September 10, 2014

Facilitators: New-age Ghostbusters

The Merchant & The Guru

Once upon a time a guru was confronted by a frustrated merchant burdened with many personal and trade problems.

The merchant asked the guru: “Why have I been singled out with this enormous burden?”

After several minutes of silence, the guru replied: “I do not have an answer to your question. However, I do know a group of people who do not have any problems. Would you like to meet them?”

The merchant eagerly accepted the guru’s invitation.

Following the lead of the guru, the merchant walked down the street for a few miles. Ultimately, the guru turned a corner and walked through the gates of the promised destination.

It was a graveyard.

Problems – A Natural Part Of Life

Everyone has problems. They are a natural part of our lives.

Organizations work through teams. Teams have problems be they self-directed teams, project teams, cross-functional teams, unionized teams, management teams, and more.

How do you make a team decision when people strongly disagree, or when people who are used to blaming one another are asked to work on teams?

How do you deal with sticky personal issues with fellow team members?

What do you do when team meetings seem like a waste of time? Etc, etc, etc.

Facilitator – The New Age Guru

In order to address such team problems, organizations need to cultivate facilitators. These facilitators should have the following attributes:

· Wide acceptability throughout the organization

· Deep understanding of the organization culture

· Expertise in structured problem solving

· Excellent communication skills – oral and written.

Certified Facilitators SHOULD NOT work on the ABC Model of first changing Attitude, in order to change Behavior, and thereby get Commitment for solving a problem.

On the contrary, these Certified Facilitators SHOULD DO the reverse: Get Commitment for solving the problem, specify a change in Behavior, and sincerely pray for a change in Attitude.

Changing an attitude is a challenge. Also, it has its own majestic pace.

Perfect Problem

Once again, once upon a time a raja had 17 horses and 3 sons. He died young but had prepared a perfectly problematic will for his minister to facilitate. In his will he left:

· half his horses for his first son;

· one-third for the second son;

· and one-ninth for his third.

The facilitator, a catalyst, solved the problem to the satisfaction of all three sons and the dead raja.

Care to share your response?

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