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Elana Rivkin
Alison Jackson-Frasier
HDF 413
27 October 2015
Hillel Retreat Shadow Experience
ShadowingtheHillelretreatwasagreatlearningexperience.Iwentintoitveryunsureof
myabilitiesasaleader,andIfeellikeIgrewalotbyobservingthefacilitatorsandalsohavethe
opportunitytofacilitateanactivitymyself.Thegroupsgoalsweresimplytocreateacloserbond
withintheirorganization,anddoasmuchteambuildingactivitiesaspossible.Togetthegroup
pumpedupenoughaboutbeingattheretreat,Ifacilitatedthefirstactivity,WheretheWind
Blowsasanenergizer,anditgotagreatresponse.Itwasalittleintimidatingatfirstbeingin
controlofthemoment,butIwasabletoexplainthegamethoroughlyandconcisely,andit
seemedlikeeveryoneenjoyedit.Itdefinitelyhelpedthatthegroupwasonly12people,because
IdidntfeellikeIhadtoscreamtohavemyvoiceheard.Ihadtobeadaptableinthisscenario,
however,becauseoriginallyIwasgoingtofacilitateWalmart.Ihadpreparedthatactivity
priortotheretreat,butwhenwerealizedhowsmallthegroupactuallywas,itwasclearthatthere
werentenoughpeopletoplaythaticebreaker,sowemadealastminutechange.Luckily,Iwas
veryfamiliarwithWheretheWindBlows,andIwasabletomakethatadjustmentonthespot.
Forthemostpart,theretreatwentextremelywell,especiallyconsideringthiswasthe
firstretreatIhadevershadowed.Thegroupwasveryreceptivetotheactivities,anddisplayeda
clearinterestinhowtheyrelatedbacktotheirorganization.Onethingwecouldhavedonebetter
wastochallengethemevenmore.Consideringhowwelltheyworkedtogetherand
communicatedeffectively,itmayhavepushedthemifweputmoreconstraintsonwhatthey

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weredoing.Morespecifically,withthetubesactivity,theycaughtonveryquickly,howeverthe
twopeopleinthemiddlereallystruggledtocompletethetask.Afteralongtime,weallowedthe
grouptospeakfreelytothepeopleinthemiddle.Thiscouldhaveeasilyturnedouthorriblyand
couldhavebeenseenasapunishmentforthembecausetypicallypeopletryandtalkovereach
other,butthisactuallyworkedoutverywellforthem.Theynaturallyallowedeachpersonto
haveachancetospeak,insteadofonepersondictatingthewholeprocess.Itspossiblethatwe
enabledthemtoomuchbygivingthemalltheabilitytospeakfreely.IknowthatIpersonally
couldhavedonebetterifItookmoreinitiativeandmademypresenceknownthroughoutthe
retreat.AfterIfacilitatedmyactivity,IfeelthatIreallylettheotherleadersstandoutmore,
ratherthantryingtotakeanequalrole.Inowknowfornexttimethatitisbeneficialtohelpother
leadersduringactivities,evenifIamnotassignedtothatspecificone.
WorkingalongsideKelly,Phyllis,andStevenmademyexperiencethatmuchmore
positive.Theyallhaveextremelydifferentleadershipstyles,whichchallengedme,butalsomade
meawareofhowwellpeoplecanworktogether,regardlessoftheirdifferences.WithKellys
stylebeingextremelylaidback,whereasIliketoplanthingsdowntotheminute,Ihadtofigure
outawaytofeelpreparedwhilerespectingherwayofdoingthings.Thiswasverydifficultfor
me,butIwasabletotakeastepbackandtrusttheprocess,andtrustthatshehadeverything
undercontrol,whichshedid.IwasreallyabletolearnalotfromallthreeoftheleadersIworked
with.SeeingKellyfacilitateTheElectricGridactivitymademerealizehowimportantitisto
letthegroupconfideineachothertofigureoutthetaskratherthanexplainingitinfull.
Ambiguitycanbeveryhelpfulforagroupwhendescribinganactivity,becauseitallowsthemto
collaborateinordertocomeupwithacommongoal.Phyllisdidagreatjobatchallengingthe

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groupthroughouttheretreat,andStevenwasextremelyrelatableandmadeeveryonefeel
comfortable.
Aftershadowingthisretreat,IamconfidentinsayingthatIcantakeallofthedifferent
approachesthattheseleadershavetaken,andincorporatethemallintomyownpersonal
leadershipstyle.Iwillcontinuetolearnthroughoutmyinvolvementwithleadership,because
eachtimeIseeanactivitybeingfacilitated,orIfacilitateoneofmyown,eachgroupofpeople
willalwaysrespondtoitdifferently,andgivememoreinsightintohowIcanimproveitforthe
nexttime.RegardlessoftheleadershiprolethatIhold,Icanusethesetoolstonotonlybetter
myself,butalsoinfluenceotherleaders.Iwillcontinuetobeinspiredbyotherleaders,andlook
forwardtoworkingatmoreretreatstohoneinonmyleadershipskills,andfurtherdevelopthem
throughouttherestofmycollegeexperience.

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Student Organization Leadership Consultants

Hillel Retreat
October 4, 2015
Group:
Hillel
Group Contact & info:
Lauren Cohen (516)-726-0393
lauren_cohen923@my.uri.edu
SOLC Contact:
Maddie Dombi
Goal of Retreat:
Team Building
# Participants:
14
Date:
10/4/15
Time:
2pm-4pm
Location:
Memorial Union Atrium 2
Facilitators:
Phyllis
Shadows:
Steven, Elana
Food Requests:
none
Special Requests/Needs:
none
Retreat Agenda:
Time/
locatio
n
2:002:05
2:052:15
2:152:30
2:303:15
3:153:50

Topic/Activity

Facilitat
or

Notes/Supplies
needed

Introduction

All

Waivers

Icebreaker (Where the Wind Blows)

Elana

Cones

Group Contract

Kelly

Paper/Markers

Tubes

Phyllis

Tubes

Electric Grid

Calculator spots

3:504:00

Closing Activity (Yarn Toss)

Kelly
(Frame)
Steven
(Debrief
)
Phyllis

Ball of yarn

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Handouts:
Waivers
Evaluations
General Supplies Check list:
Tubes
Poster
Markers
Pens
Balls
Cones
Yarn