A delightful and simple way to recognize and acknowledge colleagues' exemplary facilitation skills is to send them a short 'thank you' e-mail with an image of the pattern they exemplified in it. Here's how to do that:
1. If you haven't already done so, download the zip file of small images of all 91 pattern cards, and 'unzip' it to create a folder with 91 .jpg files in it. Save the folder in a place you'll remember.
2. Next, draft a 'thank you note' that you can re-use each time you want to acknowledge a facilitator's excellent work using one or more of the patterns. Some e-mail programs like gmail allow you to save these as alternative 'signatures', or you can just save it as a text file and cut and paste it when needed. Here's an example:
This is a personal "thank you" for having recently exemplified one of the patterns of excellent facilitation:
:: Dave
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(The card above is one of 91 cards in Group Works, a 91-card deck designed to support your process as a group convenor, planner, facilitator, or participant. For more info visit groupworksdeck.org.)
[this addendum can be added in case the recipient is not familiar with Group Works]
3. Now, each time you want to send a 'thank you' to a fellow facilitator, all you have to do is open your e-mail, attach the 'signature' (or paste your standard 'thank you'), and then insert the applicable pattern image from the folder of .jpg's you downloaded in step 1. [Note: If your e-mail program does not allow in-line images, attach the image instead and add "(please see attached)" to your message.]
That's it! A one-minute thank-you that is sure to be appreciated!
