Share Experiences, Not Advice: Empowering Through Agency with Yuval Yeret

Yuval Yeret has been "tweaking systems" his entire life. From modifying computer operating systems as a teenager to optimizing organizational structures as a leadership coach, his journey reveals the powerful parallels between technological and human systems.

In this deeply insightful conversation, Yuval shares how his early exposure to psychology (through typing his mother's academic papers) subtly prepared him for understanding human dynamics in organizational settings. His pivotal moment came while listening to Patrick Lencioni's "Five Dysfunctions of a Team" during a vacation on the French Riviera—a book he couldn't put down because it crystallized what was missing in his struggling leadership team: vulnerability-based trust.

The heart of Yuval's approach centers on creating environments where genuine connection can flourish. His practical wisdom shines through in simple yet profound guidance like "do food"—emphasizing how breaking bread together creates essential human connections that virtual environments cannot replicate. Even more transformative is his distinction between giving advice versus sharing experiences. When we tell others what they "should" do, we strip away their agency and autonomy. By contrast, sharing our experiences leaves space for others to make their own choices while still benefiting from our perspective.

Yuval's metaphor of shifting from rigid roadmaps to flexible "trail maps" perfectly captures how effective facilitation works—providing options and context without dictating the exact path forward. As he looks toward integrating peer group methodologies into his organizational work, he envisions creating spaces where leaders can share experiences and navigate complex changes together, from agile transformations to adapting to AI integration.

Whether you're a leader, facilitator, or simply someone interested in more meaningful conversations, this episode offers practical insights on building trust, preserving agency, and creating the conditions for human systems to thrive. How might your conversations change if you focused more on sharing experiences rather than giving advice?

Please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com to learn more about Mo Fathelbab and International Facilitators Organization (IFO), a leading provider of facilitators and related group facilitation services, providing training, certification, marketing services, education, and community for peer group facilitators at all stages of their career.