What are some of the key principles and values that guide your facilitation practice?

The facilitator not only needs to be clear about his own role but should also communicate it to the attendees, right in the beginning. He/she needs to stay within his boundaries of facilitation and let the attendees lead the conversation and make decisions. When they come out of the meeting, the attendees should feel good about their participation and decisions and they should feel that those decisions were made by them not the facilitator. This is extremely important for both facilitator and the attendees.

The quality that separates exceptional from average facilitators is their ability to flex out of their preferred style and adapt to the needs of the group when called upon. For example, a facilitator with a more caregiving style can shift to taking command and being decisive when the group loses focus. Another skillful facilitator might prefer efficiency and speed but flexes to a more casual pace and lighthearted humor as they notice the tension building. The more you have options and choices for managing the unexpected, the more people want to follow your lead. Sometimes the situation requires an even bigger shift from you than just a tweak to the agenda.

We only do three things in meetings: share information, analyze/discern the meaning of information, and make decisions. The magic behind a good meeting is clear purpose for every item on your agenda. (You always have an agenda, right?) With clear purpose for your agenda topics, you then can identify if that topic is sharing, analyzing, or deciding. The last ingredient in meeting magic is matching the activities you do for each meeting topic to its purpose. For example, if you are making a decision, getting stuck sharing and analyzing information won't get the decision made. Use a decision making method to make decisions. Use effective approaches for sharing information and updates. Use creative analysis tools to make sense of data.

Be Self-aware When you are a good facilitator, you are able to create an environment where people feel safe enough to be their authentic selves. This is great until someone says something that triggers you or another person in the room. How you respond and what you do to maintain your composure will impact everyone in the room. It's your role as a facilitator to explore your own triggers so you are able to facilitate teachable moments so all participants are able to learn and grow together.

As a facilitator, you need to engage the attendees to develop a working agreement right in the start of the meeting/workshop/event, and make sure everyone follows the agreement throughout the meeting/workshop/event.

One of the interesting metaphors for designing and facilitating meetings is fly-fishing. We learn to read the river very carefully. We attempt to "match the hatch" by offering as opposed to knowing. We learn that hooking is not landing. We care for our catch, and we release it, allowing it to go back and grow. We do all of this in full awareness of our surroundings, knowing that the present moment is what really counts. If you find this idea interesting and compelling, come learn with us. No rush.