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Douglas is an entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 26 years of experience. He is president of Voltage Control, a facilitation academy that develops leaders through certifications, workshops, and organizational coaching focused on facilitation mastery, innovation, and play. He has helped transform leaders, innovators, and creatives from Nike, U.S. SOCOM, Google, the Air Force, Gap, Tesla, MSU, Church & Dwight, Apple, Adobe, Dropbox, Fidelity, Vrbo, Liberty Mutual, Humana, and SAIC. Prior to Voltage Control, Douglas held CTO positions at numerous Austin startups, where he led product and engineering teams using agile, lean, and human-centered design principles. While CTO at Twyla, Douglas worked directly with Google Ventures running Design Sprints, and now brings this experience and process to companies everywhere. Douglas is currently active in the Austin startup community, where he serves on the board of several non-profits, mentors startups, and advises early-stage ventures. Douglas is a thought leader and often writes and talks about facilitation, leadership, collaboration, innovation, culture, meetings, and Design Sprints. He is also the author of four books: Magical Meetings, Beyond the Prototype, How to Remix Anything, and Start Within, He has been published in Forbes, Fast Company, Innovation Leader, and is a regular contributor to The Future Shapers. He publishes a weekly podcast called Facilitation Lab.

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Facilitation Skills | August 8, 2024

Struggling to engage quieter participants during facilitation? This article provides 13 effective techniques to foster a more inclusive environment and ensure every voice is heard. Learn about pre-surveys, setting ground rules, using anonymous feedback, and more to create balanced discussions. Discover strategies like small group discussions, the strategic use of silence, and empathy to build a safe and engaging space. Enhance your facilitation skills and promote active participation by reading on and joining the Facilitation Lab community for more practical tips and support.

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Facilitation | July 23, 2024

In professional development, the principles of practice and feedback are vital. Much like athletes and musicians refine their skills through rehearsal and critique, professionals must engage in deliberate practice and seek feedback to master their craft. This blog post explores these elements, providing insights and strategies to foster growth and success in the workplace. Facilitators, in particular, need ongoing practice and feedback to enhance their skills. Structured practice opportunities and feedback loops help identify strengths and areas for improvement. Embracing a growth mindset is essential, as it encourages seeking feedback and viewing challenges as learning opportunities. In professional settings, practice often gets neglected, overshadowed by the expectation to perform flawlessly. To foster growth, professionals need environments where they can safely practice and receive feedback, similar to athletes rehearsing before a performance.

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Facilitation Skills | July 17, 2024

Discover the transformative power of silence in facilitation with our latest blog post, "A Quiet Place: Embracing Silence." Inspired by the film series A Quiet Place, we explore the profound impact of intentional silence on team dynamics and psychological safety. Silence isn't just the absence of sound; it's a powerful tool for contemplation, inclusivity, and creativity. Learn how facilitators can use silence to enhance meeting effectiveness, support neurodivergent participants, and accommodate cultural differences.

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Facilitation | July 10, 2024

Struggling to regain attention after breakout sessions? In this blog post, discover effective techniques from both professional facilitators and kindergarten teachers. Learn why managing attention transitions is essential for productive workshops and explore methods such as hand signals, sound cues, and call-and-response phrases. Incorporate visual signals, countdowns, interactive engagement, and movement-based techniques to maintain focus. Draw inspiration from kindergarten techniques like songs, rhymes, and “magic words.” Choose the right method for your style, introduce it early, and ensure consistency. Enhance your facilitation skills and keep your sessions running smoothly with these practical strategies.

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Facilitation | July 1, 2024

Facilitators play a crucial yet often unseen role in team dynamics. This blog post explores the vital impact facilitators have on team health, productivity, and growth. Comparing the effect of a facilitator to the temperature of a room, it highlights the balance facilitators must strike between guiding discussions and remaining unobtrusive. The post references Priya Parker's views on hosting and emphasizes "invisible involvement" in facilitation. Insights from Voltage Control alumni underscore the long-term benefits of skilled facilitation in fostering innovation and empathy. Learn practical techniques to refine your facilitation skills and create environments where ideas flourish.

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Facilitation | November 17, 2023

Explore key insights from Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" for facilitators and leaders. This bestseller from the music industry icon merges discipline with creativity, providing valuable lessons for corporate innovation. Learn Rubin's approach to the creative process, the importance of embracing constraints, and the power of collaboration. Inspired by his extensive music career, Rubin's methods apply to various fields, enhancing problem-solving and innovative thinking. This summary shows how Rubin's ideas can rejuvenate facilitation and spark innovation in today's professional environments.

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Conflict Resolution | October 31, 2023

Workplace conflicts can drain time and morale, making conflict resolution meetings crucial. These meetings tackle disagreements affecting productivity and wellbeing, involving all parties in a comfortable setting with a neutral facilitator. Establish ground rules, encourage open dialogue and active listening, and develop an action plan with fair task assignments. Training can enhance these skills, fostering a harmonious and efficient workplace.

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Facilitation Skills | October 19, 2023

The guide underscores the impact of participatory decision-making in strengthening team relationships and involvement. It advocates for embedding participatory principles in decision-making to guarantee inclusiveness and collective accountability. Facilitators are portrayed as vital in steering intricate conversations, particularly through the challenging "Groan Zone," using methods to promote constructive discussions. The guide prefers a collaborative approach over autocratic methods, demonstrating its efficiency in attaining enduring, inclusive resolutions and enhanced management results.