What are the most common mistakes team facilitators make with community members?
As a team facilitator, you have a crucial role in community organizing. You help groups of people collaborate, communicate, and achieve their goals. However, you also face many challenges and pitfalls that can undermine your efforts and harm your relationships with community members. In this article, we will discuss some of the most common mistakes team facilitators make with community members and how to avoid them.
One of the most common mistakes team facilitators make with community members is not being clear about the purpose, expectations, and outcomes of the team. This can lead to confusion, frustration, and conflict among the participants, as well as wasted time and resources. To avoid this mistake, you need to establish a clear vision and mission for the team, as well as specific and measurable goals and indicators of success. You also need to communicate these clearly and consistently to the community members, and check for their understanding and feedback.
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I think the lack of clarity can be present on a team when communication is not more manageable, and the information can be lost or altered, etc. For example, if a manager says something to the supervisor and the supervisor says something that is not accurate or complete to the team, there can appear to be a lack of clarity on what they need to do for that project and to satisfy the client or the company management, etc. So it’s easier to communicate transparently via email, brainstorming sessions, 1 to 1 sessions with the client, etc., to eliminate the lack of clarity, from my point of view.
Another common mistake team facilitators make with community members is not building and maintaining trust. Trust is essential for effective collaboration, as it enables people to share their ideas, opinions, and concerns openly and honestly. Without trust, community members may feel reluctant, defensive, or hostile, and may hide or withhold information or feedback. To avoid this mistake, you need to create a safe and respectful space for the team, where everyone feels valued and heard. You also need to demonstrate your integrity, competence, and reliability, and show genuine interest and care for the community members.
A third common mistake team facilitators make with community members is not encouraging and facilitating participation. Participation is vital for community organizing, as it empowers people to contribute their skills, knowledge, and perspectives, and to take ownership and responsibility for the team's actions and results. Without participation, community members may feel disengaged, bored, or alienated, and may lose motivation and commitment. To avoid this mistake, you need to use various methods and tools to invite and involve the community members in the team's activities, such as brainstorming, decision making, problem solving, and evaluation. You also need to recognize and appreciate their contributions and achievements.
A fourth common mistake team facilitators make with community members is not respecting and embracing diversity. Diversity is a strength for community organizing, as it enriches the team's creativity, innovation, and adaptability. It also reflects the reality and complexity of the community and its issues. However, diversity can also pose challenges and conflicts, such as misunderstandings, stereotypes, or biases. To avoid this mistake, you need to acknowledge and celebrate the differences and similarities among the community members, such as their backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences. You also need to promote equity and inclusion, and address any issues or concerns that may arise from diversity.
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Creating an inclusive and diverse environment in your company will help your company and you as CEO, etc., to eliminate the situation where it will appear that there is a lack of diversity. For example, I created an inclusive, diverse work environment in a few companies where I worked as a consulting counselor. By creating various recruitment processes, more benefits for each employee are more closely to each race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, etc., plus many more solutions so they can feel that the company is diverse, inclusive, etc. And it’s not a work environment lacking diversity, etc.
A fifth common mistake team facilitators make with community members is not giving and receiving feedback. Feedback is crucial for community organizing, as it helps the team to learn, improve, and grow. It also enhances the team's performance, quality, and impact. However, feedback can also be difficult and sensitive, especially if it is negative, constructive, or critical. To avoid this mistake, you need to establish a culture and practice of feedback within the team, where everyone is willing and able to give and receive feedback in a constructive and respectful way. You also need to use feedback as an opportunity to appreciate, support, and coach the community members.
A sixth common mistake team facilitators make with community members is not conducting and sharing evaluation. Evaluation is essential for community organizing, as it helps the team to measure and demonstrate its results, outcomes, and impact. It also helps the team to identify and address its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. However, evaluation can also be challenging and daunting, especially if it involves data collection, analysis, and reporting. To avoid this mistake, you need to plan and implement evaluation as an integral part of the team's process, and involve the community members in every stage. You also need to communicate and disseminate the evaluation findings and recommendations to the community members and other stakeholders.
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We need to create four days or three days of working time so we can enjoy a good balance between work life and personal life. Four days work for office jobs that are not so demanding on the work activities. Three days of work for jobs that are very demanding on the work activities. Plus, to respect each other beliefs, sexual orientation, etc., plus to do more manageable work remotely anytime and anytime plus to do more work with ourselves to be more creative and empathetic to each other when we’re working and to help each other as a team to be more productive, creative, etc. by discos anything anytime related to that project and the company to be more open to discussion with the employees about anything and to help them anytime in need.
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