What are effective strategies for facilitating virtual and hybrid retreats?
Facilitating virtual and hybrid retreats can be challenging, but also rewarding. Retreats are opportunities to build trust, alignment, and collaboration among team members, especially when they work remotely or in different locations. However, they also require careful planning, preparation, and execution to ensure a positive and productive experience for everyone. In this article, you will learn some effective strategies for facilitating virtual and hybrid retreats, such as:
Before you design and facilitate a retreat, you need to have a clear understanding of why you are doing it and what you want to achieve. What are the main challenges or opportunities that your team is facing? What are the desired outcomes and benefits of the retreat? How will you measure the success of the retreat? Having a clear purpose and goals will help you create a relevant and engaging agenda, select the appropriate tools and methods, and communicate the value and expectations of the retreat to your team.
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Claire Bridges MSc
Founder, Now Go Create | Innovation & creativity training | Creative Director | Edtech | Author In Your Creative Element
I like the IDOARRT framework which helps to support you in leading an effective group process. It's an easy acronym, for setting out a clear purpose, structure and goals together with participants at the very beginning. Intention - Why are we here? DO - What outcomes should be achieved by the end of the meeting? Agenda - What activities will the group go through to get to our desired outcome? Roles - Who will facilitate, who will we invite to participate? Who is the decision maker? Rules - Ensure you have clear boundaries and set exceptions. Let attendees contribute to the rules to ensure ownership and engagement. Time - ensure you keep to time and that everyone knows the agenda.
Depending on the size, location, and preferences of your team, you may opt for a fully virtual, fully in-person, or hybrid retreat. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages, and you need to consider them carefully. For example, a fully virtual retreat may be more accessible and cost-effective, but also more prone to technical issues and fatigue. A fully in-person retreat may be more immersive and interactive, but also more expensive and risky. A hybrid retreat may offer the best of both worlds, but also require more coordination and inclusion. Whatever format you choose, you also need to select a suitable platform or tool that can support your retreat objectives and activities. For example, you may use video conferencing software, online collaboration tools, virtual whiteboards, or gamified platforms.
A good retreat agenda should balance different types of activities, such as presentations, discussions, workshops, games, and breaks. You should also consider the duration, frequency, and timing of each activity, as well as the level of participation and interaction required. For example, you may want to avoid long or complex sessions that may overwhelm or bore your team, and instead opt for shorter or simpler sessions that can keep them engaged and energized. You should also plan for some flexibility in your agenda, so that you can adjust to the needs and feedback of your team, as well as any unforeseen circumstances.
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Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA
CEO and C-suite fractional leader | Strategic Planning | Organizational Development | Strategist and advisor | BOARD MEMBER | CHIEF | #strategist #fractionalleader
Keeping things fresh, getting people moving and active so they aren’t sitting in their chairs staring at a screen is essential when facilitating, virtual or hybrid conversations. Building into the agenda time for small group, breakouts, casual conversations, personal breaks away from the screen, chatting and feedback are all very important to keep people engaged.
Before the retreat, you should prepare yourself and your team for a smooth and successful experience. You should communicate the purpose, goals, agenda, and logistics of the retreat to your team, and invite them to share their questions, concerns, and expectations. You should also provide them with any materials, instructions, or resources they may need for the retreat, such as pre-work assignments, background information, or technical requirements. You should also prepare yourself by reviewing the agenda, testing the tools and methods, and rehearsing your facilitation skills.
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Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA
CEO and C-suite fractional leader | Strategic Planning | Organizational Development | Strategist and advisor | BOARD MEMBER | CHIEF | #strategist #fractionalleader
Preparing and testing the tools is so essential. Inevitably one out of 10 times there will be a technology failure. Make sure that you have paper or other tech sources as back up so that you can still facilitate and move people through the process even if some of your original design technology tools break down that day. Also, the more you practice with your tools and prepare the more comfortable you are going to be if something comes up that deviates from the agenda or a technology issue comes up. And finally, the more confident you are with your tools and your comment area the more comfortable your participants are going to be .
During the retreat, you should facilitate with empathy and clarity, to ensure that your team feels comfortable, respected, and involved. You should set the tone and norms for the retreat, such as the ground rules, the roles and responsibilities, and the agenda. You should also monitor the dynamics and mood of your team, and use various techniques to foster trust, engagement, and collaboration, such as icebreakers, check-ins, polls, feedback, and recognition. You should also be clear and concise in your communication, and use visual aids, stories, and examples to illustrate your points.
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Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA
CEO and C-suite fractional leader | Strategic Planning | Organizational Development | Strategist and advisor | BOARD MEMBER | CHIEF | #strategist #fractionalleader
No doubt, empathetic facilitation is an incredible approach. Sometimes, if you’re facilitating contentious issues with groups or groups that have low trust you as a facilitator need to have a higher command of control of the room. This can be true when you have people who are angry or upset about the topic, or project under discussion as well. Understanding how to hold the space to give people space to participate is so important. The ability to weave those contributions into a constructive output is the sign of a wise facilitator.
After the retreat, you should follow up and evaluate the results and impact of the retreat. You should thank your team for their participation and contribution, and share any key takeaways, action items, or next steps. You should also solicit their feedback and suggestions, and use them to improve your future retreats. You should also measure the outcomes and benefits of the retreat, and compare them to your initial goals and expectations. You should also celebrate and share any successes or achievements that resulted from the retreat.
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