What do you do if your team members are hesitant to take risks and try new things?

When faced with a team that's hesitant to take risks and try new things, it can be a true test of your facilitation skills. Encouraging creativity and innovation within a team setting requires a blend of empathy, strategy, and leadership. As you guide your team through the process of embracing change and experimentation, remember that your role is not to enforce but to enable. You need to create an environment where taking calculated risks is seen as an opportunity rather than a threat. The following insights will help you navigate this challenge and foster a culture of innovation and boldness within your team.

1 Build Trust

Building trust is the cornerstone of encouraging team members to step out of their comfort zones. When team members trust each other and you as a facilitator, they are more likely to take risks. To foster trust, ensure that you create a safe space where all ideas are heard and respected, and failures are not met with harsh criticism but are seen as learning opportunities. Show your team that their contributions are valued by giving them the autonomy to explore their ideas and by actively listening and providing constructive feedback.

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Ariadna Lozano

Chief Billing Officer & Team Lead @ ClearRCM | Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management
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1. Create a Safe Environment: Make sure team members feel safe to express their ideas and concerns. This can help them feel more comfortable taking risks. 2. Lead by Example: Show your team that you’re willing to take risks yourself. 3. Provide Support: Ensure that your team has the resources and support. 4. Celebrate Success and Failure: Both success and failure provide valuable learning opportunities. 5. Encourage Small Steps: Instead of pushing for big risks right away, encourage your team to start with smaller, more manageable risks. This can help them build confidence. 6. Provide Constructive Feedback: This can help them learn and improve for the future.

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La confianza es la base de cualquier relación humana, es fundamental en un equipo que haya confianza entre todos los miembros. Cuando es necesario fomentar la confianza en el equipo, podemos hacerlo de una forma dinámica a través de jornadas en las que los miembros compartan sus miedos, inquietudes, experiencias y aprendizajes de forma abierta. De esta manera se sentirán respetados, valorados y apoyados por sus compañeros, lo cual generará más confianza. A su vez, como facilitador, debes predicar con el ejemplo conociendo bien a todos los miembros del equipo, utilizando la comunicación efectiva para compartir tus propias experiencias de fracaso y de éxito, dando apoyo constante y feedback constructivo.

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2 Encourage Dialogue

Promoting open dialogue is crucial in helping team members feel comfortable with uncertainty. Encourage them to voice their concerns and hesitations. This can lead to a deeper understanding of the underlying reasons for their risk-aversion. Facilitate discussions that allow for the sharing of perspectives and experiences, which can in turn inspire confidence and a willingness to try new approaches. Remember, it's through conversation that you can collectively identify barriers to innovation and work towards overcoming them.

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Como sugerencia, también podemos fomentar el diálogo creando, por ejemplo, una "lluvia de ideas", dividiendo en varios grupos al equipo y proporcionando temas desafiantes para debatir que mejoren nuestros servicios y atención al cliente. Esto fomenta la expresión de diferentes puntos de vista y estimula la creatividad. Luego, reunimos de nuevo a todo el equipo para que compartan esas ideas libremente, de esta forma mejoraremos la comunicación entre todos los miembros del equipo y se sentirán escuchados. Incentivemos positivamente el esfuerzo que han realizado.

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3 Set Examples

As a facilitator, you can lead by example to show your team the benefits of taking risks. Share stories of successful innovations that began as risks and highlight how they have positively impacted other teams or organizations. This not only provides a concrete understanding of the potential rewards but also helps to normalize the process of trial and error. By demonstrating that risk-taking has been instrumental in achieving success elsewhere, you can help alleviate the fear of failure.

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4 Small Wins

To ease your team into a more risk-tolerant mindset, start with small, manageable challenges that have a lower stake associated with them. Celebrate these small wins and use them to build momentum. This incremental approach allows team members to experience the benefits of stepping out of their comfort zone without the pressure of a high-risk situation. As these small successes accumulate, they build the team's confidence and create a more conducive environment for bigger risks.

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🤱Ayudo a Madres Emprendedoras digitales a crear sus propios métodos y estrategias para alcanzar sus sueños | 📝Escritora | 🧠⏰️Formadora de Neuroproductividad Consciente | 👩🏫Coach de Bienestar y Desarrollo Integral
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Demuestra que la creatividad y la audacia son bienvenidas premiando al equipo por aportar sus sugerencias e ideas más arriesgadas. En una empresa de desarrollo de software, implementaron "Code Quests", desafíos semanales donde los desarrolladores debían probar una nueva tecnología o técnica. Esto aumentó la confianza y la capacidad de adaptación del equipo. Utiliza este ejemplo para crear desafíos semanales o mensuales donde los miembros del equipo deben probar algo nuevo. Transforma el proceso de tomar riesgos en un juego y lograrás unos resultados sorprendentes.

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5 Provide Support

Offering support is key in helping your team members feel secure enough to take risks. This means not only being available to discuss their ideas but also providing resources and time to explore these new avenues. Make sure your team knows that you are there to back them up and that you value their initiative. If a risk doesn't pay off, focus on what can be learned from the experience instead of placing blame. A supportive environment encourages continuous learning and innovation.

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🤱Ayudo a Madres Emprendedoras digitales a crear sus propios métodos y estrategias para alcanzar sus sueños | 📝Escritora | 🧠⏰️Formadora de Neuroproductividad Consciente | 👩🏫Coach de Bienestar y Desarrollo Integral
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Convierte el proceso de asumir riesgos en una aventura con algo llamado "La Ruta del Riesgo". Proporciona un mapa de recursos y contactos clave que los miembros del equipo pueden utilizar al explorar nuevas ideas y deja claro que pueden contar contigo en todo momento. Esto les da seguridad y orientación.

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6 Reflect Regularly

Regular reflection sessions can help your team understand the outcomes of their risk-taking, both positive and negative. Use these sessions to analyze what worked, what didn't, and why. This helps in refining the approach to future risks and reinforces the idea that risk-taking is a valuable part of the creative process. By reflecting on their experiences, team members can gain insights into their own risk tolerance levels and how they can push their boundaries further.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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🤱Ayudo a Madres Emprendedoras digitales a crear sus propios métodos y estrategias para alcanzar sus sueños | 📝Escritora | 🧠⏰️Formadora de Neuroproductividad Consciente | 👩🏫Coach de Bienestar y Desarrollo Integral
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Me consta que, en estos casos, funciona muy bien crear un "Banco de Riesgos". Establece un sistema donde los miembros del equipo pueden depositar y retirar ideas arriesgadas para su consideración. Esto promueve la colaboración y la diversidad de ideas.

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What do you do if your team members are hesitant to take risks and try new things?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Build Trust

2 Encourage Dialogue

3 Set Examples

4 Small Wins

5 Provide Support

6 Reflect Regularly

7 Here’s what else to consider

Team Facilitation

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What do you do if your team members are hesitant to take risks and try new things?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Build Trust

2 Encourage Dialogue

3 Set Examples

4 Small Wins

5 Provide Support

6 Reflect Regularly

7 Here’s what else to consider

Team Facilitation

Rate this article

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