From the course: Change Management for Projects

Change management facilitation

From the course: Change Management for Projects

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Change management facilitation

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- Facilitated workshops are an important part of a project. They're used to define requirements, resolve issues, create plans and gather ideas, but they can quickly go off track. Now, each workshop should have an allocated independent facilitator and for some guidance on the rules and processes for running a facilitated workshop, download the handout in the exercise folder. But having a dedicated facilitator doesn't let you off the hook. As a project manager, you're likely to find yourself in a workshop with challenging people and situations. Here's a few skills that you might find useful to help keep your workshop and project on track. The first is active listening, which is an essential skill. Listening to others first earns us the right to be heard ourselves. The key to this is to really hear what the speaker is saying. Listen with your ears. This courtesy of being interested in them first and then being fully present and genuinely interested in what they're saying breaks down hostility and barriers. Listen with your eyes. What body language do you observe when the other person is talking? Are you picking up any hidden messages that give you clues on their position? Listen with your instincts. Sometimes you can sense when someone is holding back. Gently ask questions that lead them to open up. And then listen with your heart. What do you think the other person is feeling? This leads us nicely into the next skill, which is the power of empathy. Empathy is recognizing emotions in others and having the ability to put yourself into another shoes. To effectively use empathy, practice the following things. Start seeing things from the other person's perspective. You may realize they're not being difficult deliberately but just reacting to a current situation. Next, you can validate their perspective. Remember, they may have a different and valid opinion about the change to yours. Acknowledge this is okay. Then think about your attitude. What are you concerned with, finding a solution or being right? Have an open mind and attitude to others' opinions. Then listen. Use those listening skills we just talk about. And finally, if in doubt, ask the person what they want. Maybe the simplest way to understand. Active listening and empathy are essential skills every project manager needs to have. Use them effectively and you'll be well on your way to a successful change that everyone feels good about.

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