Page 34 - Branch Leader Guide

Branch Leader Guide

Capitalizing on Strengths

Co-leadership allows one person to speak while the other observes and supports his/her
partner. Partners can share the material in a way that lets them capitalize on individual
strengths and have their own moments in the spotlight.

Providing Mutual Support
Anyone can have an "off" day. Perhaps your energy is low or you are preoccupied with
something in your personal life. Co-leaders can bring balance to the team. When one
leader is off, the other will usually be on. If the co-leaders' behavior is supportive and
collaborative, it can also serve as a model for the way participants behave towards one
another.

Useful Tips for Working with Leadership Partners

Get to know each other and do what it takes to build healthy, authentic relationships in
which honest and compassionate feedback is welcomed and differences are worked
through in healthy ways. The relationship you develop as co-leaders will be a silent and
tangible teaching model for your group.

Discuss each other's styles of planning and facilitating and share each other's triggers.
Verbalize what you feel you are best at and what you are most challenged by.

Talk about whether it is okay to interrupt each other. Decide how to keep track of time.
Plan ways to give signals to one another. Strategize how to keep to the original outline
and how to switch gears. Divide facilitation of activities fairly. Agree on how to share
responsibilities in preparing and bringing up workshop materials and resources. Agree
to arrive at the group meeting in time to set up and check in before the group begins.
Schedule time after the meeting to debrief.

During the meeting, particularly during a break, check in with one another. Sharing the
subtleties of what you see and experience can be invaluable to making corrections and
inspiring innovations that can contribute to the health of the group. Support and validate
one another and use a lot of eye contact.

Include your co-leader even when you are leading a discussion, for example by asking
"Do you have anything to add?” Assert yourself if your co-leader is talking too much and
take the initiative to step in if your co-leader misses an opportunity to address
something.

Embracing or pointing out a mistake that was made, if done in a gentle way, can actually
be an invaluable teaching opportunity if the mistake relates to the context of what you

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