Strategy Session Tip

Here’s another strategy session tip that might help you out the next time you need to facilitate a meeting. Of course, we always want to make people feel as comfortable as possible. But there’s some discomfort that’s actually a good idea in this kind of setting.

Getting Comfortably Uncomfortable

Just like there’s a difference between a relaxing stroll in the park and a challenging hike, a strategy session typically has some meaningful outcomes you want to get to. So it’s okay to break a sweat! When I say discomfort I’m referring to things like working under time pressure or having a little creative license in presenting a team’s work. Some people are troubled by ambiguity or not being able to perfect their work, and that’s a shame, but smoothing out every rough edge doesn’t make for a better session. The most important thing is that the discomfort is shared by all participants.