs (depending on your numbers). Participants often feel more comfortable discussing in smaller groups than debating in plenary.

People in general often feel more comfortable discussing in smaller groups than debating in plenary.
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Creative Technique: Provocation Activity

The Provocation Activity is a great lateral thinking technique for getting delegates to come up with more extraordinary ideas. Creative Provocation is associated with Edward de Bono who popularized it.

In advance of the workshop, prepare some statements, relevant to the subject the event is focusing on, that are wrong, unreasonable or downright impossible. For example, if you’re into construction or building materials, tourism development or even confectionery manufacturing:

“Invent a new tourist attraction made of chocolate in the middle of the desert.”

De Bono recommends that a good proportion of your provocations should be completely unusable. If you make “doable” statements, the technique won’t stretch your thinking as much.

How to Use the Provocation Activity

In the workshop itself, ask delegates to take a statement and imagine the possibilities, and even develop a potential storyline.

Examples of imagined possibilities are:

A new form of delicious, unmeltable chocolate could be produced.
Incredible ways of keeping chocolate super-cool in the desert could be designed.
Sand mixed with chocolate might create a super strong new building material.
Challenge tourists to eat the visitor attraction before it melts.

These sorts of ideas aren’t as far out as it might seem at first, especially once they have been dialled back. On a sort-of related theme, Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. The next generation of the Swedish Ice Hotel, ICEHOTEL 365 is a permanent structure that is cooled by solar panels during the summer months. The original Ice Hotel is temporary and rebuilt every winter.

How the Provocation Activity Works

The provocation activity makes sure that delegates will break free of fixed thinking patterns. They will need to suspend their judgment and use the unusual concept to get more and better ideas.

Provocation statements take you outside your usual thinking patterns to a fresh, new place. Once you’re at that new place, it’s then up to you to adapt your new thinking to reach where you want to be.

For this to work well, make sure your statement is as impossible as possible!

Stay away from ‘safe’ deliverable ideas.

I’ve seen some marketing agencies use this technique to stretch their thinking, before toning it down again and adapting their ideas to become workable solutions.

Groups also really enjoy this technique once they get into the swing of using it.

Round Up: How to Facilitate Culturally Diverse Workshops

Facilitating culturally diverse groups in sprints and workshops is a complex task, but the good news is that it brings opportunities for better outcomes and creative thinking.

The first step to effective facilitation involves creating a safe space where open dialogue is encouraged. Team members with diverse backgrounds—spanning different cultures, ethnic groups, and even different languages—can actively participate and share different perspectives. Cultural competence is essential here, going beyond mere cultural awareness to develop a set of behaviors that make everyone feel included.

Language barriers require special attention. The language skills of facilitation practitioners can make a significant difference, providing contextual information that enriches the learning environment. Small groups are often an effective way to foster active participation and new thoughts, allowing for a more tailored learning context. Within these small groups, the unique perspective of each participant contributes to better understanding and new knowledge.

Diverse teams benefit from collaborative systems that support group processes and strong relationships, both vital for conflict resolution and community development. Guest speakers who bring in a unique perspective from different parts of the world can enrich the experience. Overall, this practical guide aims to equip you with simple ways to handle the challenges and reap the benefits of diversity in group work.

Working in a Diverse Team Can Bring Out the Best in Everyone

I’ve had so much fun and learned so much by facilitating workshops for culturally diverse groups. The diversity actually seems to bring out the best in everyone, and it’s wonderful to see people collaborating to achieve a shared goal.

I hope that these tips and techniques help you, and I’d also love to hear about any tools and approaches that you use too to ensure that everyone is equally included and engaged in your innovation process. I would also love to help you with facilitation for your diverse team. Please do get in touch with me here.

When we facilitate, we have an awesome opportunity to help our delegates to have a great day at work, achieve really valuable, innovative outputs and build a sense of community, if only for a day. I feel so lucky to be able to do what I do for a living!

About the Author

The post How to Facilitate Culturally Diverse Groups at Work appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

The elephant and the rider – how humans make decisions

Jo North — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 08:06:00 +0000

The elephant and the rider – how humans make decisions

The elephant and the rider is a great metaphor for facilitators to take on board.

There comes a point in every innovation sprint, meeting or workshop when the group needs to choose between a number of potential options.

If you lead meetings or facilitate workshops, it’s really helpful to understand how people make decisions. There will always be a degree of subjectivity in decision-making. However, using facilitation techniques and activities designed to enhance objectivity will support your workshop delegates in making more effective choices as a group.

This is because, as science shows, we make decisions based on our emotions and intuition 95% of the time. We justify those decisions afterwards to ourselves and others with logic.

Think about a recent purchase you made. The chances are that how you wanted to feel played a key part in your decision. For example, you might have told yourself that you needed a new outfit – and maybe you did need one. But it’s also likely that you wanted to buy something new to help you feel good. More confident, perhaps, for a night out? More safe for an adventure sport activity? (Depending on what you bought, of course). The wanting it is emotions at work. Telling ourselves we need it is our rational brain justifying our decision.

The elephant and rider metaphor illustrates this brilliantly.

The elephant and the rider metaphor

The metaphor of the elephant and the rider is used by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt in his books The Happiness Hypothesis and The Righteous Mind to represent how humans think.

The elephant portrays uncontrolled, intuitive and emotional thought processes. The rider represents more logical, controlled and analytical thinking. You might have come across similar distinctions between different ways of thinking if you’ve read or heard of The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters, Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind by Guy Claxton, or Thinking, Fast and Slow by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman.

To continue with the elephant and rider analogy, the elephant – or emotional brain – is much bigger and more powerful than the rider – or rational brain.

The rider cannot control the elephant. When it’s feeling calm and centred, the elephant knows what’s good for us, and takes us in the right direction. The rider simply needs to gently guide the elephant, with a light touch.

But when the elephant is feeling emotional – upset, frightened, stressed or annoyed – it charges, or stubbornly refuses to budge. The rider has a much more difficult job of getting the elephant to go where it needs to.

Ideally, the elephant stays calm and focused on what’s important, and the rider works out the best route to take to arrive at the destination.

Decision-making in innovation sprints and workshops

The elephant and the rider metaphor can help facilitators in a number of ways.

Ideally, the rider assesses and plans the best route for where the elephant intuitively knows it needs and wants to go. The facilitation tools and activities that you choose ideally will support both the elephant and the driver in doing their best work – combining insightful intuition with logical, rational choices.

The metaphor’s a good reminder that the facilitation techniques and activities we choose for the decision-making phases of a meeting or event need to allow space and opportunity for people in the group to let their intuition do its best work.

Make sure intuition isn’t crowded out by too many rigid, analytical tools. Ensure too that the environment you create is conducive to allowing people to be calm, focused and balanced. Be mindful of group dynamics. Build psychological safety in your sessions. We don’t want the elephant to charge, or refuse to budge!

On the other hand, intuition and emotion on their own are not enough. Some logic and rational thinking are needed for more objective assessment of options, and for planning.

The elephant and rider need to be in balance, and work together as a great team.

The emotional brain and resistance to change

It is the emotional brain that resists change. We explain our resistance by giving logical reasons for it.

If you observe that the group you’re facilitating is reluctant to change something, or try new things, it could well be worth exploring what feelings are driving their resistance.

Opening up ways to help your group find and tap into motivational, positive aspects of change will support them in moving forward.

Map the shortest route possible

To keep the elephant on course and help the rider do its job, design a workshop process that takes your delegates on the shortest route possible – without skimping though! – to achieve your session objectives. Make it as easy, enjoyable and productive an experience as you can.

Check in with your own elephant and rider

Perhaps most important of all, to be a great facilitator, keep checking in with yourself as you’re facilitating. Look after your own elephant and rider. You’ll enjoy your facilitation practice so much more, your balanced energy will transfer to your delegates and the whole workshop experience will benefit as a result.

Additional Insights: Using the Elephant and Rider for Better Decision Making in Workshops

The elephant and the rider – it’s more than just an interesting mental image. It’s a metaphor of the elephant and rider that offers powerful tools for understanding human behavior and guiding groups towards effective change.

The Elephant, The Rider, and Human Behavior

Derived from the insights of NYU psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the elephant analogy reflects the duality in our human mind. Imagine a six-ton elephant and its rider. The elephant represents our emotional side – vast, powerful, and often driven by instinct. In comparison, the rider, perched on the back of the elephant, symbolizes our rational mind – analytical, planning, but small relative to the enormous elephant.

Chip Heath and his brother Dan Heath, who are associated with Stanford University and Duke University’s Centre, respectively, expanded on this concept in their book “Switch“. The Heath brothers detail the challenges of making behavior change stick. They stress the rider’s control isn’t absolute. When the elephant’s emotional side gets stirred, it can overpower the rational rider. The key point here? For meaningful change, both the elephant and the rider must align.

Bright Spots and the Path Forward

Instead of focusing on problems, the Heath brothers emphasize identifying “bright spots”, those successful efforts worth emulating. For example, imagine a workshop where team members highlight the last time they felt most productive. Such positive instances can illuminate the path of least resistance and establish a clear goal for the team.

Overcoming the Challenges

The rider-elephant framework is not just ancient wisdom; it’s a modern truth backed by behavioral economics and neuroscience. The rational rider may set the destination, but without the elephant’s buy-in, the journey becomes arduous. A significant role in this buy-in process is played by the surrounding environment. Often, people’s rational side is thwarted by a lack of clarity.

Change efforts often fail due to this lack of clarity. “Critical moves” are important– clear, actionable steps, not vague ambitions. Awareness of the “fundamental attribution error” in human nature shows we often blame people, but not the situation. Therefore, adjusting the surrounding environment can create a more conducive path for the elephant.

Insights from the Field

A great example comes from the world of customer satisfaction. Instead of just relying on managers to improve customer relations, some businesses survey customers directly, allowing the feedback to shape the bigger picture. By doing this, staff feel empowered and are more inclined to align with positive changes, as they have a tangible sense of the desired outcome.

Moreover, insights into the sides of our brain – the conscious processing parts, like the limbic system governing stress response, and the emotional level – suggest that both rational and emotional minds need support for behavior change. Peer support groups, exercise programs, and even the advancement of social entrepreneurship serve as testaments to this concept.

Guiding the Elephant and Rider in Workshops

To effectively guide groups in a workshop, facilitators must address both sides of their participants’ brains. The hardest part often isn’t setting the end goal but guiding the journey towards the finish line. With the right tools, a sense of identity, great leadership and a growth mindset, there’s a very good chance of achieving that.

The Power of Unity

The metaphor of the elephant and the rider teaches us an important lesson: addressing both the emotional mind and the rational mind is the best way to effect change. By understanding this dynamic, as a facilitator you can better prepare for workshops, ensuring your team not only understands the end goal but is emotionally invested in reaching it. As a result, the chances of long-term, meaningful change increase manifold.

About the Author

The post The elephant and the rider – how humans make decisions appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

How to Facilitate a Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Jo North — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 19:35:37 +0000

Stakeholder Mapping: Your Guide to Facilitating a Successful Workshop

Stakeholder mapping is an essential tool for any project manager spearheading innovation or undertaking significant projects. At the heart of successful project management lies the ability to understand and engage with the key players who can influence the outcome. Whether you’re on the brink of launching a new product or embarking on a transformative initiative, the first step is always to know who these individuals or entities are, and what stakes they hold.

But how do you collaboratively identify both internal and external stakeholders, deciphering their level of interest and the extent of their influence? That’s where a stakeholder mapping workshop comes into play. This participatory exercise is the best way for project team members to come together, pool their knowledge, and create a holistic view of all project stakeholders.

This article offers a step-by-step guide on how to facilitate a successful stakeholder mapping workshop, complete with a suggested agenda and useful templates. From using virtual or physical sticky notes to visualize and categorize stakeholders based on their level of involvement to advanced stakeholder mapping tools that help refine the stakeholder engagement strategy, you’ll be equipped with everything you need.

So, whether you’re new to stakeholder mapping or simply looking for a refresher, let’s dive into a process that promises to set your project on a path of clarity and positive stakeholder engagement.

My video: How to Facilitate a Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

What is a stakeholder?
A stakeholder is an individual, group or organisation who is impacted by the outcome of a project.

They have an interest in the success of the project, and can be within or outside the organization that is sponsoring the project.

Stakeholders can have a positive or negative influence on the project.

The Stakeholder Mapping Process

Stakeholder mapping is a process designed to determine a key list of stakeholders.

Mapping can be broken down into four phases:

1. Identifying: listing relevant groups, organizations, and people.

2. Mapping: visualising relationships to objectives and other stakeholders.

3. Prioritizing: ranking stakeholder relevance and identifying issues.

4. Planning your approach.

Preparation and Pre-Work for Your Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

You might want to brief your delegates to do some pre-work to bring along to the session. This way, they will come along informed, saving time during the workshop and improving the quality of discussions. Here are some pre-work suggestions:

Review existing documentation: Extract names and entities from project plans, organizational charts, and other relevant documents.
Stakeholder interviews: Engage in one-on-one discussions with representative stakeholders to gain insights.
Surveys: Send out questionnaires to a broader stakeholder group to gather quantitative and qualitative data.

These activities are not essential, but could be very helpful, if you have sufficient notice and time before the workshop date.

Step 1: Introducing the Stakeholder Mapping Workshop and Preparing Delegates for Participation

To ensure a good start to the stakeholder mapping workshop, it’s vital to set the stage correctly. As the facilitator, your primary task in this critical step is to clarify the session’s purpose and its importance in shaping the communication strategy for the outcome of your project.

Begin by explaining that stakeholder mapping is not just a formality but an important process to comprehend the diverse stakeholder’s interests. Highlight that understanding these interests is paramount, as they can either propel the project to success or have a negative impact if not adequately addressed.

Share with the participants that the aim is to identify various parties connected to the project, their stakes, and how to best communicate and engage with them. Emphasize that by doing so, the project team can ensure that all involved parties feel valued, heard, and integrated into the project’s journey.

Warm-up Activities

Here are some suggested warm-up activities.

Stakeholder Bingo: Create a bingo card filled with phrases or characteristics that might relate to potential stakeholders (e.g., “Has a financial interest,” “External party,” “Can veto decisions”). As participants introduce themselves, attendees mark off any relevant boxes. The first to complete a row or column shouts “Bingo!” This activity introduces the idea of varying stakeholder interests and categories.

Expectation Wall: Provide each participant with sticky notes and ask them to write down what they expect from the workshop. Collect and stick these on a wall. This activity gives insight into the participants’ expectations and allows you to address any misconceptions or align the session accordingly.

By the end of this introductory step, participants should feel warmed up, engaged, and ready to delve deep into the subsequent phases of stakeholder mapping.

You’ll find even more suggestions in my article on icebreakers and warm-ups here.

Step 2: Identifying and Listing Relevant Groups, Organizations, and People

At this foundational stage, the goal is to create an exhaustive list of everyone who has a stake in your project. This could range from internal team members to external organizations, community groups, and individuals. Ideally, separate internal and external stakeholders as you work through this activity.

It will be useful to ask your participants to work in smaller breakout groups. Each group could perhaps work on a different stakeholder group or category. For instance: political, community, media, suppliers etc. make sure that the teams write the name of each individual or organizational stakeholder onto a separate virtual or paper sticky note.

Brief your delegates as follows:

On individual sticky notes, write down the names of each of your stakeholders without screening, critiquing or sorting. Include everyone who would like to be involved in or affected by your innovation or project, and everyone who you would like to involve. Where possible, identify individuals / names of roles, rather than organizations.

Just to be super clear, at the end of the activity, your participants should have a virtual or real pile of sticky notes. Each sticky note has only one stakeholder written on it. This is important to set your teams up for the next step.

Step 3: Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis

Stakeholder mapping and analysis helps to visualize the relationship of each of the stakeholders to the project. Here are some activity options that you can either choose from or combine for your workshop. You can of course change any of the words or ‘labels’ to suit your needs.

Option 1: Stakeholder Relevance, Willingness and Value Matrix

I created the stakeholder relevance, willingness and value matrix to prompt delegates to engage in deeper thought, discussion and analysis.

Create the stakeholder matrix template below as a giant canvas, perhaps printed on a large ‘plotter’ machine, on a virtual or real whiteboard, or with a few flip chart pages stuck side by side.

Stakeholder Matrix Template: Relevance, Willingness and Value

Ask your delegates to move their sticky notes into the first column, and then, through discussion, work their way from left to right to complete all the columns:

Relevance, divided into:
- Contribution to the project (e.g. information or expertise)
- Legitimacy (i.e., does the stakeholder have a ‘claim’ for engagement in the project?
Willingness to engage with project
Value, divided into:
- Influence over other stakeholders
- Necessity of involvement

Make sure they write down any their key points and observations onto the stakeholder mapping template as they go. They should also score each stakeholder High, Medium or Low in each column.

Your delegates could get absorbed, or even stuck, in their discussions on particular stakeholders. Make sure that they don’t debate every single thing at length, or you won’t achieve much in your session. Keep it moving and high level. It’s the overall shape and picture that matters at this stage, not the fine detail. That can come later.

Option 2: Stakeholder Relevance, Willingness and Value Map

You could either facilitate the Stakeholder Relevance, Willingness and Value Map after your delegates have completed the matrix in option 1 above. Or, you could go straight to it as a standalone activity.

Stakeholder Map Template: Relevance, Willingness and Value

Delegates can transfer their sticky notes from step 2 (if you’ve NOT asked them to complete the matrix in Step 2 above) to the stakeholder map template over. Or, simply write in the stakeholder names (if you HAVE asked them to complete the Step 2 matrix). Obviously, you’ll want to keep the sticky notes on the matrix so you have a record of which stakeholders the content is about!

Ask delegates to plot each stakeholder onto the map, based on how high or low they perceive the stakeholder’s willingness to engage and support (horizontal axis) and relevance (vertical axis). Participants should then put a circle around the stakeholder’s name on the map to represent the amount of value they bring. A small circle for not much, a very large one for a great deal of value.

As above, value is defined by a combination of:

Influence over other stakeholders
Necessity of involvement

This creates a really useful visualization of the stakeholder population.

Option 3: Power-Interest Grid

The Power-Interest Grid works as a great, quick standalone activity to help your delegates to sort and visualize their stakeholders. Using the grid as a template on a flip chart, virtual or real whiteboard, ask them to take their sticky notes from Step 2 and plot them onto the grid.

Power-Interest Grid Example, adapted from a template by www.slideteam.net

Step 4. Prioritizing Stakeholders

Not all stakeholders are equal in terms of their influence and interest. It’s crucial to determine which stakeholders can significantly impact the project’s success or failure.

It is not practical and usually not necessary to engage with all stakeholder groups with the same level of intensity all of the time.

Being strategic and clear about whom you are engaging with and why, before jumping in, can help save your project team time and effort.

Brief your delegates to create a summary of their top 10 or so priority stakeholders, capturing responses to these questions:

Who are your priority stakeholders?
What issues / interests do they have?
How do your stakeholders’ interests match or differ from your project objectives?

Step 5. Planning Your Approach

With a clear understanding of who the stakeholders are, their interests, relationships, and potential issues, it’s time for your participants to strategize on how to engage with them effectively.

Communication Strategy Discussion

Using the prioritized stakeholders from Step 4, the project team should brainstorm tailored communication strategies for each category. This requires thinking about the needs, interests, and preferences of each stakeholder group.

After each group has had an opportunity to devise communication strategies, bring everyone together to discuss and refine these ideas. Real-world experiences from team members can be invaluable in this stage, highlighting potential pitfalls or areas of improvement.

Action Planning

With communication strategies in place, ask the groups to find volunteers for tasks such as drafting communication templates, scheduling stakeholder meetings, and overseeing any necessary public outreach efforts.

Project team members will be empowered to not only understand their stakeholder landscape but also to devise actionable, tailored communication strategies, ensuring the smooth progression of their innovation project.

Next Steps

By following these four phases methodically, project teams can ensure that they’ve covered all their bases when it comes to stakeholder management. This not only minimizes potential roadblocks but also leverages stakeholder expertise and insights, enhancing the project’s chances of success.

Stakeholder mapping, while intricate, plays a pivotal role in the journey of any project. It’s more than just recognizing the key players; it’s about cultivating relationships, understanding diverse interests, and devising actionable strategies to engage effectively with every stakeholder. While this guide provides a structured approach to stakeholder mapping, the true magic lies in the collaborative energies, insights, and expertise each team member brings to the table.

Use Stakeholder Mapping Tools for Better Understanding and Action

Stakeholder mapping, an important tool in the arsenal of any project manager, goes beyond the mere identification of key stakeholders; it delves deep into understanding their level of influence, from high interest to low interest, in the overarching design process.

Through stakeholder mapping templates and the right stakeholder mapping tool, teams can sift through the vast amount of information to identify which types of stakeholders hold much influence and discern each stakeholder’s level of engagement.

Whether you’re venturing into a new market or embarking on a large project like a construction project, grasping the relative importance of each stakeholder, from those with high influence to those with vested interest, is essential.

The stakeholder mapping exercise is not just a visual tool but a powerful tool that aids in crafting effective stakeholder management strategies, from phone calls to more intricate product roadmaps tailored to stakeholder needs.

Larger organizations often find themselves navigating a sea of potential impact areas, where understanding the specific needs of each stakeholder, from the project sponsor to examples of internal stakeholders, is paramount. By employing a good stakeholder map, you create a visual representation of the relevant stakeholders, ensuring that important stakeholders aren’t overshadowed by those with a louder voice or higher degree of influence.

Ensure Great Communications

From the power interest grid to other stakeholder mapping models, there are different ways to map stakeholders. Each offers a unique perspective, helping to chart out effective communication plans for better outcomes. For instance, a new project might introduce new stakeholders, altering the dynamics of your company’s stakeholders.

Ensuring good communications, through methods like phone calls or more advanced stakeholder engagement plans, can make a significant difference in the success of your project.

This thorough stakeholder analysis ensures that no vital information slips through the cracks. Whether you’re focusing on the global community or your own stakeholder map, the final step is always to ensure that the stakeholder engagement plan aligns with the issue areas, ensuring every voice, from the loudest to those often overlooked, is heard and valued.

Keep Your Stakeholder Map Up-to-date

As projects evolve and new challenges arise, so too will the stakeholder landscape. Keeping your stakeholder map updated and revisiting your engagement strategies will be essential. Remember, the end goal isn’t just the completion of a project but fostering a cohesive environment where every stakeholder feels valued and invested.

Connect for Challenging or Complex Stakeholder Landscapes

If facilitating a workshop or addressing stakeholder mapping seems daunting or if you simply wish to enhance your existing strategies, remember that you’re not alone on this journey.

Whether you’re seeking advice, hands-on assistance, or simply a conversation to share perspectives, I’m here to help. Navigating the waters of stakeholder engagement requires tact, experience, and sometimes, an external perspective.

Feel free to reach out here to discuss your facilitation needs or any other queries you might have. Together, let’s set the stage for successful, collaborative, and impactful project outcomes.

About the Author

The post How to Facilitate a Stakeholder Mapping Workshop appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

How to Schedule and Host a Zoom Meeting Like a Pro

Jo North — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 06:03:00 +0000

Do you need to host a Zoom meeting for the first time? With knowledge and some practice, you’ll be running your Zoom meeting like a pro.

In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through the process, making it easy for you to schedule and host a Zoom meeting. From setting up your Zoom account to inviting participants and managing the meeting, I’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re planning a business meeting, an online design thinking workshop or innovation sprint, this guide will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to make it a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Discover my insider tips on how to host your attendees, ensure seamless audio and video quality, and make the most of Zoom’s features.

I’ll also address common challenges and offer troubleshooting tips to keep your meetings running smoothly.

Why Choose Zoom for Online Meetings and Workshops

Zoom has quickly gained popularity as one of the leading platforms for online meetings, and for good reason. Its user-friendly interface, robust features, and high-quality audio and video make it the preferred choice for individuals and businesses alike. Whether you’re hosting a business meeting, an online design thinking workshop, or an innovation sprint, Zoom provides the flexibility and functionality you need to create engaging and productive gatherings.

One of the main advantages of Zoom is its ease of use. Setting up an account and scheduling a meeting can be done in a matter of minutes, even for those who are not tech-savvy. Additionally, Zoom offers a range of features that enhance the meeting experience, such as screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and breakout rooms. These features enable you to create interactive sessions that keep participants engaged and allow for seamless collaboration.

Setting Up Your Zoom Account

Before you can host a Zoom meeting, you’ll need to set up an account. The process is straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps. Start by visiting the Zoom website and clicking on the “Sign Up, It’s Free” button. You’ll be prompted to enter your email address and create a password. Once you’ve done that, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account.

After activating your account, you’ll be taken to the Zoom dashboard, where you can customize your settings and preferences. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the different options available, such as audio and video settings, virtual background settings, and meeting settings. By customizing these settings to suit your needs, you can ensure a seamless and personalized meeting experience.

Scheduling Your First Zoom Meeting

With your account set up, you’re now ready to schedule your first Zoom meeting. To do this, navigate to the Zoom dashboard and click on the “Schedule a Meeting” button. You’ll be prompted to enter the meeting details, such as the date, time, and duration of the meeting. You can also customize additional settings, such as whether participants need a password to join the meeting or if the meeting should be recorded.

Once you’ve entered all the necessary information, click on the “Schedule” button to finalize the meeting details. Zoom will generate a unique meeting ID and join link that you can share with your participants. You can also add meeting links to your calendar or send out email invitations directly from the Zoom platform.

Inviting Participants To Your Zoom Meeting

Now that your meeting is scheduled, it’s time to invite participants. Zoom offers several ways to invite attendees, making it convenient for both you and your guests. One option is to send out email invitations directly from the Zoom platform. Simply enter the email addresses of your participants, customize the invitation message if desired, and click on the “Send” button.

Another option is to copy the meeting join link and share it through your preferred communication channels, such as email, instant messaging, or social media. Participants can simply click on the link to join the meeting without needing to enter a meeting ID or password. This method is particularly useful for larger gatherings or when you want to share the meeting details with a broader audience.

Meeting IDs and Passwords in Zoom

Meeting IDs

In Zoom, every meeting is associated with a unique Meeting ID, a 9 to 11-digit number that acts as an address for the meeting. Think of it as a unique code that participants need to join the right session. When you schedule a new Zoom meeting, this ID is generated automatically, but there’s also an option for “Personal Meeting ID” or PMI, which is associated specifically with your account and doesn’t change.

However, for security reasons, it’s generally recommended to use the automatically generated Meeting IDs rather than your PMI, especially for one-off or public meetings, to prevent unwanted access to your personal virtual space.

Password Feature

Alongside the Meeting ID, Zoom also offers a password feature. This adds an extra layer of security, requiring participants not only to have the correct Meeting ID but also to enter a password to join the session.

By default, Zoom might automatically assign a password to your meetings, but you can customize it if you so wish.

Sharing this ID and password with your intended participants ensures they can access your meeting while keeping uninvited guests out. Always remember to share these details securely and avoid posting them in public spaces to prevent “Zoombombing” or unwanted intrusions.

Preparing for your Zoom Meeting

Hosting a successful Zoom meeting requires some preparation to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Start by familiarizing yourself with the meeting controls and features. Take some time to practice using the mute and unmute buttons, screen sharing, and other essential functions. This will help you feel more confident and comfortable during the actual meeting.

It’s also a good idea to test your audio and video settings beforehand. Make sure that your microphone and camera are working properly and that your internet connection is stable. You can do a test meeting with a friend or colleague to ensure that everything is set up correctly. This will help avoid any last-minute technical issues and allow you to focus on the content and interaction during the meeting.

Video Settings and Background to Make a Lasting, Positive Impression on Zoom

For hosts looking to make a lasting impression on Zoom, tweaking video settings in advance, especially the background, can significantly enhance their professional appearance. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you set the stage:

Optimal Video Settings

Lighting: Ensure you’re well-lit. Natural light from windows is best. Position yourself such that the light falls on your face rather than behind you. If natural light isn’t an option, consider using a soft light source placed behind your computer or webcam. Avoid overly bright or harsh lights.
Camera Position: Your camera should be at eye level. If you’re using a laptop, consider placing it on a stack of books or a laptop stand. This angle is the most flattering and mimics face-to-face interactions.
Stable Setup: Ensure your camera or laptop is on a stable surface to prevent wobbling or shaking during the meeting.
Frame Yourself: Position yourself so your face and upper shoulders are visible, leaving a little ‘headroom’ between the top of your head and the top of the frame.

Changing Your Background in Zoom

Zoom offers a “Virtual Background” feature, allowing you to display an image or video as your background during a Zoom meeting. This is especially useful if your current environment is messy or unprofessional.

Accessing Virtual Background:
- Click on the gear-shaped “Settings” icon on the Zoom homepage.
- Select “Virtual Background” from the menu on the left.
Choosing a Background:
- Zoom provides a few default background options. Simply click on one to preview and set it.
- To add your own image or video, click on the “+” icon and select “Add Image” or “Add Video”. Ensure your chosen image or video is of high quality and isn’t too distracting.
Green Screens: While Zoom’s virtual background feature works without a green screen, using one can enhance the clarity and precision of the virtual background, especially if your current environment has varying colors or patterns.
Mirror My Video: Within video settings, there’s an option to “Mirror My Video”. This means you’ll see a mirrored version of your video, but participants will see the non-mirrored, normal version. It’s useful to ensure text or logos on your clothes appear correctly to others.

Tips for a Polished Look

Dress Professionally: Even though only your upper half might be visible, dressing professionally boosts confidence and leaves a good impression.
Minimize Distractions: Close unnecessary applications on your computer, mute notifications, and choose a quiet environment.
Test: Before hosting the meeting, join a test Zoom call to see how you appear. Adjust lighting, camera position, or background as needed.

Remember, while backgrounds and settings play a role, the content of the meeting and your interaction with participants remain central. Ensure your technology supports your goals, rather than overshadowing them.

Hosting Your First Zoom meeting

The moment has arrived to host your first Zoom meeting. As the host, it’s essential to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for your participants. Start by joining the meeting a few minutes early to greet attendees as they join. This will help set a positive tone and make everyone feel comfortable.

Once the meeting starts, introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of the agenda. Encourage participants to introduce themselves as well, especially if it’s a larger gathering with unfamiliar faces. This will foster a sense of community and make the meeting more engaging.

Throughout the meeting, be mindful of time management and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Monitor the chat box for any questions or comments and address them accordingly. Utilize Zoom’s features such as screen sharing and breakout rooms to facilitate collaboration and interactive discussions. Remember to be inclusive and encourage participation from all attendees.

Being the Host of a Zoom Meeting

The host of a Zoom meeting has specific privileges that regular participants do not have. These permissions give the host control over the meeting’s settings and how participants interact within the session.

First and foremost, the host can manage participants. This includes the ability to mute or unmute participants’ microphones, individually or collectively. If necessary, the host can also stop a participant’s video or even remove disruptive participants from the meeting entirely. Alongside this, the host has the power to assign co-hosts, granting them a subset of these privileges. Importantly, only the host (or co-hosts) can create breakout rooms, decide who goes into which room, and shuffle participants between these rooms. The host can also control the screen sharing feature, determining whether participants can share their screens and when.

Furthermore, the host can lock the meeting, preventing any new participants from joining, even if they have the meeting link. The recording feature is also typically in the domain of the host. While participants can record a session locally if given permission, cloud recording is typically a host-only function. Other advanced settings such as enabling a waiting room, allowing participants to rejoin, turning on attention tracking, or adjusting the annotation settings for shared content are within the purview of the host. These controls ensure that the host can effectively manage and steer the meeting, ensuring it proceeds smoothly and as intended.

Assigning Someone as Your Alternative Host

Being designated as an “alternative host” in Zoom grants an individual the ability to start and manage a meeting on behalf of the original host. Essentially, it’s a contingency plan for those instances when the primary host cannot initiate or attend the meeting. Once the alternative host starts the session, they assume the full privileges of a host, such as managing participants, controlling the screen sharing, recording the session, and other key functionalities. This feature is especially useful in professional settings where meetings might be critical, and the main host’s absence shouldn’t lead to cancellations or rescheduling.

How to Assign an Alternative Host

To assign someone as an alternative host, the process is straightforward:

Prerequisites: Ensure that the person you intend to make an alternative host has a Zoom account with the same licensing level as yours (or higher) and is using the same email domain. If not, they won’t be recognized as eligible.
Scheduling a Meeting: While scheduling a new meeting via the Zoom web portal, desktop client, or mobile app, navigate to the “Invitees” section or look for the “Alternative Hosts” field (the exact location might vary depending on the version and platform).
Entering the Alternative Host: In the “Alternative Hosts” field, type in the email address of the person you want to assign this role to. If scheduling through the web portal, you might also see suggestions pop up as you type, based on your organization’s users.
Finalizing: After adding the desired alternative host, continue with any other meeting settings and then save or schedule the meeting.

Remember, you can add multiple alternative hosts if necessary. However, only one individual (be it the primary host or one of the alternatives) can initiate and control the meeting at a given time. If the primary host joins a meeting started by an alternative host, the primary retains all host controls.

Making Someone a Co-Host

In Zoom, the designation of “co-host” provides an attendee with a subset of the host’s powers, helping the primary host manage and moderate the meeting. Being a co-host does not mean that one can start a meeting on the host’s behalf (as an alternative host would); the primary host must initiate the session. However, once the meeting is live, a co-host can undertake various administrative duties. Co-hosts can mute or unmute participants, control annotations, start or stop recordings, lock the meeting, manage participants by admitting them from the waiting room or removing disruptive attendees, and more.

However, there are certain functionalities that co-hosts do not have access to. For instance, they cannot end the meeting for all participants – they can only leave the meeting themselves. Additionally, co-hosts cannot start closed captioning, assign other co-hosts, or create breakout rooms, though they can manage and move participants between existing breakout rooms if the primary host has already created them.

To make someone a co-host during a live Zoom meeting:

Via Participants Panel: Once you’re in the meeting as the host, click on the “Participants” button, usually located at the bottom of your Zoom window. This will open a side panel listing all meeting attendees.
Assigning Co-host: Hover over the name of the participant you wish to make a co-host, and you’ll see a “More” option. Click on it and select “Make Co-host” from the dropdown menu.

It’s important to note that the co-hosting feature must be enabled by the Zoom account administrator, and it’s available on Zoom’s paid plans. If you plan to use co-hosts frequently, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself and your co-hosts with their capabilities and limitations to ensure smooth meeting operations.

Using the Zoom Waiting Room Feature

The Zoom “Waiting Room” feature is a security and organizational tool that acts as a virtual staging area, preventing attendees from joining the meeting until the host is ready. This is especially useful for managing participants, enhancing privacy, and mitigating potential disruptions.

Understanding the Zoom Waiting Room

Purpose: The Waiting Room is designed to give hosts control over who joins the meeting and when. It’s particularly beneficial for situations where you might be finishing up a previous meeting, discussing sensitive information, or simply wanting to greet participants individually as they “arrive.”

Notification: As the host, you’ll be notified when someone joins the waiting room. You can then decide to admit them immediately, let them wait for a bit, or not admit them at all.

How to Use the Waiting Room Feature

Enabling the Waiting Room:
- Before starting a meeting, sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation panel, click “Settings.”
- Scroll to the “Waiting Room” option under the “In Meeting (Advanced)” section and make sure it’s enabled. If not, click to toggle it on.
Customization:
- Once enabled, you can customize how the Waiting Room functions.
- Choose who gets placed in the Waiting Room: all participants, guest participants (those not signed in), or everyone except users from your Zoom account/domain.
- You can also personalize the waiting room screen message, offering information or setting the tone for the meeting.
Managing Participants in the Waiting Room:
- Once in a meeting, as participants join, you’ll receive a notification that someone is in the waiting room.
- Click on “Participants” at the bottom of your Zoom window. You’ll see a list of participants, with those in the waiting room marked accordingly.
- Hover over a participant’s name for options: click “Admit” to allow them into the meeting or “Remove” to deny access.
Admitting Participants:
- You can admit participants one by one or click “Admit All” at the top of the participant list to let everyone in the waiting room join simultaneously.
Sending Participants to the Waiting Room:
- If you need to have a private conversation or temporarily remove someone from the meeting, you can send them back to the waiting room. Just hover over their name in the “Participants” list, click “More,” and choose “Put in Waiting Room.”
Disabling the Waiting Room During a Meeting:
- If you decide mid-meeting that you no longer want to use the Waiting Room, click on the “Security” button at the bottom of your Zoom window, then uncheck “Enable Waiting Room.”

Benefits of the Waiting Room

Security: It offers an added layer of security, allowing hosts to screen attendees before they enter, reducing the risk of “Zoombombing” or other unwanted intrusions.
Control: For sessions like webinars or office hours, the Waiting Room can help control the flow of participants, ensuring that everyone gets an organized and timely experience.

For Zoom meeting hosts, mastering the Waiting Room can enhance meeting management and security. As with any feature, practice using it beforehand to ensure a smooth experience during the actual meeting.

Using Zoom Features During The Meeting

Zoom offers a range of features that can enhance the meeting experience and make it more interactive. Here’s a quick start guide to help you host a zoom meeting:

Record Your Zoom Meeting

Function: The record feature allows hosts (and participants, with permission) to capture the audio, video, and screen-sharing activities of a Zoom meeting for future reference.

Usage: As a host, simply click on the “Record” button, usually found at the bottom of the Zoom window. You’ll be given an option to record locally (on your device) or, if you have a paid account, record to the cloud.

Screen Share in Your Zoom Meeting

Sharing your screen in Zoom is an integral feature, especially when presenting, teaching, or collaborating with others.

Here’s a more detailed look at screen sharing:

Starting Screen Share

Once in a Zoom meeting, click on the “Share Screen” button usually found at the bottom of your Zoom window. A new panel will appear, displaying various screen-sharing options.

Picking a Window or Application

Desktop

Sharing your entire desktop allows you to present everything that you navigate through and is a good choice if you’re planning to switch between apps or browser tabs.

Whiteboard

Zoom’s built-in digital whiteboard, useful for sketching ideas, teaching, or collaborative brainstorming.

Specific Application Window

This allows you to share only a specific application. For instance, if you have PowerPoint, a browser, and a PDF reader open, you can choose to share only the PowerPoint window. Anything you do within that application will be visible, but if you navigate outside of it, participants will still only see the chosen application.

Browser Tab

If using Zoom in a web browser or using the Zoom browser extension, you can choose to share a specific browser tab.

Sharing Music and Videos

Before sharing, make sure to check the boxes at the bottom of the screen-sharing panel that say “Share sound” and “Optimize Screen Share for Video Clip”. This ensures that your participants can hear the computer audio and that the video plays smoothly.

Once those are checked, you can play the video or music from your chosen application or browser, and the sound will be shared in high quality with your participants.

Note: The “Optimize Screen Share for Video Clip” option will improve the frame rate for video but may reduce the quality of text. Use it specifically for videos and toggle it off for regular presentations or document sharing.

Annotation and Drawing Tools

After initiating a screen share, a new toolbar usually appears at the top. One of the options is “Annotate”, which provides a set of tools allowing you and your participants (unless restricted) to draw, highlight, or add text on top of the shared screen content.

Pausing and Resuming Screen Share

During a screen-sharing session, you can pause the share, meaning participants will see a frozen frame of whatever you were sharing last. This is useful if you need to navigate to a different application or window privately. Once ready, you can resume the screen share, picking up where you left off.

Stopping Screen Share

To end the screen-sharing session, click on the “Stop Share” button, which is typically red and located at the top of the screen. This will return the meeting view to the standard video feeds of participants.

By mastering the screen-sharing features, as the host you can create engaging and interactive presentations, ensuring participants have a clear view of the content and can collaborate effectively.

Zoom’s Poll Feature

Function: Polls are a way for hosts to survey participants during a meeting, gathering feedback or answers in real-time.

Usage: First, ensure the poll feature is enabled in your Zoom web settings. During a meeting, click on “Polls”, select “Add a Question”, and enter your questions and answers. Launch the poll during the meeting, and once participants have responded, you can share the results with everyone.

Manage the Chat Function

Function: The chat feature allows participants to send text messages to everyone or privately to specific individuals.

Usage: As the meeting host, click on “Chat”. Within the chat window, you’ll find options to allow participants to chat with “No One”, “Host Only”, “Everyone Publicly”, or “Everyone Publicly and Privately”.

Zoom’s Live Transcription Feature

Zoom’s live transcription feature, also known as “Live Transcription” or “Automatic Transcription,” provides real-time captions during meetings, enhancing accessibility for participants.

When activated by the host, this feature transcribes spoken content into on-screen text, allowing participants to read along with the conversation. It’s a valuable tool for ensuring inclusivity, particularly for attendees who are hard of hearing or prefer visual aids.

However, while the transcription is automated and relatively accurate, it might not capture every word perfectly, especially with complex terminology or heavy accents. To activate live transcription, hosts can click on the “Live Transcript” button (often found in the meeting controls) and select “Enable Auto-Transcription.” Participants can then choose to view or hide the captions based on their preference.

Different Viewing Modes in Zoom

In Zoom, users have the option to utilize different viewing modes to optimize their meeting experience. One popular choice is the Gallery View, which presents thumbnail displays of all meeting participants. On the Zoom Desktop Client, you can see up to 49 thumbnails per screen. To switch to this view, simply click on the “Gallery View” button, typically located in the top-right corner of the Zoom interface.

Another valuable feature, especially during presentations or when a particular speaker is addressing the group, is Spotlight. When activated, this feature makes a selected video feed the primary display for all participants, ensuring the spotlighted individual is the central focus. To use this feature, hover over the video you wish to spotlight, click on the three dots indicating the “more” option, and choose “Spotlight for Everyone”. This ensures that the highlighted speaker or presenter is easily visible to all attendees, fostering clarity and engagement during the meeting.

How to Use Breakout Rooms in Zoom

Breakout rooms are a versatile feature in Zoom, allowing hosts to split meeting participants into smaller groups for discussions or group activities.

Zoom Features Available in Breakout Rooms

Within a breakout room, participants can access several main Zoom functionalities like screen sharing, video/audio toggling, and chat. However, the chat in a breakout room is limited to that specific room, and messages won’t be visible in the main session or other breakout rooms.

Participants can also record the breakout room session locally if the host has given them permission.

How to Set Up and Host Breakout Rooms in Zoom

Here’s how to set up and host breakout rooms in Zoom:

Enable Breakout Rooms:
- Before using breakout rooms in a meeting, you need to ensure the feature is enabled.
- Log in to the Zoom web portal and go to “Account Settings.”
- Navigate to the “Breakout Room” option on the “Meeting” tab and verify that the setting is enabled. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it.
Setting Up Breakout Rooms During a Meeting:
- Once you’re in a Zoom meeting, click on the “Breakout Rooms” button (it looks like a square split into four smaller squares), usually located at the bottom of your Zoom window.
- Choose the number of rooms you want to create. Zoom will suggest splitting participants up evenly, but you can adjust this.
- Decide if you want to assign participants to rooms automatically (where Zoom decides) or manually (where you choose who goes where). There’s also an option for participants to choose their own rooms. This feature requires participants to be using the Zoom Desktop Client version 5.3.0 or higher.
Assigning Participants:
- If you’ve chosen manual assignment, click on “Assign” next to each room. A participant list will pop up, and you can select who you’d like to assign to that specific room.
- You can move participants between rooms by clicking on the participant’s name and choosing a different room. Alternatively, use the “Exchange” function to swap participants between rooms.
Starting Breakout Rooms:
- Once you’ve set up your rooms and are ready to initiate them, click “Open All Rooms”. Participants will be prompted to join their respective breakout rooms.
- As a host, you’ll remain in the main session until you choose a breakout room to join.
Managing Breakout Rooms:
- While breakout rooms are active, you can broadcast messages to all rooms, move participants between rooms, or join rooms to participate or observe.
- To broadcast a message to all rooms, enter your message in the “Broadcast a message to all” text field and click “Broadcast”.
Ending Breakout Rooms:
- When you’re ready to bring everyone back to the main session, click “Close All Rooms”. Participants will be notified and have a short time (default is 60 seconds, but this can be adjusted) to conclude their discussions.
- Participants can also opt to leave the breakout room and return to the main session at any time by clicking “Leave Room”.

The Ask For Help Feature in Zoom

If participants need assistance while in a breakout room, they can click the “Ask for Help” button. This will send a notification to the host, prompting them to join that particular breakout room. Once the host receives the notification, they can choose to join the room and assist.

Moving Yourself and Participants Between Breakout Rooms

Visiting and Moving Between Breakout Rooms:
- As a host, after you start the breakout rooms, you’ll have the ability to join any of the rooms by clicking “Join” next to the room’s name. To move between rooms, return to the main session and then select a different room to join.
Moving Participants Between Rooms:
- Open the breakout rooms panel by clicking on the “Breakout Rooms” button.
- Next to the participant’s name, click on “Move To” and select the desired room. You can also exchange participants between rooms by selecting “Exchange” and then choosing with whom you’d like them to swap places.

Practise Before You Host Your First Zoom Meeting

Breakout rooms, while simple in concept, offer a plethora of functionalities to make virtual group activities seamless. The key to mastering breakout rooms is regular usage and understanding the specific needs of your meetings.

Remember, familiarity and practice are essential when managing breakout rooms, especially with larger groups or in formal settings. Run a test session with colleagues or friends to ensure you understand the functionalities before hosting a crucial meeting.

Troubleshooting common issues

Despite its user-friendly interface, Zoom meetings can sometimes encounter technical issues. It’s essential to be prepared and know how to troubleshoot common problems that may arise. Here are a few troubleshooting tips to keep your meetings running smoothly:

1. Audio or video issues: If participants are experiencing audio or video problems, make sure they have the latest version of Zoom installed. Encourage them to check their microphone and camera settings. Ensure they are not muted or disabled. If the issue persists, suggest they restart the Zoom application or reconnect to the meeting.

2. Poor internet connection: In cases where the internet connection is unstable, advise participants to switch to a wired connection if possible. If that’s not an option, suggest closing any unnecessary applications or browser tabs that may be consuming bandwidth. Remind participants to mute their microphones when not speaking to reduce the strain on the connection. Also, turning their video off can help significantly.

3. Trouble joining the meeting: Ensure that the participant is using the correct link or entering the correct meeting ID. If the issue persists, suggest the participant restarts their Zoom application or tries to join from a different device.

By being proactive and addressing these common issues, you can ensure a seamless and uninterrupted meeting experience for everyone involved.

Next Steps

Hosting your first Zoom meeting may seem daunting at first. But, with the right knowledge and preparation, it can be a rewarding and successful experience. Remember to familiarize yourself with Zoom’s features and settings, and take the time to practice beforehand. Be proactive in addressing any technical issues that may arise. Make use of Zoom’s interactive features to engage your participants.

As you gain more experience hosting Zoom meetings, you’ll discover new ways to make them even more engaging and productive. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different strategies to keep participants involved and excited. With time, hosting online gatherings will become second nature. You’ll be able to create meaningful connections and achieve your desired outcomes, all from the comfort of your own screen.

And if you’d like some one-to-one support, or a live, online training session for your team on how to facilitate engaging and effective Zoom meetings, please do get in touch here.

You’ll also enjoy my free Supercharge Your Virtual Engagement on Zoom Challenge – just click here to get started.

About the Author

The post How to Schedule and Host a Zoom Meeting Like a Pro appeared first on The Big Bang Partnership.

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