The LR Goal Clarity and Empowerment teams recently did a combined FedEx Day.  So how did we find the experience of doing a FedEx day and what did we learn from it?  Comments from the group included:

Positives

• Effective way to get a problem solved and outline solution scoped
• Efficient use of participants time
• A fast way to get a solution that is within our abilities
• Self-managing team is empowering
• Good to have a process to follow
• Good to have someone guide the process
• Good to have a clear outcome at the start
• 2 x half days easier to manage in the diary, and gave reflection time
• Setting aside normal work and concerns to focus on one thing was excellent. Doing this well away from my office made it more achievable
• Having hours at a time, rather than the usual 1 hour meeting, was excellent
• It was good to be focussed, topic-wise, because we could bring pre-packed knowledge and opinions. (However, I’m keen to try a FedEx Day where there is no topic at the start of the day)
• Good to have two half-days dedicated to the task – one day would be a bit onerous in terms of energy levels, I suspect
• Good to have time dedicated to the task it enabled us to come with ideas in a short time

Negatives

• Being limited by time can be frustrating if you’ve come up with something you believe in but haven’t been able to develop to the point that you think is ready to pass on

We’d recommend thinking about …

• Important for the group to agree on a leader to guide the session and keep us on track – best to agree on a leader at the start of the session
• It would have been helpful to have had an icebreaker at the start of each session in order to focus and energise the group (Need to prepare this in advance, and call for volunteers)
• Perhaps next time if holding the sessions over two days, we could schedule one session in a morning, and the other one in an afternoon – some people prefer one time over the other
• Perhaps have some stress-balls, etc., for those who like to use them when thinking and coming up with ideas
• Would have been great if we had some food and drink – a muffin and some teabags and coffee, hot water and milk would have sufficed and would have helped with energy levels
• For some it may have been better to have had the FedEx Day in the afternoon instead of in the morning – some people have more energy then – perhaps something to consider when having FedEx half-days – find out what the majority prefer