Team Councils: the practice of mindful communication
Council is a practice of open, heartfelt expression and attentive, empathic listening. It is a great ally in introducing meaningful change - in fact, facilitated team councils are used in corporate settings including Snap, Indeed, Pinterest as well as in schools, prisons, and businesses around the world.
It is effective in organizations that want to move from a hierarchical structure to a model where initiative, responsibility, collaboration, and leadership are shared. Through deepening trust, the council supports the clarification of values, co-visioning and community building.
What is the Way of Council?
The Way of Council is a practice that has its roots in indigenous traditions of storytelling and community building. It is a process of group dialogue that emphasizes deep listening, empathy, and authentic expression. The Way of Council is used in a variety of settings, including schools, community organizations, and corporate teams.
In a typical council session, participants sit in a circle and take turns sharing their thoughts and experiences on a given topic. Participants are encouraged to listen deeply to each other, without judgment or interruption. The facilitator may use a variety of techniques, such as asking open-ended questions, to encourage conversation and ensure that everyone has a chance to speak.
Facilitated Team Council Benefits
Facilitated team conversations can be a powerful tool for improving productivity and resolving conflicts in the workplace. Here are some ways in which this approach can help:
Encourages open communication: Facilitated team conversations provide a safe and structured space for team members to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of judgment or retribution. This can lead to greater transparency and openness among team members, which in turn can improve communication and collaboration.
Increases team alignment: By facilitating conversations around team goals and priorities, a facilitator can help ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page. This can help prevent misunderstandings and miscommunications, which can be a major source of conflict and inefficiency.
Builds trust: Facilitated conversations can help team members get to know one another better, which can foster a sense of trust and camaraderie. When team members feel comfortable and supported by their colleagues, they are more likely to work well together and produce high-quality work.
Helps identify and address conflicts: Facilitated team conversations can bring conflicts to the surface, allowing team members to address them directly and work towards a resolution. By facilitating these conversations, a facilitator can help ensure that everyone has a chance to be heard and that conflicts are addressed in a constructive and respectful manner.
Team Council Adoption in Tech Companies
These below are few examples of tech companies that have integrated team councils led by facilitators. Many other tech companies may also use similar approaches to improve team productivity and collaboration.
Google: Google has a People Operations team, which includes a group of facilitators who work with teams to help them identify and resolve issues that may be affecting their productivity and collaboration. They use a variety of techniques, including facilitated team conversations, to help teams work through these issues.
Atlassian: Atlassian has a program called "Team Playbook," which includes a series of facilitated team conversations designed to improve team collaboration and productivity. The conversations are led by facilitators and cover topics such as team goals, communication, and conflict resolution.
Airbnb: Airbnb has a program called "Airbnb Academy," which includes a series of facilitated team conversations aimed at improving communication and collaboration among teams. The conversations are led by internal facilitators and cover topics such as team goals, feedback, and conflict resolution.
HubSpot: HubSpot has a team called "Culture Champions," which includes a group of facilitators who work with teams to improve communication and collaboration. They use a variety of techniques, including facilitated team conversations, to help teams work through issues and achieve their goals.
Is It Time to Try Out A Facilitated Team Council in Your Org?
Here are 10 questions that can help you determine whether you may need external help to increase the effectiveness of your team.
Are you brainstorming ways to make new employees feel welcomed and increase the speed of onboarding and feeling integrated to the team?
Are you brainstorming fun ways for teams to celebrate big wins after a long period of heads down productive cycle in the workplace?
Is your team’s ineffectiveness highly visible in the organization and a continual focus of attention?
Is your team’s inefficiency affecting broader organizational relationships and diminishing your team’s credibility?
Have you been rehashing the same issues again and again without resolving them for at least three months?
Are team members continually blaming each other and the situation rather than taking responsibility to solve the problem?
Are team members frequently engaging in non-productive conflict?
Are team members withholding critical information and not sharing it broadly with other team members?
Do team members assume negative intent for other’s actions because trust has been damaged?
Do you feel like team members are saying one thing and doing something completely different that hinders the team?
Answered yes to at least three of these questions?
You likely need to have a conversation with a team council facilitator - and Embrace is here to help! If you’re interested in exploring team councils and other corporate experiences to bring your org closer together, reach out to janet@embracenow.co.
Wishing you future success,
Janet
