3.21: When You Need a Facilitator

Mindful Academy

In this episode of The Mindful Academy, I discuss the role of a coach as a facilitator, specifically focusing on how coaches can assist teams and departments in academia. Drawing on a recent Mayo Clinic Proceedings study, I outline how facilitative coaching differs from traditional corporate training, emphasizing collaboration and mutual growth.

The episode explores three key ways coaches can facilitate group progress:

1. Assessments: Tools like DISC, MBTI, and emotional intelligence inventories help individuals and teams understand their working styles and foster shared vocabulary, which can improve collaboration.
   
2. Workshops & Strategic Planning: Customized workshops based on team needs, such as vision-building or resilience training, allow groups to align their goals and processes, particularly in response to new leadership or changing mandates.
   
3. Professional Development: Offering specialized development opportunities for academic teams, often overlooked in universities, can provide much-needed growth in areas like leadership, resilience, and imposter syndrome.

The episode concludes with a reminder that bringing in an outside facilitator offers fresh perspectives, neutral guidance, and allows academic leaders to be active participants in team development. I encourage listeners to reach out for more information about coaching and facilitation in academic settings.