When you’re working with a group, there are times when things just work well from the beginning — people are sharing and the dynamic is good. Then there are the other times.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where people just aren’t opening up to each other, work at engaging their curiosity. When people get curious, they naturally lower some of their barriers and dynamics change.

Ask questions like, “Could you tell me more about that image?” Or ask them how they approached the process with questions like, “What caught your attention about these images that caused you to select them?”

The trick is to start with questions that aren’t personal, so participants don’t immediately shut down. From that point, often people will allow you to open the door to a deeper conversation.

Yes, that’s right. Tell your clients to stick it. The photographs! To the wall! What did you think I meant?

Painters Tape!

When facilitating VisualsSpeak processes we recommend
you carry a couple of rolls of painter’s tape with you. These are the blue rolls of tape you can find in most hardware stores.

Painter’s tape – Its versatile and won’t ruin your images or the surfaces the images are being stuck to. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue like masking tape, and you won’t have tape welded to your photographs.

On the walls

One very successful technique we use is to have clients create a group collage on the wall. In advance, we tape a large piece of wide (white) paper on the wall. Then, as a team, people place their images on the paper by applying a piece of doubled-over tape on the back of the photos. Doing a group collage on the wall also shifts the client’s visual perspective of the work, opening up further possibilities of gaining insights.

On the ceiling or window?

I facilitated a leadership development retreat with a group of high level government executives. This is a very creative bunch. One breakout group taped their collage to the ceiling. Another created a frame out of tape on the window. And another framed their collage with tape on the wall.

Use multiple senses

Remember – One reason VisualsSpeak is such a powerful tool for group work is because it involves multiple senses: visual, verbal and kinesthetic. Using tape adds another level to the kinesthetic sense. It is tactile.

Rebellion = Fun – Don’t forget the rebellious nature of taping things to the walls. After all, didn’t your mother tell you not to stick things on the walls?

Visuals are not  just another thing

You’ve got 45 minutes. And easily an hour’s worth of content to cover. As it is, you’ll be racing through things, trying to make sure you get to all the key points that the folks in the room need to know. And now you have to add visuals, too!? No way!

Visuals are tools

This situation, while unfortunate, is all too common. We all get asked to do more in a shorter amount of time, whether it’s topics in a regular team meeting or a half-day facilitated “retreat.” So when it comes to adding visuals, it can seem like it just can’t be squeezed in.
But that’s the trap: thinking of the visual components as content. The visuals are a tool — a deepening tool. Do you have enough time for, say, a flipchart? Or a high-backed chair to sit in? Of course — these don’t take time themselves, they just help you use you time more effectively.

VisualsSpeak is a Method, not Content

That’s what visuals do, too. They aren’t the content itself, but rather a way to augment that content. Make it more evocative. Make it experiential. The best thing about using visuals to deepen experiences is that you can often do it in a SHORTER time, in fact.
So the next time you’re backed in a time corner and are feeling overwhelmed, don’t let that stop you from incorporating visuals. Not only will you convey more, you just might be able to do it more quickly!

When facilitating a session–particularly one with VisualsSpeak–there is often a need to record, to keep track of what people are saying and doing. But even more than that, there is a need to be present, to be immersed in what’s going on.
Sometimes, those two roles conflict. It’s hard to be present when you’re also trying to scrawl everything neatly enough that you can read it again later. So how do you do it all?

The best way is not to try.

When you’re working with a group, it’s best if you can bring someone else in to take notes. That way, you can focus on the facilitation. If that’s not available (and it’s appropriate), you can audio-record.

In a pinch, you can ask members of the group to take turns taking notes for each other. If you’re working one-on-one, you are more likely to be able to record the session. Even just a recording with a cell phone can be enough to spark a participant’s memory of key points!
Whatever solution you choose, if you find yourself not paying full attention because you’re note-taking, it’s time to change it up. The most important thing you can do in the moment is to be present.

Heading to present or facilitate at a conference, but they won’t give you tables? Or working in a room that is all set up with lecture or classroom seating? Consider using the VisualsSpeak mini-tools: Building Great Teams or Developing Great Leaders.

These sets have smaller cards, and are easier to handle on your lap. They don’t have the lamination of the other sets that can make the slippery.

You can pass a participant deck of VisualsSpeak mini cards down each row of chairs, and people can select a “hand of cards.” From there, they can share with the people right around them. It may not be optimal when compared with a session with participants around tables, but it’s night-and-day when compared to the usual sage-on-the-stage lecture format!

I’ve been using a format for sessions lately that have been getting great reviews from participants. Instead of deciding what information I want to impart, I create a framing question that allows the people in the room to share what they know.

How it works

I was asked to create a session on diversity and inclusion. The agency has a multicultural workforce. Rather than focusing on theory, I asked the participants to create images in small groups in response to the framing question, What is respect?

Each person selected images for an individual image, and shared the story with others in their group. After they were finished, each small group then worked together to create one larger image about respect. The groups then shared what they came up with.

What happened?

The conversations were rich and deep. Many issues surfaced around the subtle ways people don’t feel respected around lifestyle choices like smoking, food, and religion. Important things that undermined feelings of respect in their daily work. Participants reported learning more from their peers than they had learned in other more traditional diversity training.

Also works at conferences

I have been using a similar format for conference sessions. I ask a question related to the conference theme, and allow participants to create images and share their experience and wisdom with each other. Many people have reported these sessions are the best they have attended at conferences.

How can you invite the wisdom of your participants into the room?

Connie Malamed has released a new reference and performance support app for instructional designers. It defines 450 terms all related to developing learning. Here’s what Instructional Design Guru looks like:

I don’t know about you, but I’m always rustling through my bookshelves trying to remember which book explained a term or theory. Now it’s at my fingertips. At $4.99, it costs quite a bit less than one of those books.

Instructional Design Guru is available on the ITunes app store.

Included in our Visual Icebreaker Kit, the facilitator guide contains dozens of icebreakers covering a variety of outcomes — from building trust to conducting a mini-assessment.

Of course, these activities are designed to be used with the icebreaker images, but could be used reasonably well with the images in the Developing Great Leaders or Building Great Teams toolsets as well. Here’s a sample icebreaker that helps to conduct a mini-assessment:

Purpose: This Core Icebreaker gives some indications of what people’s goals are. What are they lacking or needing to accomplish these goals? VisualsSpeak Core Icebreaker processes are described in much more detail in the Visual Icebreaker Kit Facilitation Guide.

Process:

• Put images in a place accessible to all participants.
• State the prompt.
• Give participants 30 seconds to select an image.
• Participants share about their response with the group.
• Debrief.

Prompt: Choose an image that represents something you hope to accomplish here today.

Variant: Choose an image that represents something you home to accomplish as part of the group.

Debrief:

• What was the process like for you?
• What did you notice?
• Was there anything interesting or surprising?
• Do you have any new insights?
• Did you notice any patterns or trends?
• Does anyone want to add anything else?

Included in our Visual Icebreaker Kit, the facilitator guide contains dozens of icebreakers covering a variety of outcomes — from building trust to conducting a mini-assessment.

Of course, these activities are designed to be used with the icebreaker images, but could be used reasonably well with the images in the Developing Great Leaders or Building Great Teams toolsets as well. Here’s a sample icebreaker that helps to spark engagement:

Purpose: This Core Icebreaker gets people immediately focused on the topic, and gets insights on your group’s perceptions of the meeting, which may or may not be in alignment with what you planned. VisualsSpeak Core Icebreaker processes are described in much more detail in the Visual Icebreaker Kit Facilitation Guide.

Process at a Glance:

• Put images in a place accessible to all participants.
• State the prompt.
• Give participants 30 seconds to select an image.
• Participants share about their response with the group.
• Debrief.

Prompt: Choose an image that represents something related to today’s topic.

Variant: Choose an image that represents something related to today’s topic of (specify the topic).

Debrief:

• What did you notice?
• What was the process like for you?
• Was there anything interesting or surprising?
• Do you have any new insights?
• Did you notice any patterns or trends?
• Does anyone want to add anything else?

Included in our Visual Icebreaker Kit, the facilitator guide contains dozens of icebreakers covering a variety of outcomes — from building trust to conducting a mini-assessment.

Of course, these activities are designed to be used with the icebreaker images, but could be used reasonably well with the images in the Developing Great Leaders or Building Great Teams toolsets as well. Here’s a sample icebreaker that helps a group with initial introductions:

Purpose: This Core Icebreaker allows each participant to share a little about themselves and what they can contribute to the team. VisualsSpeak Core Icebreaker processes are described in much more detail in the Visual Icebreaker Kit Facilitation Guide.

Process at a Glance:

• Put images in a place accessible to all participants.
• State the prompt.
• Give participants 30 seconds to select an image.
• Participants share about their response with the group.
• Debrief.

Prompt:Who are you and what do you bring to the team?

Variants:

• Who are you?
• What do you bring to the team?
• Share something about yourself with the group.

Debrief:

• What did you notice?
• What was the process like for you?
• Was there anything interesting or surprising?
• Do you have any new insights?
• Did you notice any patterns or trends?
• Does anyone want to add anything else?