Here's how you can master advanced facilitation techniques in large group settings.

Building rapport is essential for successful group facilitation. Creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere is the first step. Establish trust: Use icebreakers to encourage interaction and learn participants' names. Active listening: Show genuine interest in participants' contributions by maintaining eye contact and providing verbal affirmations. Positive demeanor: A positive and enthusiastic attitude can be contagious and help create a supportive environment. Read the room: Be attentive to group dynamics and adjust your approach accordingly.

Ice beakers that stimulate the mind and the body are more impactful, so get your group moving early on while having to think on their feet. The early adrenaline release creates a feeling of euphoria that can last through the session

Building rapport starts with knowing your audience. That starts with what I call and write about a "Posture of Curiosity" and this creates connection first! As a facilitator or speaker you know your content intimately. Big deal. Why do they want to know your content? It's the rapport you build with connection then trust that allows you to be heard. Do research and activities they participate in to discover for themselves that your "subject matter" matters to them. At that point, your content is welcomed!

Before the event: A great facilitator must ask questions to determine desired outcomes, understand the group, and areas of resistance and support. This allows the facilitator to match the right techniques to the group. The day of the event: Prepare yourself mentally and physically. During the event: It is also necessary to reach the audience by setting expectations and getting them involved from the start. Keep them energized and engaged.

If this is about facilitation and you are in collaborative mode then the groups set their goals. On,y someone in hierarchical mode would tell a group the goals and objectives, and as a good facilitator knows, we switch between modes.

Setting clear objectives encourages time management and discourages irrelevant discussions that otherwise don't align to the goals set to be achieved during the facilitation.. also encourages broader research on specific chosen topics during the discussions that opens up to gaining more insights on the subject itself.

More than objectives, I find it much more helpful to understand and explore “shared agreements”. It is helpful to have some already thought out (for example there may be important agreements around confidently), but co-constructing these with the group and asking for input helps with ownership, the creation of a brave space, and hence successfully achieving objectives.

Facilitated discussions can vary in passion, pace and focus depending on topic, urgency v importance and the personal agendas and needs of all attendees. Whilst the topic and specific areas of focus are introduced and agreed at the outset, it is likely the discussions will wander into "off topic" to related areas. To prevent the discussion becoming mired in side shoots of topics the use of a visual "carpark" for future exploration should be available for facilitator discretion. The facilitator notes areas of concern on a Whyte board/flip chart etc. As part of session close topics are reviewed, removed as closed or a future action/owner assigned thereby closing the discussion loop for that session.

Do your background work on the demographics of the audience and also use the initial time to sense the people in the room . This will allow you to find commonalities and use that, to connect with the group. A stronger connection will help Manage dynamics better. Make there is inclusion and diversity in your participation.

Plan for experiential digital activities for pax to do? Eg enter responses in padlet. Numbering participants and assigning different roles to accomplish one task is key. Eg. One person write, another speak, others draw an icon, one to research

Depending on the size of the group, splitting off into smaller sub groups for deeper dive solution generation is an option. Mixing groups on each breakout session another technique that enables higher levels of engagement. Being cognisant of different learning styles by the facilitator will also prove beneficial. For example are the group a mix or predominantly theorist v pragmatists. What does their role in the organisation suggest they are orientated too in terms of tangible problem solving. Putting a series of questions or statements on individual flip chart paper then rotating each smaller group to review & build on previous with roving facilitator support. This can be mirrored in online rooms if remote workshop

You fundamentally are facilitating people. Diversity in personalities, skills & background should add to generating perspectives, ideas & solutions. Think ahead & adapt to make sure you mitigate for these differences. Do exercises & icebreakers to get people to know other people s people. Extroverts will typically dominate any session. Ask people to write views down & then share, or perhaps break out into pairs or smaller groups & share back. Bosses can dominate on what an answer should be. So, brief them as leaders to help others open up. Plan who they work with. 10 people in a session can be 10x1, 2x5, 1x4 + 2x3. Not everybody has to do the same thing at the same time. Separate, report back & build.

Where there's diverse personalities, encouraging full participation from everyone could be tricky,one way to encourage learning and total participation may be through encouraging assigning partners(in 2s or 3s but not more than 3) and engaging experiential learning. A small group encourages confidence in those who otherwise are identified as introverts. Also encouraging writing down enquiries and information for those who may be crowd-shy as a way of interacting with others.

Using poetry/prose/visual art/film to encourage dialogue and to spark ideas can work really well and add a different energy and atmosphere to the facilitation.

A skilled facilitator has the ability to use any conflict constructively. By applying neuro linguistic skills and guiding the participants with specific open ended questions, with intervention differences are able to be seen from a variety angles. The learning outcomes can be revisited to keep everyone on track. It is key to open the session with a clear understanding of time frames and topics to easily be able to revisit those to ensure all are on track.

As the facilitator, remember you are in charge but don't show the commander vibes. First of all encourage and identify indifferences,because they encourage learning. Let the participants who's encountered these indifferences that their opinions matter equally and encourage deeper research on the subject,allow the group to help with deeper research as a way of learning and engage the discussion further in other platforms (eg.WhatsApp,),this will neither dispute opinions nor encourage class disruption.

The “agreements” I spoke to in an earlier question help greatly when conflict arises. They create a container and a “anchor” to come back to, particularly if they were co-constructed. Whilst it’s important to remain in “facilitator” and “coach” mode as much as possible, if something egregious happens (e.g. racism or another form of discrimination), this must be called out (respectfully but firmly). It’s always ok to name tension in a room and suggest a five minute break. Sometimes you need five minutes as the facilitator to gather your thoughts and strategize.

Oh my goodness - if you are facilitating anything remotely educational, then you must invite your group to reflect. There is NO learning without reflection. This is a fact, and any experience without opportunities to reflect is just fun and recreation.

Reflection encourages subject understanding at a personal level. Encourage learners to give feedback on the topics after facilitation, to evaluate whether or not the topics were understood as they should have. It also helps the facilitator to know where the participants' understanding in the topics lies.. It can also encourage further research on the topics facilitated.