Hate Meetings? Try Facilitating

Hypothetical: Repair believes that Sales is making promises to customers that are impossible to keep – like the time it takes to repair an instrument. Sales believes that repair is deliberately slowing down work, preventing them from being competitive. Your team is at war and the loser is the organization which is experiencing a drop in both sales and repairs.

The biggest stakeholders of the organization are in the middle. The knee-jerk reaction is to schedule a meeting and have the owner or general manager read the riot act. Instead of telling repair and sales what to do, try helping them agree on a way to improve the process. Be the facilitator. The word “facilitate” comes from the Latin “facile” and means “to make easy.”

“Facilitation is the body of expertise associated with cooperation and collaboration among equals, and is concerned with ways of ensuring that everyone in a group can, if they wish, fully participate in all decisions that affect them.” (The Art of Facilitation – Dale Hunter)

Think of facilitation as kind of like a jam session. The best jamming is achieved when you are building on each other’s strengths and searching for synergy and common ground. You are doing as much or more listening than playing. Even if you disagree with the other musicians, you are building consensus and participating in the decision-making process united by the common goal of making great music. Being able to find common ground is key to being a successful facilitator.

The history of facilitation is as old as the tribes dating back 3,000 years when the tribal chief summoned fellow tribesman to gather around the fire, to share ideas on how best not to get eaten. Alaskan natives report that in ancient times the leadership style was more like chief facilitator, who embraced the wisdom and creativity of people coming together for the common good. This contrasts sharply with a more controlled dictatorial leadership style which is the seeding ground for disgruntled employees and dysfunctional dynamics.

Some of the benefits of facilitation is knowledge-sharing within and across teams and group decision- making. Still being an effective facilitator takes work. At its core is the belief that every person has an equal right to speak and participate in the decision-making process. Because facilitators do not take sides, and must at least appear to be neutral, the style is in sharp contrast when the owner or manager who has the right to hire or fire and otherwise influence its staff.

According to Hunter, there is a continuum of decision-making.

• Autocratic: One person deciding on behalf of all others
• Democratic: Majority deciding on behalf of all others
• Cooperative: Commitment by all to reach agreement. That’s facilitation

How can a busy music retailer get collective decision making to work? The answer is threefold.

• Everyone must agree to reach an agreement
• Have a clear idea on what the concerns are
• Create an agenda which incorporates the concerns and encourages the participation of all parties

Ok. Facilitation sounds cool. I’m ready to change my song. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.” Another way of saying this: How can you expect to facilitate your repair and sales team if you can’t facilitate your own behavior? Here’s what I have learned as serving as board president of a non-profit. When I disagree with a fellow board member, the first thing I need to do is check my ego at the door. Breathing helps. Saying, “Tell me more,” and then shutting up, has helped me immensely. It gives the facilitator time to get control of one’s emotions and quiet the mind, while practicing active listening. The idea is to increase your available free attention. Other venues can include mindfulness meditation, prayer, and creative visualizations.

Just as dissonance is part of making great music, conflicts will inevitably arise when working with people. Egos will clash and are difficult when the crescendo occurs during a group meeting.

Here’s a novel idea for music retailers. Why not carve out time, and make music as a way to team build? As musicians, we don’t need a researcher to convince you that making music releases the “feel-good” neurochemicals. It’s important to remember that advice, or telling someone what to do, is not facilitative. You are not the judge. A facilitative attitude creates a “safe” environment for change, which is exactly the way to get Repair working once again with Sales. Of course, if you find yourself in a mission-critical situation and are not confident in your own abilities, you may want to consider hiring a professional facilitator. A good start is visiting the International Association of Facilitators, at iaf-world.org.

Jaimie Blackman – a former music educator & retailer – is a financial advisor, succession planner, and certified business advisor. Blackman helps music retailers accelerate business value through team building, coaching & mentoring. Blackman is a frequent speaker at NAMM’s Idea Center. Visit jaimieblackman.com to subscribe to Unlocking the Wealth newsletter and webinars. Follow Jaimie on twitter @jaimieblackman.