What are the best ways to ensure your co-facilitator is prepared for a session?

In preparation for a critical workshop, my co-facilitator and I meticulously defined our session's objectives and desired outcomes. This step was more than a mere formality; it was the foundation of our collaboration. We spent substantial time discussing and aligning our perspectives to ensure a unified approach. This detailed planning was instrumental in crafting a shared vision and mission for the session, which in turn guided the selection of our materials and methods. Our alignment on these goals not only set the tone for the entire session but also ensured that every activity and discussion was purpose-driven, maximizing the impact and relevance of our facilitation.

This is done every time. Develop the charter - purpose, scope, and outcomes, with the co-facilitator. This is important so that he or she is very clear on the workshop.

I've found it helpful to co-create the purpose and outcomes with the co-facilitator; if both parties are engaged and collaborating from beginning to end, it tends to yield the best outcomes.

To ensure your co-facilitator is well-prepared for a session, establish clear communication channels to share session objectives, materials, and expectations in advance. Conduct pre-session meetings to discuss key points, address concerns, and coordinate roles. Provide access to relevant resources, such as agendas, presentations, and participant lists. Encourage open dialogue for idea exchange and collaboration. Foster a culture of mutual support, where both facilitators feel comfortable seeking clarification or assistance. Implementing a shared document or collaboration platform for real-time updates can enhance coordination. Regularly evaluate and adjust your preparation strategies based on feedback and evolving session needs.

From my experience, effective co-facilitator preparation involves defining purpose, clear roles, communication, and a contingency plan. Being an organized introvert, assigning responsibilities minimizes overlap and ensures a smooth flow. You can divide the session into segments or assign roles like timekeeping, engagement, and technical aspects. Prioritize regular and open communication to align approaches and expectations. Prepare for challenges and unexpected situations, such as difficult questions, technical issues, or unresponsive participants. Comprehensive preparation ensures goal alignment and effective session dynamics.

For a comprehensive training program we led, delineating roles and responsibilities was key to our success. Prior to the session, my co-facilitator and I engaged in a thorough review of our individual strengths and areas of expertise. This led to a strategic division of tasks – I focused on driving the interactive and engagement aspects of the session, while my co-facilitator concentrated on the more technical and content-heavy segments. This clear demarcation of responsibilities, established through mutual agreement and understanding, allowed us to deliver a well-rounded, dynamic session. It ensured that each of us could contribute optimally, leveraging our strengths for the benefit of the participants.

Apart from assigning specific parts to a co-facilitator, one can define a way where he/she can add an interesting anecdote, example or experience to substantiate what the facilitator is saying. Either the facilitator can ask the co-facilitator to add or the co-facilitator can ask permission and do it.

In building your agenda notes, discuss who takes which step/activity. Ensure that both of you agree and are clear on who does what. Also, define how you will work together, e.g., what to do if the co-facilitator is leading an activity and you have a question or suggestion - what to do. This helps avoid stepping on each other's toes.

Communication is the key when working with a large company or corporation. Make sure upper management is involved with employee luncheons, ice cream socials, training, guest appearances in workshops.

Working with a co-facilitator doesn’t have to mean that you both play the same role. Establish what dynamic will work based on the time they have available to prepare, their confidence with facilitating and their preferences. It might be that they don’t want to do any kind of active facilitation at all. If that’s the case, reassure them that they can take a backstage role. In a face-to-face environment, this might involve taking attendance as participants arrive, capturing outputs on flipcharts and blu-tacking them to the wall, or helping to set up the room. Virtually, they might help individuals with joining issues, take charge of letting latecomers in from the waiting room and monitor the chat function for questions.

The before during and after communication is a fair point. One of the things about facilitating and teaching is when it's led by the participants and just guided by us (ie social constructivism) is that it will buy it's nature be chaotic. You need to update things in real time; KaosPilots tend to say we should be "over designed and under-structured" so you plan out some different activities and goals but then when you're on the ground touch base with your co facilitator and say things like "I'm liking these thoughts I've heard but want to give them more time, so we need to scale back the next thing" and then you discuss how to do that. All the while the participants are still working and may not realise things are changing under their feet!

Treat the co-facilitator as your shadow - always with you and completely engaged with what you are thinking and doing. Plan how to hold the after action review - which should be done daily.

In die komplette Kommunikation mit dem Kunden immer gleichberechtigt mit einbinden. W?hrend der Veranstaltung niemals auf Fehler hinweisen oder eine andere Meinung ?ffentlich kommunizieren, sondern loyal hinter und vor der Co-Moderation stehen.

Rehearsal is key. Hearing what you're co - facillitator says, getting time right and becomming confident in each others abilities is crucial. Also the understanding of flexibility when required, such as building in a key word or phrase which indicates to your co - facillitator that you would like to step in and say something. I have found that trying to build a bit of genuine rapport with your co - facillitator makes everything work better particularly if something goes wrong. Genuinely liking your co - facillitator means sometimes having a laugh your audience can relate to or appearing tense and nervous.

Pre-Session Planning : have. Around of meetings before the session to align on objectives, roles, and expectations. Clarify each co-facilitator's responsibilities to avoid confusion during the session Practice prepare and Practice ...this is purely my mantra .... If co-facilitators have to transition between segments, practice these transitions to maintain a seamless flow through pictures and images as clue on slides.....This ensures participants don't experience disruptions or confusion Complement the cofacilitator personality but don't compete...

I often film practice sessions when working with a co-facilitator. This allows both of us to view the session and identify areas for growth and improvement together. Just like a coach watches game film with their team, facilitators can learn a great deal by doing the same.

Pre-Session Planning : have. Around of meetings before the session to align on objectives, roles, and expectations. Clarify each co-facilitator's responsibilities to avoid confusion during the session Practice prepare and Practice ...this is purely my mantra .... If co-facilitators have to transition between segments, practice these transitions to maintain a seamless flow through pictures and images as clue on slides.....This ensures participants don't experience disruptions or confusion Complement the cofacilitator personality but don't compete...

Doing a pre run,is great to identify any challenges, clarify goals and objectives and to build confidence in the delivery. The more preparation is involved the more you can maximise productivity. This can create an effortless flow.

The practice of providing and receiving feedback with my co-facilitator has been a cornerstone of our professional development. Following each session, we allocate time for a thorough debrief, where we openly discuss what worked well and areas for improvement. This process is not just about critique but is a platform for mutual learning and growth. For instance, after a particularly challenging session, my co-facilitator’s insights into restructuring the flow of activities led to significantly improved participant engagement in subsequent sessions. Such constructive feedback sessions have been invaluable, not only in enhancing our individual facilitation skills but also in strengthening our collaborative dynamic.

I like to frame co-facilitation as learning to dance with a new partner. I need to be present and aware in the room and listen to participants and my partner for opportunities to foster learning or change. Being prepared myself can help me be more present as I am not going to be worried about my material or exercises. Also, offering patience and grace to my partner and *myself* that chasing "perfection" is an illusion and a cognitive distraction from being honest, genuine, and ultimately effective.

Co-facilitation works brilliantly when both understand that they complement each other in making the session more useful and engaging. If the intent is to prove who is smarter/better than the other, the exercise is set for failure from the start.

No doubt a skillful , well prepared facilitator that can read the room is as valuable as the participants themselves , but you already know this because you are.

Having a great co-facilitator in a session is like having a shadow who can pitch in by calibrating your body language that you need him/her to pitch in. As far as preparation is concerned the facilitators need to be in sync with what is happening, and constant communication, feedback, purpose of the session, direction of the session, etc are important elements to be in sync. The most important understanding with facilitators is mutual respect, and trust that it is going to be alright. And if someone has brought in a co-facilitator with them then they would have done that based on trust, alignment, values, talent they bring in, value they can bring, so there is inherent preparedness, minor changes can be done on the go ~ communication.

If I haven't facilitated with someone else before, I start by asking them what _they personally want to get out of it_. Sometimes they're just thrust into the situation, and see co-facilitating as a necessary evil to do once and be done with it. Sometimes they really want to learn more and advance in their craft of facilitation. Their answer to this one question really helps you both, as far as mutual expectations, and how you 'do the dance' together.

A few other things to consider: 1.) What are your own and your co-facilitator(s)' content and facilitation strengths and styles? Design the session accordingly. 2.) Effective co-design and delivery takes trust and time! Leave enough time for building trust and rapport with your co-facilitator(s) and to run through the content once designed. The more solid your facilitation team feels to participants, the easier it will be for them to place their trust in you and the process. 3.) Different facilitators need different levels of preparation: Communicate expectations and preferences early so that each facilitator gets what they need from the other to feel confident and relaxed when facilitation starts.