Executive Leadership and Facilitation

Category Archives: Blog

A Facilitative Stance!

Super Woman No More!

As with many things in life, we are influenced by other people and what we experience. I am realizing that the facilitation training and practice I have been enjoying in recent years, is influencing my approach with interim executive clients. I often take a facilitative stance now!

What is a “facilitative stance”? It is when I am listening more than talking.  It is when I am recognizing that “best practices” may not be what is best for a particular organization at that moment in time. It is also when I am acknowledging the “wisdom is already in the room”.  The client certainly knows what the issues are. But collectively, they also know what the solutions are. They just are not sure how to get there. A facilitative stance is helping draw all of that wisdom out for creating a clear direction for incremental, sustainable improvements.

Yes, through my decades of experience as a CEO and other management roles, I definitely know how to lead. So when the circumstance requires it, I can easily step into being the leader. For me, that is more directive and authoritarian. After all, I have been hired for my expertise. However, every organization is different. While there are many similar issues to address, the organizational cultures are all very different. It is when I am figuring out those cultural nuances that I have a more facilitative stance.

Energetically, it is the difference between standing like “Super Woman” and “I am here to rescue you!” versus sitting over a cup of tea listening intently to those with the experiences and the frustrations. Yes, my expertise kicks in when it is time to develop recommendations or take action. But even that has flexibility depending on the feedback and timing for implementation. I am no longer caught up into “best practices” as the best approach for every situation.

A facilitative stance is also more creative for me. I get to absorb tons of information over a few short weeks and then experience joy as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Plus, “timing is everything” has been my favorite saying for a long time. Organizations usually only change incrementally, unless a major crisis forces them to change immediately in order to survive. So the timing for the changes need to be planned out, including what to do when old patterns start to creep back and they are slipping back into unhelpful ways. By continuing to take a facilitative stance, even when making recommendations and starting the implementation, I am more flexible and open to revisions as they are revealed.

These years of learning what facilitation actually is has helped me realize my natural, authentic style is one of having a facilitative stance as a leader.  Being a boss for so long that required swift decision making and taking strong positions still is helpful and comes into play. But implementing a more facilitative stance is joyful and I thrive on the creativity. I am also more comfortable with the uncertainties. All of this makes me realize I wish I had learned these facilitation methods 30 years ago. But then again, “Timing is everything”.

ToP Gathering in January a SUCCESS!

I am super excited to have been the Co-Chair for the Technology of Participation (ToP) Network’s Annual Gathering in Walnut Creek, CA, in January 2020!  It was a big success!

Check out the website:  https://www.topgathering.org/

As I have been getting deeper and deeper into the ToP Methods, I have attended more and more trainings, plus these annual Gatherings in the previous two years! I LOVE that this is NOT called a “conference”.  A “gathering” is so much more welcoming and acknowledges it is a gathering of all practitioners and we all can learn from each other!  Of course, there are those with decades of experience that we all revere.  But there are many, MANY ways to get engaged with colleagues regardless of how many years you have been facilitating.

This year’s lineup of workshops was AMAZING!  Check out this partial list of topics:

  • CREATING A UNIFIED VOICE FOR THE OPIOID CRISIS
  • ​ENGAGING NON-TRADITIONAL PARTNERS
  • EXPLORING MULTIPLE METHODS FOR BREAKTHROUGH THINKING
  • HARVESTING THE WISDOM IN THE ROOM
  • HOW IMPLICIT BIAS AND UNEARNED PRIVILEGE IMPACT FACILITATION
  • HOW’D I DO?… AN ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
  • SIMPLIFYING CHANGE MANAGEMENT: THE WHAT, WHEN AND HOW
  • THE FACILITATOR HAS MANY FACES: WHO ARE YOU?
  • THE URGENCY OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS
  • TRANSFORMATIONAL FACILITATIVE LEADERSHIP
  • USING TOP METHODS WITH LIBERATING STRUCTURES
  • USING TOP METHODS WITHIN AN INTEREST-BASED APPROACH
  • VIRTUAL “STICKY WALL” FOR ONLINE FACILITATION

 

I had a very hard time deciding which workshops to attend because there were SO many great ones to help strengthen my practice and my business!

There was also a whole section focused on Social Impacts of:

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Youth Development
  • Community Development
  • Diversity, Inclusion and Equity

We explored stories of how participatory methods are being used to positively affect the world in each of these areas.

As you can see, these methods are highly adaptable to every topic imaginable!  Let me know if any of this piques your interest to learn more about how to get trained in these methods or if you need a facilitator!  I am always happy to help!

Embracing a New Decade

I am excited to share that my consulting practice is taking a new turn! I will be doing less Interim Executive Director work and more facilitation and management consulting. This new direction is for two reasons:

  • As of July 1st, 2019, I accepted a permanent half-time position as the Administrative Director for the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (SFCP). I never expected to take a “permanent” position again. But while I was the Interim Administrative Director, I began to understand the deep commitment of all the volunteers for this membership-based educational institution and how I might be able to continue to strengthen the infrastructure. Plus, there is a fantastic small team of staff! It feels like a good match!
  • Then, as of August 10, 2019, I became a Nationally Certified Technology of Participation (ToP) Facilitator! This is a BIG deal for those of you new to this field. Less than 125 people have this designation. And it is well known that it is harder to get this certificate than any other in the world of facilitation.

I have been learning how to proficiently do group facilitation as part of my Interim consulting practice over the past 7 years.  Gradually, I have also been taking more and more training and have come to LOVE these methods! The ToP methodology:

  • Provides a structure to prevent groups from aimlessly drifting during important conversations or meetings;
  • Provides unique ways to focus people on one topic long enough to determine a clear direction for the next steps;
  • Encourages understanding rather than criticism;
  • Elicits both rational and emotional responses to arrive at authentic communication and real solutions; and,
  • Creates a sense of safety in the room so that all participants can speak honestly, knowing that their responses will be accepted and respected.

I have seen these methods transform conversations in ways I did not believe was possible!  Plus, the participatory strategic plans can get to the heart of what the real issues or blocks are to an organization’s growth!  I wish I had learned these methods 30 years ago!!

So, while I will continue to consider Interim ED assignments, my focus is now on building a clientele for group facilitation. And not only in the nonprofit sector, but also in the for-profit and government sectors. A facilitator does not…and preferably will not…have topic area expertise, in order to maintain objectivity. The “wisdom is already in the room”.  My role is to work closely with the senior leadership to gain clarity on the desired concrete outcomes and how they want the group to experience the conversation; then create an appropriate meeting design accordingly. I have already had the pleasure of doing a partners’ retreat for a law firm and building consensus for visitor messaging for the Divisions of Yosemite National Park. You name the outcome you are looking for and these methods can help get us there!

You will see I have modified my website to reflect this change in direction at marciahodges.com  And I am gradually moving a bit more into the world of social media at LinkedIn.  Thus, I am also starting this blog!  A year ago, I finally became convinced this could be a good idea and now here I am! I am more surprised than anyone!

I hope you will join me on this part of my journey, so you will have a sense of this aspect of my life! I must say that I TRULY LOVE all aspects of my work life now. How does that saying go?  “When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work!”  SO TRUE!