Facilitation Lab: Play Forward! A Creative and Improvisational Approach

Beth Slazak and Jane Fischer, Creative Education Foundation

In order for groups to work together effectively & creatively, a supportive climate and a curious mindset must be established. Creativity and improvisation can help break down barriers, encourage openness, and boost creative confidence.

Together we will actively explore and experience insights and exercises from the practice of improvisation, the process of creativity and creative thinking, and the principles of play. The activities and exercises are structured to introduce laughter, curiosity, and flexibility, unleashing a climate that nurtures and supports creative thinking. With this mindset and climate, problems can be solved faster, opportunities can be fully explored, and deeper relationships can be created. Prepare to play, learn, and be open to the experience!

Date

June 8, 2023

Time

1pm - 3pm CT​

Location

Live Online

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What to expect

What to Expect

We offer opportunities for facilitators to gather in a safe judgement-free zone to learn from experts and one another. Our community offers many levels of engagement and exclusive resources for facilitators, whether you are a beginner or a Master Facilitator. Our weekly Facilitation Lab makes up 5 key segments: impromptu networking, our guest facilitator session activity, community critique, a weekly giveaway, & After Hours. Come & network with facilitators from around the globe and expand your facilitator toolbelt from each Lab experience!

What You'll Learn

Ever left a session and remembered all the content of all the sticky notes? Nope, most of us don’t. Ever left a session and remembered a few key concepts the group had named? “Hmmm, should we try out ‘The Big Swing’ or ‘The Guaranteed Garden’?” Organizing, and then naming concepts is a key facilitator skill. We use it to kick-start sense-making, enable strategic decisions, and leverage playful engagement. In this workshop, you’ll tease apart the foundational elements: narratives and taxonomies in order to deepen your logic modeling craft. You’ll also practice naming the contents of a logic model and reflect on when in your work you apply this method.

How You'll Learn

The workshop will be activity-based with facilitation simulations and collaborative sessions. You’ll recognize, practice, and design your workshops based on key learning experience design principles. 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 in real-time from a master facilitator with tons of experience running hundreds of workshops at some of the world’s largest institutions and enterprises.

Agenda

Impromptu Networking

Engage with everyone in the community during a quick round of introductions to network and begin our time together

Guest Facilitator Session

Experience the lead facilitator's activity & method to engage together as a community.

Rose, Thorn, Bud Critique

Share your feedback as a community and offer expressions of tangible takeaways to our lead facilitator.

After Hours

Stay awhile & chat post-session about your experience in the Lab.

Who Should Attend

Team Managers & Leads

who want to learn more & benefit from the power of facilitation practice

UX Designers

who want to expand their facilitation skillset while gaining inspiration of new approaches

Experienced & New Facilitators

who want to level up their facilitation skills and enhance their facilitation tool belt

Teachers

who want to gain feedback & uncover new resources with forward-thinking activities

Key Takeaways

Discover what withholds are getting in the way of your life, career, and intimacy

Learn how to transform a Raw Withhold into a Skilled Withhold

Get a peek into the most advanced conscious communication skills training available

Practice a facilitation skill to have a room of crickets speak up

This event has ended

Interested in hearing when this workshop will occur next?

Chris Federer

Chris has helped design and facilitate Unconferences, Design Sprints, Team Alignment, Kickoffs, Business Strategy, and Collaboration Training for companies such as Dell, Alliant Insurance, Snap, and FAI just to name a few. His previous roles include Design Sprint Facilitator, Community Builder, UX Designer, Program Director, and Event Director.

Beth Slazak

Beth Slazak is the Director of Programs and Education at the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), and is a seasoned Creative Problem Solving (CPS) and Improv facilitator and trainer. Mrs. Slazak earned MS from the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College and her MBA from D’Youville University. She manages program and event logistics as Education Manager for the Creative Education Foundation. Mrs. Slazak has trained professionals at conferences around the world including: MindCamp, Toronto, Canada; CREA, Sestri Levanti, Italy; Florida Creativity Conference, Sarasota, FL; Creativity Expert Exchange, Buffalo, NY; Next Idea Conference, Litchfield, CT; Geneva Creativity Center, Batavia, NY; and CPSI, Buffalo, NY. She serves on the Board of the Association for Applied Therapeutic Humor, where she also served as Director of the 3-year certification program. She is trained in CPS, Applied Improv, Faith and Creativity, Resiliency Training, Growth Mindset Training, Play and Creativity, and Humor in the Work Place.

Jane Fischer

Jane Fischer is a Creativity Trainer at the Creative Education Foundation (CEF). She brings over two decades of experience in organizing and delivering educational and professional development workshops, training curricula, and group experience activities. Jane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Ithaca College, a Master of Arts in Health Arts and Sciences from Goddard College, and a Graduate Certificate of Advanced Study from the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State University. Jane’s work is built on a combination of her lifelong passions: humor, imagination, and helping others. Her passion is to help others explore and grow through the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets of creativity and applied improvisation. She has been an improv comedy performer for 20 years, currently with ComedySportz Buffalo. In addition to working directly with businesses, organizations, and colleges, Jane has been honored to present keynote presentations and interactive workshops for numerous conferences and events. She holds certifications as a Facilitator of Lego® Serious Play® Methods & Materials, as a FourSight® Mindset and Thinking Profile Facilitator, and as a Laugha-Yoga Leader.
What People Are Saying

"I always enjoy the opportunity to network with other facilitators in the Facilitation Lab. I've gained so much knowledge from other attendees' insights & experiences each and every week in our community."

Anonymous

Facilitation Lab Attendee

Apply for a Diversity Scholarship

A key part of our mission is to support diverse facilitators from different methodologies, backgrounds, races, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, and ages. If you are a part of, or serve, a traditionally underrepresented group and feel that this scholarship would allow you to amplify this mission, please apply now.

Photo Disclaimer

Please note that photographs, video & audio recordings will be taken throughout this event. These will be used by Voltage Control for marketing and publicity in our publications, on our website and in social media, or in any third-party publication. Please contact us via email if you have any concerns or if you wish to be exempted from this activity.​

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.