Facilitation - Building Surveyors

Background
Some years ago the partners of this surveying company recognised the importance of finding time with their senior professional personnel to spend time together discussing strategic issues, which were hard to address in the course of the working day. It was agreed that this would be best achieved within a comfortable setting away from the office, and one, which provided a secure and relaxed environment for open and honest discussions

The first attempt was led by one of the Partners and whilst this proved useful it was decided that it would be more effective to call on a "Professional" to organise the day.

Positive Perspective were approached, and since 1998 and to the present have provided a "Business Development Away Day" for the firm's Management Team, including booking the venue, assisting in the structuring of the agenda, facilitating discussions during the day, and providing action plans and minutes following the Away Day. Three times a year a follow-up day is held in the London offices to monitor performance, and to review or set new targets.

Content
Positive Perspective's facilitator was able to ask open questions to encourage open debate between all participants, identify the strengths and weaknesses within the team, and draw out areas, which needed further discussion. Without this, they had found that discussions tended to be dominated by the Partners, and as participants themselves, they were conscious of the need to listen effectively instead of talking.

Key areas of discussion included:

• Developing/reviewing the firm's "mission statement"
• A review of past performance
• A review of strengths and weaknesses (internal) and threats and opportunities (external)
• Identifying business opportunities
• Team Building
• Developing an action plan for the future, both medium and longer term

Feedback:

"The Positive Perspective Facilitation Service has provided ART with the ideal forum to encourage open discussion and debate between the Equity Partners and other senior fee earners, and to develop a real sense of team work in our working relationships. It has helped us develop a practice philosophy and set goals for the Practice which I feel sure has made us a better working unit and a more productive business"