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Our latest thoughts on innovation, design, and transformation.

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AI | April 15, 2025

Discover how to rethink AI as a collaborative teammate, not just a tool. In this post, we explore an innovative workshop where AI plays a key role in team problem-solving, using personas and iterative prompts. Learn how this mindset shift can transform your approach to AI, fostering deeper collaboration, enhancing group sensemaking, and enabling richer insights. Embrace the future of AI as a dynamic team member and unlock its full potential in real-time, collaborative settings.

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Facilitation Lab Summit | April 14, 2025

Skye Idehen-Osunde's session at the 2025 Facilitation Lab Summit focused on building psychological safety and credibility in facilitation. Through interactive activities and real-world examples, Skye shared strategies to create inclusive, trust-filled spaces where participants feel heard and valued. Her insights on vulnerability, self-awareness, and building trust provided attendees with actionable tools to enhance their facilitation practice and create impactful, safe environments.

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Podcast | April 8, 2025

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Jake Knapp, co-founder and general partner at Character Capital, and a former Google employee instrumental in developing Gmail and Google Meet. The episode delves into Jake's extensive experience in product development, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and market differentiation. Jake shares insights from his early coding and game development days, highlighting the value of iterative testing and customer feedback. They discuss the "foundation sprint" and "magic lenses" techniques for refining product ideas and making informed decisions. The episode underscores the necessity of clarity and alignment in successful product development.

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Alumni Stories | April 7, 2025

Robin Cory shares how Voltage Control helped her enhance her facilitation skills, particularly in the nonprofit sector. Through a transformative certification program, Robin gained confidence and leadership tools to navigate complex group dynamics and drive meaningful collaboration. Her journey, from grassroots community organizing to strategic facilitation for nonprofit leaders, showcases the power of facilitation in creating lasting social impact. Learn how Voltage Control shaped her approach to purposeful, impactful meetings and leadership.

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Podcast | March 20, 2025

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Caterina Rodriguez (Cat), a facilitator consultant and strategic leader at ADL. Cat shares her journey from anti-bias education to organizational effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of authentic connections in facilitation. She discusses the challenges of adopting a new facilitation style and highlights the transformative power of collaborative group experiences. Kat stresses the need for facilitators to embrace uncertainty and model genuine engagement, advocating for a method-agnostic approach. The episode underscores the value of building trust and fostering inclusive, change-ready cultures within organizations.

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AI | March 18, 2025

At SXSW, Voltage Control explored the intersection of human connection and AI. Through our meetup and workshop, we created spaces for meaningful interactions, tackled loneliness and vulnerability, reimagined meetings, and highlighted the potential of AI as a dynamic team player. Learn how intentional facilitation can drive innovation, transform team dynamics, and foster genuine connections. Explore these insights and more from our SXSW experiences in this blog post.

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Facilitation | March 13, 2025

The Facilitation Lab Summit 2025 brought together facilitators from around the world for a transformative two-day experience filled with inspiring sessions, interactive workshops, and a celebration of award-winning facilitators. Highlights included sessions on psychological safety, storytelling for change, and nonverbal communication. Attendees gained valuable tools for enhancing their facilitation practice and fostering meaningful transformations. Stay connected through our Community Hub and get early bird tickets for next year's summit!

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Podcast | March 6, 2025

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Dr. Karyn Edwards, an organizational psychologist and executive coach. Dr. Edwards shares her journey into facilitation and leadership, starting at Carlson Wagonlit Travel. She highlights the influence of her mentor, Julianne Weiss, and discusses overcoming imposter syndrome and challenges in leadership roles. The episode delves into the importance of "power skills" like emotional intelligence and adaptability. Dr. Edwards also talks about her current work, including writing for the Association for Training and Development and exploring organizational culture change programs. The episode underscores the transformative power of coaching.

The Books

Bring Your Ideas to Life

Innovation can seem complex or reserved for the exceptional. But we believe innovation is for everyone. We’ve set out to illuminate a path for you to generate bold ideas, visualize and share them, overcome obstacles, and turn them into reality. Our books are equal parts guidebook and stories from years of experience helping companies adopt an innovation mindset and culture. They’re practical & actionable, so you can get started now. We hope they’ll help you on your journey to realizing your biggest, boldest ideas.