Illinois, USA

@Jonathan Courtney I'll be running an OKR Workshop in 2 weeks! Thank you for sharing this video. I shared a preview of this workshop with the church staff I am working with and they were very interested in seeing how they help to align the work of staff with the expectations of church leaders. I believe this workshop will enable them to gain clarity about where they spend their time, how they lead congregants, and why they offer certain ministry programs and opportunities. If appropriate (and with permission) I'll share some of the OKRs this team creates.

@Johan Holst Thank you for your interest. I plan to post my full 3-session experience and review to the Facilitator Club board. I hope it is helpful to other facilitators as they continue to provide engaging workshops for the teams, groups, and companies with which they are working.

Hello, @Jennie Shiu . I am currently working with a church executive team and I used the simple activity: ME COUNTDOWN. Each person silently writes the following: 3-unique aspects about their life; 2-challenges they currently face (work, life, family, etc.); and, 1-dream they have. Depending on the size of the group, you could ask them to share with everyone or in smaller groups. This activity gets them thinking, sharing, and listening. At the end of the activity, ask the group: "What was one thing you heard that you didn't know about someone?" Another idea is an improvisational activity called, "YES...AND." To learn more, visit https://www.dramanotebook.com/drama-games/yes-and/ At a previous job I had, we used this activity to begin many meetings to kickstart attentive listening, critical thinking, and appropriate sharing skills. Hope this is helpful.

@Julie McManus Thank you for your encouragement!

Review of Session 1: I began the session with a "get-to-know-you" activity entitled, ME COUNTDOWN. Each person privately writes: 3 - unique aspects of their life, 2 - challenges they are currently facing, and 1 - dream they have. Answers are not specific to their jobs and should help in learning more about one another. This team has been together for many years, but we still learned unique aspects, current challenges, and unspoken dreams. I highly recommend this activity. For this session with the church, I wanted the 4-person church staff members to consider the mission and vision statements from the perspective of stakeholders. I encouraged them to consider as many stakeholders as possible who engage in the work/ministries of the church. Considering these stakeholders, what specific thoughts, actions, and behaviors did staff want FOR them and FROM them based on the mission and vision statements. As you can see in the photos, I invited them to use Mind Maps to 1. identify stakeholders in first level (starting from the center) and 2. determine the thoughts, actions, and behaviors FOR and FROM each stakeholder. Throughout the exercise, I encouraged them to note any gaps and connections with what currently occurs in stakeholders versus what is desired. Once the participants returned to their seats, I asked them to write "How Might We..." questions based on address the gaps and amplifying the connections. One example of a "How Might We..." that led to further discussion: "How might we help others read the Bible with greater understanding?" - This led to an open discussion/brainstorm with the participants about purposeful steps to increase Bible reading among congregants. Ideas such as offering Bible reading classes and take-home study guides. Today, was a lot of fun with lively discussion. There were moments of laughter and introspection, as well as vulnerability and encouragement. Session 2 will lead the church staff to consider their individual roles and responsibilities with the church's mission and vision statements.

Congratulations, David. Thank you for sharing your success so that we can celebrate as a community.

Set a time for it (5 minutes). Let the group know that after the time limit, there will be another 5 minutes after the next exercise or meal. This is a technique utilized in higher education to allow for group processing. Sit in on the discussion and listen for certain topics or how someone tells a story or processes the time together. You can learn a lot in these moments that can inform future meetings.

@David Rovira Will you please send a video meeting link for tomorrow's gathering? Also, would you like me to send updated information related to the Schedule of Practice Sessions spreadsheet? Thank you!

@David Rovira I prefer options 1 or 3. Thank you for making these suggestions and for creating a collaborative environment for this group.

These are great points, Jeff. Thank you for posting them as encouragement for facilitators. I am working with a local non-profit where I am leading them to work through many of these points (especially trust, honest dialogue, feedback, and organization culture). At times, I feel like I'm the one poking and prodding the team and leading them into uncharted territory...but that's exactly why they asked me to facilitate these conversations!

Hello, Alex. My name is Bret and I'm new, too. It will be fun learning and sharing in this community. I look forward to getting to know you and your work.

Great meeting you, @Jewell Jones . My Masters focus was in collaboration with special mention of servant leadership. It's nice to see another person in this community who is helping leaders see and exemplify the principles of being a servant. Character matters! I look forward to learning more from you and growing in this club.