{"id":7956,"date":"2018-09-04T00:05:47","date_gmt":"2018-09-04T04:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/?p=7956"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:16:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:16:56","slug":"facilitation-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/facilitation-training\/","title":{"rendered":"How Structured Facilitation Training Can Save Your Arse and Boost Your Career"},"content":{"rendered":"

Structured meetings and workshops positively impact organizations and stakeholders–even permeating cultures. Here are a few straightforward benefits of facilitation training that support structured meetings.<\/h2>\n

Business wisdom demands the application of knowledge, stuff that is \u2018in\u2212formation\u2019 (not static). Compound the dynamism of information with the challenge of organizing a group of people, where nobody is smarter than everybody<\/a>.\u00a0 Groups of people<\/a> fail (or operate at sub-optimal levels) either because they don\u2019t care, don\u2019t have the talent, or don\u2019t know how. Meetings and workshops<\/a> with structure (aka interactive design\u2756) have always been stressed by MGRUSH<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 Structured facilitation training instructs HOW TO get a group of people to focus<\/a> on the right question<\/a> (topicality) at the right time (sequencing).<\/span><\/p>\n

Structured facilitation training largely teaches you how to think<\/a> by affecting your greatest power, the power of choice. From choosing which foot to place on the floor first, after rising in the morning, to what to wear when retiring for the evening, each day presents itself with thousands of choices. Without structure, groups are not naturally capable of focusing on the same thing, at the same time. Their choices<\/a> become confused, chaotic, and sometimes catastrophic.\u00a0Structured<\/a> facilitation training is the process of making it easier for people to be more effective in leading groups, teams, meetings, and workshops. It includes three primary components: leadership, facilitation, and methodology.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Facilitation<\/a>

Structured Facilitation Training Explains the Holarchy of Decision-making<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Three Aspects of Structured Facilitation Training<\/span><\/h3>\n

The structure provides a method for transforming the abstract (thoughts) into the concrete (products). In elementary school, we learned about the WHY, WHAT, and HOW. In professional group environments, they equate to:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Leadership<\/a> [Why<\/strong> we are doing something],<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Facilitation<\/a> [What<\/strong> you can do to be more effective], and<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Meeting Design<\/a> [How<\/strong> do you lead a group from the Introduction<\/a> to the Wrap<\/a>].<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Differences Between Structured Facilitation and “Kum-bah-yah”<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The differences between structured and unstructured facilitation training begin with different deliverables. The structured world seeks outputs such as product requirements<\/a> or priorities<\/a> resulting from root cause analysis<\/a>. The unstructured world seeks outcomes such as community awareness or peace in the Middle East.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Structured<\/span><\/p>\n

    With structured facilitation, arguments<\/a> can be resolved by appealing to the objectives within the structural holarchy<\/a>. The unstructured world depends on building trust and increasing awareness but has no surefire method for driving consensus<\/a>. The structured world reminds us that all arguments may be resolved by appealing to enterprise objectives. The unstructured world does not necessarily share any common purpose, scope, or objectives<\/a> to resolve disagreements.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Structured Facilitation Training Includes<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Meetings capture a huge investment<\/a> of time.\u00a0<\/span>Unproductive meetings affect P & L, morale, and the potential growth of your biggest asset, your people.\u00a0<\/span>As frequent and important as we attend meetings, little (if any) structured training has been provided to help us become better meeting participants, and more importantly, effective meeting leaders.\u00a0<\/span>Creating highly effective meetings depends on improving three areas of your behavioral skills, namely:<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    WHY<\/b> \u2014<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Leadership training ensures that we begin with the end in mind.\u00a0<\/span>WHY<\/b> do we meet equates with what DONE looks like?\u00a0<\/span>The best facilitators in the world will fail miserably if they don\u2019t know where they are going.\u00a0 <\/span>The worst facilitators can still succeed when the deliverable is clear and has an impact on the quality of life of their meeting participants.<\/span><\/p>\n

    WHAT<\/b> \u2014<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Once it has been made clear where we are going, facilitation skills<\/a> make it easier to know WHAT<\/b> to do to ensure a successful meeting.\u00a0<\/span>Unfortunately, we have developed poor muscle memory over the years.\u00a0<\/span>Some behaviors need to be \u2018unlearned\u2019 before new behaviors are embraced.\u00a0<\/span>The only way to change such behaviors is through practice and immersion.\u00a0<\/span>Talking heads (i.e., the instructor\u2019s lips are moving) won\u2019t do it.\u00a0<\/span>Only active participation and practice will work at instilling effective and facilitative behaviors.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    HOW<\/b> \u2014<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Even a great facilitator who knows where they are going (i.e., What DONE looks like) still needs help.\u00a0<\/span>They need to know HOW<\/b> they are going to get there.\u00a0<\/span>How will they lead a group of people from the meeting Introduction<\/i><\/a> to the Wrap<\/i><\/a>?\u00a0 <\/span>While the best methodology or approach (i.e., Agenda<\/i><\/a>) has more than one right answer, there is one wrong answer \u2014 if the meeting leader does not know HOW<\/b> they are going to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Practical Benefits of Structured\u00a0Facilitation\u00a0Training<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n