Why facilitation is leadership’s best-kept secret, until now
Douglas Ferguson
President @ Voltage Control | Facilitation Academy | Author | Educator
While corporate layoffs are making headlines, reports show an increase of 517,000 jobs in the US market. Meaning it’s still a job seekers market, and the “Big Quit” has not evaded organizations who scramble to fill positions. Disconnection and low engagement contribute to an employee’s decision to quit. This is why upskilling leaders is essential in today’s unwieldy economy. The ever-changing business landscape demands new skills that embody communication and relationship-building. As facilitators, we know these soft skills are reflected in our ability to run and facilitate effectively.?
We’re always surprised by the number of leaders who outsource facilitation and don’t invest in their own training. While there are valid reasons to outsource workshop facilitation,?there are basic facilitation skills every leader should always continue developing . These critical skills empower leaders to guide teams where they need to go.?
In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, we couldn’t help but wonder, is facilitation a best-kept leadership secret??
Dana Brownlee , a writer for Forbes, seemed to think so. She explains that one reason why facilitation skills may not be acknowledged as readily as other leadership skills are that they’re frequently misunderstood.?
I’m here to tell you, we’re more than sticky notes and timers.?
When viewed through a broader lens, facilitators effectively engage participants in creating, discovering, and applying learning insights. These are skills that are invaluable for virtually any leader. We offer free?facilitation growth plans ?to guide you on this journey.
High inflation, weak growth, and low unemployment leave us all in a fog of confusion. While we don’t know where it’s all going, we do know that adaptability, emotional intelligence, collaboration, digital literacy, and cultural competence are leadership skills that are here to stay. If you’re interested in ramping up your facilitation skills, we invite you to?sign up for our comprehensive facilitation programs . By the end of your experience, you’ll learn the game-changing skills and confidence needed to become the go-to facilitator in your work.
If you are curious and would like to learn more about our Facilitation Certification programs from course alumni, make sure to sign up for our (free) certification open house , happening this Friday. In this interactive open house, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of a certification alumni panel. Learn about our certification options and how they will be beneficial to you as a facilitator or leader.
Douglas Ferguson | President, Voltage Control
+ Workshops +
Certification Open House
Let’s face it: the world has changed. The last couple of years has likely encouraged (or even forced) you to adapt, set new goals, and solve problems you didn’t even know you had. Our immersive and highly-participatory certification programs give you the skills and confidence to lead change in your work.
Join us for an open house where we will share about our certification programs and open up the floor to your questions. You will also have the opportunity to hear from previous certification students about their experiences and how the programs have benefitted them.
领英推荐
+ Facilitation Lab +
Celebrating Women in Facilitation
Facilitation Lab is a weekly virtual meetup focused on helping facilitators hone their craft to help improve the quality of meetings.
Each week we rotate between highlighting facilitators sharing activities with tips and tricks, facilitation practice where you can get hands-on with tools for better meetings, and deep-dive skill-building workshops.
+ Articles +
AI 101
AI 101 is an educational program ?designed to help business leaders understand how to integrate artificial intelligence into their organizations effectively.?
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world we live in. From healthcare to finance, from manufacturing to education, AI is transforming the way we work, communicate, and interact with the world. The potential benefits of AI are enormous, but so are the challenges. To ensure that AI is developed and used in a responsible and ethical way, we need to educate ourselves about this transformative technology.
Imperfect human
1 年I read this twice and found it super helpful -- I talk a lot about facilitative leadership, and really appreciate how concretely you tackle that topic. Also very curious about the idea of facilitating conversations between humans and AI. Wondering how this might play out for those of us who are not in a tech space, but who will undoubtedly be asked to interact with AI as part of our work in the years to come.
Facilitator, Trainer & Design-Process Coach | Ecological Garden Designer & Land-Based Skills Educator | Poet & Public Speaker | Disability & LGBTQ Advocate & Activist
1 年So agree - this is why I am happy to be hired to facilitate, and love being brought on to teach my clients to facilitate! When we're talking about lasting impact and change within organizations, this feels key.
IT | Agile Coach @ Giant Eagle | Digital Transformation | Payments | E-commerce
1 年Douglas Ferguson Strengthening facilitation skillsets encompasses things such as emotional intelligence, psychological awareness, interpersonal skills, flow, and much more. Facilitation is at the root of any planning and where opportunities are found.
Global Strategic Operations Consultant | Business Advisor I Team Development Facilitator I Workshop Facilitator I Keynote Speaker
1 年You speak from my heart Douglas Ferguson where you say "When viewed through a broader lens, facilitators effectively engage participants in creating, discovering, and applying learning insights." It is such an invaluable leadership skill to be able to create and hold this space you are describing.
President, Master Facilitator
1 年Favorite line: "We are more than sticky notes and timers." Hurrah!