Our CEO has asked me to facilitate a meeting between two department heads. Due to what they think is a lack of internal customer service the other provides, staff relations and morale are poor between the two groups. How do I facilitate this discussion without the two of them resorting to finger pointing? I want them to look forward with a goal of setting out some action plans to improve this issue. Any ideas about how to keep them on track? They both can be defensive.

The Team Doc Says…

Not an easy task to say the least. Sounds like these two have forgotten that without each other, there’s no way the company would reach its goals. Since team members typically mirror what is done not what is said, this presents a real problem for the organization. Prior to the meeting, ask each participant to identify what the other department needs to:

· Start doing to enable success
· Stop doing to enable success
· Keep doing to enable success

You may need to meet with each of them in advance to ensure the issues are business focused and something that can be changed — not finger pointing. At the beginning of the meeting review the company goal, the goal of the session and set some ground rules such as:

· One person talks at a time
· Attack the problem, not the person
· Listen to understand, not to reply
· Keep your eye on the goal

Depending on how much history these folks have, you may have to be a strict mediator. Don’t let these people speak from their positions; make them voice their issues from their concerns. (A position would be “you provide awful service.” A concern would be “we receive requests so late in the day that it requires my staff to work overtime to complete.”)

Best regards,

Denise O’Berry
aka ‘Team Doc’

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