Learn tips and tricks from two master facilitators


I’m excited to announce that I’m co-hosting a 1-day Facilitation Master Class with Daniel Stillman. This workshop-style facilitation training will be held in Austin on May 22, 2019, as part of Control the Room, our 1st annual facilitator summit. Daniel and I will be sharing some of our biggest facilitation secrets. Whether you are just getting started or looking to build on your facilitation skills, you don’t want to miss this. Reserve your spot here.

Daniel Stillman and group

The Workshop

In this fun, fast-paced, hands-on workshop, you’ll sharpen your facilitation skills through practice and peer feedback. Daniel and I will lead you through various methods, teaching why and how they work. You’ll get facilitation tips and tricks and learn how to incorporate these techniques into everyday meetings. You’ll end the day with a new way of looking at facilitating and the confidence to approach it with renewed energy and optimism.

It’s not just about a bigger toolbox, but developing internal resources that you can draw on to be a master facilitator.

What to Expect:

  • The workshop will be activity-based with facilitation simulations and collaborative sessions. You’ll have the chance to try new facilitation approaches in a safe space.
  • We won’t just talk at you — you’ll learn through doing, work with other participants, and get feedback.
  • There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so you can learn from our experience running hundreds of workshops at some of the world’s largest enterprises.

(Reach out to me at info@voltagecontrol.co if you can’t attend the Control the Room and want to buy tickets to the workshop.)

Daniel Stillman speaking to group

Workshop Topics:

  • The Conversation OS
  • Building Agendas
  • Liberating Structures
  • Visual Facilitation Techniques
  • Icebreakers, Energizers, and Eye-openers
  • Plus: Attendee’s Choice Bonus Methods! (Got something you’ve been wanting to learn or get more clarity on? Let us know in our onboarding questionnaire.)
Daniel at work
Douglas at work
Douglas at work
Douglas Ferguson and Daniel Stillman are hosting a master class in facilitation techniques.
Douglas Ferguson and Daniel Stillman are hosting a master class in facilitation techniques.

You’ll Learn How to:

  • Manage difficult people
  • Juggle the multiple roles you have to play
  • Lead group synthesis of complex data
  • Approach group work mindfully
  • Transform your workshop planning using a narrative framework

Wait…what’s facilitation?
Facilitators lead and guide teams through important gatherings (think: “lockdowns,” working sessions, strategic meetings, etc.) to achieve better outcomes. They are skilled at developing focused agendas, leading collaborative activities, remaining impartial, and keeping participants on task. Even if you are not a professional facilitator, many of us have to play the role of facilitator at key moments in our day-to-day work. Here’s your chance to learn tools to do it more successfully.

Who should attend?

Most people could benefit, no matter what your job is. But we think this conference will be especially relevant for Scrum Masters, business owners, team leaders, meeting facilitators, strategy consultants, negotiators, managers, and design thinkers. If you run meetings, daily standups, workshops, or other important work gatherings, you’ll learn a ton.



The Backstory

I first met Daniel when we were both speaking at the Google Sprint Conference. I was instantly a fan — he is a master facilitator and a generous human, two things that I really dig. It didn’t take long before we were engaged in deep conversations on facilitation methods and conversation theory. (If you haven’t seen his conversation OS, you’ve got to check it out.)

During one of our epic facilitation exchanges, we birthed the idea of doing a workshop together. I’m looking forward to facilitating alongside Daniel and blending our perspectives into a holistic program that will deepen your practice.


Daniel Stillman

About Daniel

Daniel designs conversations for a living. An independent design facilitator and coach, he works with leaders, teams and organizations to frame and sustain productive and collaborative conversations, refreshing their facilitation skills and coaching them through the innovation process. He’s worked with clients of all shapes and sizes, from Fortune 500 organizations like Capital One, Priceline and Marriott to non-profits and government agencies like The Institute of International, UNICEF and The NYC Public School Innovation Lab on product, service and organizational innovation.

He hosts The Conversation Factory podcast and is the author of the upcoming book, “How Conversations Work” a handbook for changemakers and innovators

Douglas Ferguson

About Douglas

Douglas is an entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 20 years of experience. He is president of Voltage Control, an Austin-based workshop agency that specializes in Design Sprints and innovation workshops. 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.