At this year's Facilitation Lab Summit, Erik Skogsberg and Dirk Van Onsem delivered a thought-provoking workshop titled "Facilitating Change Through Systems Mapping." The session was designed to help participants understand and leverage the power of systems thinking to drive change within their organizations.
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.
Facilitation skills are vital for guiding groups, fostering collaboration, and achieving goals. This article highlights the importance of developing these skills through mentoring, coaching, and experiential learning. Mentoring provides valuable guidance, builds professional networks, and enhances institutional knowledge. Coaching focuses on specific skill development with goal setting, practice, and feedback loops. Experiential learning involves applying facilitation skills in real-world settings, encouraging reflection, and active participation. By integrating these methods, facilitators can improve communication, manage dynamics, and ensure productive meetings, leading to overall organizational success.
At this year's Facilitation Lab Summit, Erin Warner led a captivating workshop titled "Daring Dialogues: Refining Ideas and Embracing Bold Action." Erin, known for her unique blend of movement and facilitation techniques, encouraged participants to engage physically and mentally throughout the session. The workshop began with a lively introduction, where Erin emphasized the importance of community, movement, and holistic well-being. She shared her journey of integrating diverse experiences into her facilitation practice, highlighting the power of books like "The Art of Gathering" by Priya Parker and "The Joy of Movement."
In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson speaks with Julie Baeb, a Senior Consultant at Team Works. Julie shares her diverse career journey from advertising to architecture and eventually education, where she developed a STEM enrichment program. They discuss pivotal moments in Julie's facilitation career, including a transformative professional development session and a human-centered design retreat she led for school administrators. Julie emphasizes the importance of icebreakers, observation, and incorporating play and movement into sessions to foster engagement and psychological safety. The episode highlights Julie's commitment to building strong, connected teams through thoughtful facilitation.
Nate Hughes, a technology executive, discovered the transformative power of facilitation through his evolving leadership role at Detroit Labs. Initially subtle, his facilitation skills became essential as he transitioned from individual contributor to engineering leader. Recognizing the need for structured development, Hughes pursued formal training, including systems like Crucial Conversations™ and Getting Things Done™. His journey led him to Voltage Control’s certification program, profoundly shifting his approach to leadership and collaboration. Embracing facilitation unlocked his team's potential, fostering innovation and empowerment. Hughes now champions facilitation, aiming to drive meaningful change within his organization and beyond.
At the Facilitation Lab Summit, Solomon Masala's workshop, "Using Art and Conversation for Convergence," captivated participants with hands-on activities designed to enhance teamwork and communication. The session began with an engaging boomwhacker drumming exercise, setting a rhythmic tone for the day. Solomon emphasized aligning activities with workshop objectives, blending didactic and kinesthetic learning. Key exercises included a team organization challenge and a collaborative star-drawing task, highlighting trust and coordination. The workshop concluded with a creative tableau exercise, fostering innovative thinking and deep reflection. Attendees left inspired to integrate these dynamic methods into their facilitation practices.
Collaborative leadership is key to navigating rapid change, fostering innovation, engagement, and shared decision-making. Measuring its success involves setting clear goals and metrics aligned with organizational strategies. Utilize frameworks like SMART goals or OKRs to define targets. Key metrics include decision-making speed, employee engagement, and idea diversity. Monitor progress with surveys, interviews, observations, and performance metrics. Assess collaboration health by examining trust, communication, and conflict management. Celebrate achievements to sustain morale and foster continuous learning. By adopting these strategies, organizations can enhance collaborative leadership's impact and navigate uncertainty with agility and resilience.
In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, Douglas Ferguson talks with Jim Kalbach, Chief Evangelist at MURAL and author, about his facilitation journey and expertise in mapping. Jim shares a pivotal experience leading a workshop at LexisNexis and how it propelled his career. He discusses the influence of room setup on collaboration, the power of visual maps for team alignment, and his interest in Wardley maps. Jim also reflects on the evolution of facilitation with technology, the shift to remote workshops, and the future of facilitation as a widespread skill. The episode emphasizes the transformative role of facilitation and visual tools in improving group collaboration.
Alda Santana's transformative journey from a novice health educator to a confident facilitator and trainer is a testament to the power of continuous learning and community support. Inspired by an impactful training session led by Stephanie, Alda pursued the Facilitation Certification through Voltage Control. This certification not only equipped her with essential skills but also reignited her passion for educating, facilitating, and training. Alda highlights the importance of trust, community, and understanding one's "why" in effective facilitation. Her story underscores that facilitation is an art of continuous growth and self-discovery, fostering connections and inspiring change.
