Why We Needed a Facilitator for Our Offsite and Why You Might Too

Last week, the Disruption Advisors team came together from across the United States for a team offsite.

We took time to get to know each other. We discussed our goals for 2024 and our wins and challenges so far in 2023. And we tackled some challenging topics like decision-making and communication.

It was so. much. fun.?

It was also really hard.?

We were asked to give a lot of ourselves, and we went home (or directly to client sites for a number of us!) exhausted.?

A core element of what we do as a company is working with leaders and teams to design and facilitate successful offsites. It’s a piece of our work that we truly love. It’s creating a space to see growth in action—it’s helping nurture potential into something actionable.?

However, just as they say that doctors make the worst patients (I cannot personally confirm if this is true), facilitators are often not great workshop or offsite participants.?

As facilitators, our job is to maintain neutrality, make sure all voices are heard, create positive group dynamics, manage time, and keep energy levels high despite often challenging topic areas.?

As a participant, our job is to voice our thoughts and opinions, to bring forward the wins or challenges of our specific teams or departments, to focus on the conversation at hand, and to use the container created by the facilitator to grow individually and collectively.?

A facilitator remains slightly removed so they can focus on the bigger picture. A participant is down in the weeds.

It’s very challenging, if not impossible, to do both successfully, particularly at the same time.?

And it takes some reminding of our role to fully engage as a participant rather than try to shape the experience as a facilitator.?

So this year, we worked with a facilitator with whom we work closely to facilitate our team session.?

It was a game-changer.?

Instead of focusing on the timing, the next activity, or making sure our two team members on Zoom were included, my co-founder Amy and I were able to fully participate in the conversations—we were able to bring our full selves to the discussions.?

Another person who brings all of herself to the workplace is Lori Winkler, the Chief Human Resources Officer for Zimmer Biomet and a recent Disrupt Yourself podcast guest.

In my conversation with Lori, we spent a lot of time discussing how we try to separate our work selves from our home selves, but in the end, they are often not easily separated.

We bring our work home, and our home life influences our work—we are a compilation of all the parts of us, and trying to separate ourselves only leads to pain. To the experience of feeling unseen, or as if we have to pretend we are someone else.?

At the beginning of her career, Lori believed she had a professional hat she wore, and with it on, she operated a certain way. When it was off, well, that was the rest of her life that didn’t have a place in her professional world.?

But then, she experienced a significant disruption in her personal life. Big “D” Disruption—major life changes—happened back to back to back. Her life was disrupted and not necessarily for the better.?

Now, Lori makes sure she shares her story, her personal life, with her colleagues.?

Because she believes sharing her stories makes her more human and more relatable.?

She also hopes it might help someone.

At our offsite, one of the only times each year we are all together, I felt the same need to relate—to be human.?

And, with the help of our wonderful facilitator, I was able to bring my full self to share with my team.?

It was unsettling—being vulnerable always is—but it was the vulnerability that brought us all closer together.?

Sharing our whole selves helps us move our company forward, to climb up our organizational S Curve?.??

So, if you are looking to climb your next S Curve or to accelerate your growth up your current one, stop separating your professional self from your personal one.?

Embrace all of you and share that self with your team.?

You won’t regret it.?

And, if you find yourself in need of someone to help facilitate your next offsite so you can fully immerse yourself in participating rather than facilitating—you know where to find us.

Is there a part of yourself that you try to hide when wearing your “work hat”??

How can you embrace vulnerability and share your whole self at work??

Are you thinking about jumping to a new S Curve? Our Smart Growth Certification program empowers you with the skills, tools, and resources to have meaningful conversations about growth with your clients and colleagues. Check out our certification program to learn more and register for an upcoming session. Use the code EarlyBird at checkout to get $500 off a 2024 Smart Growth Certification session. Code valid through December 31, 2023.