International Association of Teamwork Facilitators

TeleSeminar for Teamwork Facilitators who are making the shift from employee to business owner/builder

CLICK HERE to register for this call.

Are you a Teamwork Facilitator who is an employee?

Do you dream of working for yourself?  Of owning your own Teamwork Facilitation business?

If you answered yes to these questions then this laser-like, 27-minute TeleSeminar is for you!

There is ONE key shift you must get when making the shift from working as an employee to owning your own team facilitation business.

This key shift requires you to re-tool your psychology.  You have to completely change the way you look at the world. 

If you don't make this key shift you will struggle.  It's that simple.

This TeleSeminar is intended to help someone who is considering making the shift from employee to business owner.

If you're a business owner already and you're struggling, this TeleSeminar will help you.

Call Details

TITLE

The One Key Shift for Teamwork Facilitators -- employee to business owner

DATE

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 27 minutes

PRESENTERS

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This call will be recorded and made available to IATF members in the IATF members only area.

COST

Free for all subscribers of the IATF free e-newsletter.

REGISTER HERE

CLICK HERE to register.  After you register you'll be supplied with the telephone conference call number and your special "PIN".  It's free to register and participate in this call.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.

Group Coaching for IATF members on Friday, November 20, 2009

WHAT:  IATF Members Only Monthly Group Coaching Call

WHEN:  Friday November 20, 2009 with a start time of 1 pm ET (NY City time zone), runs for 60 minutes

LEADER:  Tom Heck, IATF President & Founder

PHONE NUMBER:  provided after you register for the call

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Come to this call to receive coaching in a group setting.  Be ready to offer support to other IATF members.  Depending on the number of people who show up we may or may not have time to address your particular issue.  Stay for the entire 60 minute call or if your schedule requires, leave early.

Learn more about the benefits of IATF membership HERE.

Free IATF TeleSeminar: Building Trust at Work with special guest Charles Feltman

Trust is a precondition for teamwork.

Teamwork without trust is like water without oxygen. You don’t look at water and think oxygen, but if you tried to make the stuff without it you’d end up high and dry.

Trust makes all of the other things we want in teams possible:

• engagement
• commitment
• collaboration
• productive conflict
• innovation
• positive results

Which ultimately leads us to success and well being.

But trust doesn’t just happen.

Building and maintaining trust requires paying attention to what we say and do.

Today’s workplaces are minefields of limited time, competing commitments, opposing demands, and mis-communication that can easily lead to unintended breaches of trust. Even one small breach can sow seeds of distrust. Once distrust takes hold it becomes toxic to everyone involved.

This teleseminar will give you a framework and practice for building, maintaining and, when necessary, restoring strong trust in teams.

You’ll learn:

1. Key practices to build and maintain trusting relationships at work.
2. The most common enemies of trust in the workplace and what you can do to avoid them.
3. How the cognitive, emotional, and physiological context of trust differs from that of distrust, and how each affects a team’s ability to perform.
4. How to talk about issues of trust and distrust with peers, subordinates, and supervisors.
5. How to repair damaged or broken trust.

Our guest presenter is Charles Feltman, founder and principal of Insight Coaching, a firm specializing in leadership coaching, facilitation and training. He works primarily with Fortune 500 company leaders and leadership teams. 

Charles is the author the of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building  Trust in the Workplace based on his work with individuals and teams around trust, commitment, conflict, and collaboration. 

Get the book at Amazon and at ThinBook.com where you can receive quantity discounts.

Call Details

TITLE

Building Trust at Work with special guest Charles Feltman

DATE

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

Charles Feltman, author of "The Thin Book of Trust"
Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This call will be recorded and made available to IATF members in the IATF members only area.

COST

Free for all subscribers of the IATF free e-newsletter.

REGISTER HERE

Registration is closed.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.

How does a teambuilding game relate to a job?

I recently received the following email:

I reviewed the Bandanna--Cup--Marble game and thought it was ok, however I was at a loss to understand this part of the task

'What metaphorically is the bandanna, cup, marble, and table relative to your job in this organization?  I gave the groups 15 minutes to create a presentation, which they would be giving to the other groups.  The group loved the activity and loved the discussion as well as the presentations from the other small groups"

What was achieved here and what were the answers, I am struggling to understand how inanimate objects can be related to a job??

Is it related to learning, experience, training

Please could you elaborate

Here's my response...

Dear (name withheld),

You wrote:

"I am struggling to understand how inanimate objects can be related to a job??"

People learn through the experience of the game.

The debrief session (processing the game with the group) helps people assign meaning to the game in a way that moves the team forward.

An example:

John Wooden is one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time.  Coach Wooden talks at great length about how the game of basketball is a training ground for the "game" of life.  Wooden was famous for using the game of basketball to teach life lessons.

There is a GREAT documentary called "The Heart of the Game" which tells the story of a college professor who coaches a girls high school basketball team as a side job.  The coach uses the game to teach life lessons to the girls. 

Similarly, a team can use the bandana-cup-marble game to learn life lessons (team skills, leadership skills, etc.).

What does the game of basketball have to do with real life?  Nothing.  Unless the facilitator (coach) draws the connection.

What does the bandana-cup-marble game have to do with real life?  Nothing.  Unless the facilitator (trainer, supervisor, manager, etc.) draws the connection.

When people are fully engaged in the learning process they are more likely to learn at a deeper level.  Teambuilding exercises (games) help people more fully engage (intellectually, emotionally, physically) in the learning process.  The game becomes a story and our job as Teamwork Facilitators is to help the team assign an empowering meaning to that story.

Lessons from the Amygdala Hijack

We have all had the experience of doing something in the heat of the moment that we regretted later. Our reaction flew out of the gate before we could catch it. It’s like our rational mind stopped and what came out not only surprised us but everyone else around.

You end up saying “How could I do that, what could I have possibly been thinking?”

Well in reality you weren’t thinking you were overwhelmed with an emotional reaction.

You were hijacked.

IATF Visiting Faculty Member and Emotional Intelligence Expert Dr. Relly Nadler provides street smart strategies on what you should do during one of these hijacks.  Dr. Nadler offers IATF members this free article What Was I Thinking?  Handling the Hijack.

Free IATF Leadership Skills TeleSeminar: Find Your Great Work with IATF Visiting Faculty Member Michael Bungay Stanier

Are you doing your "Great Work"?

Here at the IATF we believe Teamwork Facilitators must help teams and organizations focus on the work that makes the most difference (we call this "great work").

Please join us for an interactive, fun and practical TeleClass that will give you new tools and insights for the work you’re doing with teams and leaders.

In this class we'll work through three of the coaching and facilitation tools from IATF’s Visiting Faculty Member Michael Bungay Stanier's latest book:

 
Find Your Great Work:
napkin-size solutions to stop the busywork
and start the work that matters

In this TeleSeminar you'll learn:

• What's the difference between Great Work and Good Work - and whether you should care or not.
• How to help a team or an organization focus on the work that makes the most difference - and how to deal with the work that doesn't
• Two words that will significantly increase the power of your facilitation questions

Find Your Great Work has been endorsed by 10 past presidents of the International Coach Federation. Michael was the 2006 Canadian Coach of the Year and was a Rhodes Scholar.

“If I had to pick a person to have dinner with, when I need to be prodded and challenged and inspired to think about the things I really am committed to think about for myself and what I'm doing, I'd pick Michael Bungay Stanier. He has an ability to shake our tree and make us more conscious and responsible about what we know but aren't willing to admit we know yet. And the best part – he makes it easy and fun. Great work, Michael!”
David Allen
 Author of Getting Things Done

In the world of teamwork there is something we call “synergy”. When a group of individuals work together with passion and focus, they produce a result that is much greater than the sum of the individual effort. When interviewed, team members will use the word “magical” to describe these types of experiences. Creating teams that work in this way are what managers dream of. For too many managers the dreams are never realized because they don’t know how to help their team members do more Great Work. I love Michael’s book “Find Your Great Work” because it provides a powerful, step-by-step system managers can use to help coach their team members to making the shift from good (or even bad) work to great work. How many team and leadership development books have you read that leave you wondering how to implement the author’s wisdom? This book is different. Michael literally maps it out for you. We’ve entered a new age in teamwork - - the inspiration age - - and this book will help managers build inspired teams.
Tom Heck
IATF President & Founder

Call Details

TITLE

Do More Great Work TeleClass

DATE

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 70 minutes

PRESENTERS

• Michael Bungay Stanier, IATF Visiting Faculty Member
• Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

The recording of this call is available to non-IATF members for 24 hours only HERE. 

The recording is archived in the IATF members only area for IATF members. 

COST

Free for IATF members.

REGISTER HERE

172 people from around the world registered for this program.  Registration is now closed.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.

Free IATF Leadership Skills TeleSeminar: Top 5 Teamwork Distinctions

Free 27-minute laser-like learning session for Teamwork Facilitators!

There are 5 distinctions that are most important to Teamwork Facilitators.  Team success is ten times more likely if you “get” these.

A distinction is a subtle difference that becomes clear when you contrast like-seeming words. 

The strongest Teamwork Facilitators understand and use distinctions to enable teams and the people who lead them to see things in a new way and take more discerning actions.

Take this image of a lady.  Depending on how your eye perceives the subtle distinctions in the picture, you'll either see an old lady or a young lady.  A strong Teamwork Coach is able to see both.  When you can see both more possibilities are open to you. 

We are now in week # 7 of the 10-week IATF Leader As Coach Fast Track Program.  During this course we study many important distinctions.  However, there are 5 distinctions that are foundational.  They are critical to team success.  If you miss them you and your team will struggle.

Join Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF, for this 27-minute laser-like learning session as he shares the Top 5 Teamwork Distinctions.

Call Details

TITLE

Top 5 Teamwork Distinctions

DATE

Wednesday October 21, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 30 minutes

PRESENTER

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

This recording is available at the IATF Members Only Area.  Learn more about IATF member benefits HERE

COST

Free for IATF members. Learn more about IATF member benefits HERE

REGISTER HERE

Registration closed.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.

Teamwork and Ropes Course

Have you participated in a ropes course teambuilding event? 

Most ropes course experiences are advertised as a way to help teams become more effective.  A ropes course experience is most likely to help a team when it is part of a larger, integrated training plan.  Unfortunately, many teams think a one-day ropes course experience is going to solve all their problems.  The one-day ropes course experience becomes another mirage (read more about the training mirage HERE).

Ropes course experiences are a tool - - neither good nor bad.  It's all in how you use the tool.  Unfortunately, too many people have participated in ropes course experiences that are a joke which is why the video below hits home for too many people.

Fun Teamwork: National Wife Carrying Championship

The North American National Wife Carrying Championship was held recently in Newry, Maine.  See the video below.

Husbands carry their wives through an obstacle course with the best time winning.

During the pre-race interviews with contestants, you'll see "Joe Decker the World Record Holder for Fitness".  Conventional thinking would say that he will win.  Clearly Joe is strong, fast and competitive.  Only he doesn't win.  Joe Castro and his wife win.

When it comes to winning as a team, it's not so much about having outstanding individuals on the team.  It's more about how those individuals work together. 

The No-Cost Way to Motivate -- Management Guru Patrick Lencioni shares a powerful yet simple strategy

Patrick Lencioni is the author of "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" and many other books on leadership and teamwork.

Lencioni has a new article on motivation over at BusinessWeek.com:

"Now listen to me, all of you. You are all condemned men. We keep you alive to serve this ship. So row well, and live." Those were the words of Quintus Arrius in the movie Ben-Hur. And while he was speaking to Roman slaves, one can almost imagine a modern version coming from a manager today. "O.K., people, you all know that unemployment is at a 50-year high. You're lucky to have jobs. So work hard, and no more complaining."

Lost amid the justifiable concern about the 9.7% of U.S. workers who are unemployed is the well-being of the other 90.3%, many of whom are miserable. They feel they're out of options and that management has little incentive to make their work lives more meaningful.

Even well-intentioned managers—as most are—feel their hands are now tied when it comes to motivating and engaging their workers. Salaries are stagnant. Perks and benefits are only going to get slimmer. What can they do?

CLICK HERE to continue reading the article.

Monthly Group Coaching and Q&A Session for Teamwork Facilitators on Friday October 16, 2009

IATF President and Founder Tom Heck leads a Group Coaching / Q&A Call where you can ask questions and receive support.  This is the perfect environment to brainstorm with other IATF members on your particular challenge or opportunity.  All Q&A / Group Coaching Calls are recorded and posted in the Members Only Area.

Date:

Friday October 16, 2009

Start Time: 

1 pm ET (NY City time zone), runs for 60 minutes.

Phone Number: 

Login to the IATF Members Only Area HERE and click on the "Share" tab and select "Calendar" - - when you click on "October 16" you'll be able to see the special call in number.

CLICK HERE to learn more about IATF member benefits.

Free IATF Leadership Skills TeleSeminar: Simple & Effective Productivity System

How do you get so much done and still have a life?

I frequently get asked that question.

I'm the President of an international organization, work with team members around the world, develop content, teach classes, lead workshops, develop and market products, write books AND I have a full and rewarding life outside of work - - I spend time with my beautiful wife (lunch dates, mountain bike rides, etc.), play with my two children, volunteer in my community, make music, go on vacations and more.

In this 30-minute TeleSeminar I'll share an easy to use productivity system that helps me get beyond the false sense of security of a "to-do list" and experience a real sense of achievement and fulfillment. 

I look forward to having you join me on the call!

Call Details

TITLE

Productivity Tool for Leaders & Teams

DATE

Friday, September 18, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 30 minutes

PRESENTER

Tom Heck, President & Founder of the IATF

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

Download the recording of this class for 24 hours.  CLICK HERE for the mp3 file.

The recording is now archived in the IATF Members Only Area HERE.

COST

This call is free.  Normally IATF monthly leadership skills TeleSeminars are available only to IATF members.  This is your opportunity to get a taste of what IATF membership provides.  Learn more about IATF member benefits HERE.

REGISTER HERE

Registration closed.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.

Internship Opportunity at the IATF

Community Development/Web 2.0 Intern

The International Association of Teamwork Facilitators (IATF) is seeking a creative, motivated and energized team of virtual interns to foster community, develop new media skills, engage an online international community of members.

This opportunity is limited to three virtual interns who are passionate about organizational development, teamwork facilitation and leadership. Our online community currently has members from over 26 countries. Our members hold leadership positions at Fortune 100 & 500 corporations. Our members range from trainers, psychologist, coaches, corporate executives, program mangers and entrepreneurs.

The Ideal Intern will:

• have a passion for leadership, coaching and team work facilitator
• be pursuing a degree in Organizational Development, Leadership, Management
• be well versed in new media technologies
• be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• be able to commit to a four month internship
• be creative
• be able to actively participate in our community and attend weekly intern training sessions

The Goals and Objective of the internship

1. To research strategies and techniques to solving issues presented by the community
2. To develop and implement a community development plan to increase activity and participation within the community
3. To leverage new media, social media and online tools to deliver content and community development initiative
4. To share knowledge, ideas and education with a community of expert teamwork facilitators

Each intern will be assigned a series of specific task. The task will require a development plan and implementation strategy to deliver to the community. Each intern will be personally coached and trained in leadership, coaching and community development strategies over the 4 month internship. Weekly creative strategy sessions will provide the Interns the opportunity to bring their ideas to the table and collaborate with industry experts who are putting information into action!

This is an unpaid internship but the experience and networking opportunities available will yield dividends for the right individual. I look forward to engaging your abilities. We ask for all interns to be able to dedicate 8-12 hours a week and work on a fixed schedule with our Director of Marketing and Community Development.

Tentative start date is October 1, 2009.  The exact date you start depends on your specific set of skills.

Please submit a resume and compelling reason why you are the best person for this internship to: iatfinternship@gmail.com

Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation

When it comes to motivation, there is mismatch between what science knows and what business does.

If you're using "carrots & sticks" (i.e. extrinsic motivators) then you should have been a leader (manager, supervisor, CEO, etc.) in the 20th century when you might have had some success with that style of leadership.  Carrots & sticks not only don't work well in the 21st century, they often cause harm!

Why won't carrots & sticks work as a motivation strategy in the 21st century?

The answer relates back to Dan Pink's book "A Whole New Mind -- Why Right Brainers Will Rule The Future".  Dan understands the seismic shift happening in our world, the shift from a world dominated by left brain thinking to a world dominated by right brain thinking. 

Look around at the problems your team faces.  Do they have a clear set of rules and a single solution?  Doubtful.  In the 21st century Dan says "The rules are mystifying. The solution, if it exists at all, is surprising and not obvious."  In an environment like that, you've got to motivate your team in a different way to experience success.

Watch Dan give a great 18 minute explanation of what's going on in the video below.

Free IATF Leadership TeleSeminar: Breakthrough Leadership with best selling team and leadership author Brian Biro

Ultimately, no matter what industry you’re involved in, you are in the BREAKTHROUGH business!  Every day you seek to breakthrough with customers to generate loyalty, satisfaction, and relationship. 

The key to lasting success in business is breaking through with your own team members so they eagerly embrace personal responsibility, committed purpose, and leadership.  They must see themselves as breakthrough leaders! 

And especially in times of challenge, your team members must focus persistently on what they CAN do rather than wasting time and energy on the things they don’t control. 

Breakthrough Leadership is every bit as important with your family as well!

 This one-of-a-kind TeleSeminar ignites the energy and true leadership potential in every participant. 

Breakthrough Leadership is full spectrum leadership that engages every participant in shaping the future, igniting the team, building outstanding relationships, delivering results, and living with personal excellence, integrity, and responsibility. 

In this vibrant, engaging tele-presentation, you’ll gain new appreciation for your impact on others and how you can make a genuine difference! 

This session creates a fresh, new, and exciting vision of leadership that includes:

• Igniting “E” Power in your team—the #1 key to igniting others and self
• Being fully present, the key to building people, trust, and balance
• The most surprising and powerful essentials to recognition, acknowledgement, and appreciation
• The critical importance of becoming a master of questions

Brian Biro is the IATF Visiting Faculty Member for this special interactive call.

Brian is America’s Breakthrough Coach!  He is one of the nation's foremost speakers and teachers of Leadership, Possibility Thinking, Thriving on Change, and Team-Building. 

He has spoken at more than 1,100 events around the world over the past 19 years.  A major client described him best when he said, “Brian Biro has the energy of a ten-year-old, the enthusiasm of a twenty-year-old, and the wisdom of a seventy-five-year-old.” 

A former vice-president of a major transportation corporation and the author of 9 books including bestseller, Beyond Success!, and his brand new, It’s Time For Joy!, Brian was rated #1 from over 40 Speakers at 4 consecutive INC. Magazine International Conferences.  With degrees from Stanford University and UCLA, Brian has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News, and as a featured speaker at the Disney Institute in Orlando.  

Call Details

TITLE

Breakthrough Leadership -- How to help your team thrive on change

DATE

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

TIME

Starts at 1 pm Eastern (NY City time zone)
runs for 75 minutes

IATF VISITING FACULTY MEMBER

Best selling author Brian Biro

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come to the call ready to participate in small group discussions, share ideas and resources, ask questions, answer quick polls, and be fully engaged as we put the newest distance learning telephone conferencing technology to use!

RECORDING

The recording for this call is now archived in the IATF Members Only Area HERE.

COST

This call is free.  Normally this IATF monthly leadership skills TeleSeminar is only available to IATF members.  This is your opportunity to get a taste of what IATF membership provides.  Learn more about IATF member benefits HERE.

REGISTER HERE

Registration is closed for this call.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY

During this TeleSeminar we'll be using the newest telephone conferencing technology that provides a remarkably engaging experience.  CLICK HERE to learn more about this technology.