The activities in this handbook will help you to enhance cohesion within your sub-unit, while helping your men to understand the importance of sharing a common vision and having well-defined roles, clear rules and good working relationships.
As a commander conducting/facilitating these activities, it is important that you are able to maximize the potential of each activity by enhancing interactivity, encouraging fruitful discussions and drawing out learning points.
Here are some general tips to enhance your facilitative skills:
- Paraphrase what someone has said so that he knows that you have understood him and so that others can hear a concise summary of what has been said.
- Clarify or ask the team member to elaborate if what he said is unclear.
- Acknowledge and compliment the team member for any valuable points made. Thank them for making the effort.
- Elaborate on a team member’s contribution with valid examples or suggest alternative ways to view the situation/problem.
- Energize a discussion by quickening the pace, urging more interaction from the team and using humour where possible.
- Mediate differences of opinion between members by acknowledging the validity of both points of view. Relieve any tensions that may be brewing.
- Connect points raised by different team members, showing their relationship to each other.
- Summarize the major views of the group when you round up a discussion.
At times, the behavior of certain members may pose difficulties during activities. Here are some potential problem situations and suggestions for overcoming them:
- A team member monopolises the discussion:
- Summarize that member’s viewpoint and move on;
- Ask other members for inputs;
- Ask that member to hold off further discussion until a break.
- A team member goes off on a tangent:
- Summarize that member’s viewpoint, then move the discussion forward;
- Restate the purpose of the discussion and politely highlight how the current point actually relates to a different matter.
- Member disagrees with you:
- Agree to disagree;
- Seek views from other members.
- Non-participation by member:
- Use non-verbal means to encourage the member to participate;
- Direct specific, inviting questions to that member in a non-confrontational way;
- Ask that member to be the leader in another activity.
- Member passes cynical remarks:
- Take the remark as a contribution – ask him for clarification and open up to the group for responses;
- Respond to cynical views with accurate facts and valid information;
- Encourage the member to consider a broader view of the issue he has expressed cynicism about.