Clients frequently contact us about facilitating a meeting or workshop on behalf of an individual or organization. It might be a large, multi-national firm planning a complicated, and potentially expensive, deliverable. It could be a small, nonprofit organization seeking to get the most out of their busy board member’s time. While one organization seeks someone with…
Think of a meeting break as a pressure relief valve. Under normal circumstances, a standard ten-minute break, every seventy-five minutes or so, allows participants to decompress so they can return to the meeting refreshed and on track. However, when a minor disagreement threatens to explode into a full-blown situation, you need more than a standard…
Meetings are necessary. But not all meetings are good. To be more precise, not all meetings are run well. But how can you rescue a bad meeting if you’re not the one leading it? While our facilitation training focuses on creating better leaders, the truth is, most of us spend the majority of our time…
A Super Bowl without neutral referees? The World Series or World Cup without neutral umpires? Any tripartite government without the judicial branch? Conduct a meeting to build consensus without neutral facilitation? The answer to all of them – Don’t even think of it! We promote an evidence-based meeting approach that converts subjective points of view…
We all have the ability to play numerous roles in life, such as switching quickly between parent and child when attending a family gathering, or switching quickly between friend and customer when shopping or dining with a significant other. Likewise, structured facilitator training enables facilitators to switch their consciousness quickly between the roles of facilitator…
Daniel Pink’s newest research proves that the end of a meeting is more important than the beginning. Endings leave lasting impressions. Recency triumphs over primacy. And yet, how often have you found yourself in the hallway after a meeting wondering what happened? What did we agree to? Or worse, you disagree with someone who…
The Global SCRUM GATHERING ® Austin 2019 was kicked off on a warm Monday morning in May by Daniel Pink. Because his research focused on time and timing, Daniel compiled and published his results and findings in his newest book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Additionally, his presentation averaged a five-star rating from…
Over the years, students and alumni have clamored for a simple reference sheet of our curriculum and how to prepare for a meeting. We think we have it now and hope you agree. Meetings can be expensive and wasteful, especially when poorly prepared. Therefore, download a PDF of the Meeting Pathway guide and Workshop Canvas on…
During a recent four-day conference, we facilitated more than 20 speakers and varying presentations, each citing distinctive topics ranging from embracing social responsibility to utilizing Google® Hangouts for small groups. Participants applauded our approach, and we decided to share it here to help you become a more effective facilitator. Challenges Associated with Facilitating Speakers and…
A meeting without conflict is a boring meeting, and we’ve seen very little value derived from predictable and unexciting meetings and workshops. Internal and external conflict reflect emotions that, when harnessed, enable creative change. So rather than run, learn how to understand and manage group conflict. Additionally, the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) aspires for…