Facilitation Lab
Facilitation Lab Columbus
Practice Playground
With Julie McManus and Daniela Lohse
In Partnership With MBA Research and Curriculum Center
Bring your real challenges. Leave with new insights, confidence, and skills.
Whether you’re a seasoned facilitator or just getting started, Facilitation Lab is your sandbox for solving real problems with facilitation. This isn’t theory—it’s live, collaborative practice.
Each session follows Practice Playground, a dynamic format where participants take turns facilitating and role-playing through real-world challenges. It’s a low-stakes, high-support space designed to help you grow fast.
Got a workshop you’re designing? A team dynamic you’re navigating? A tricky moment you want to handle better next time? Use the structured activity to explore those challenges, get feedback, and discover what works.
Here’s how to make the most of your session:
The best part? You’ll be learning with others who are passionate about creating better collaboration, just like you.
MBA Research and Curriculum Center has graciously agreed to allow use their
conference room for the remainder of the year. We believe it is more centrally located
than other locations we’ve used.
Please make sure to park in the back of the facility and come in the back door. Access
directly from King Avenue is limited.
Whether you’re a seasoned facilitator or just getting started, Facilitation Lab is your sandbox for solving real problems with facilitation. This isn’t theory—it’s live, collaborative practice.
Each session follows Practice Playground, a dynamic format where participants take turns facilitating and role-playing through real-world challenges. It’s a low-stakes, high-support space designed to help you grow fast.
Got a workshop you’re designing? A team dynamic you’re navigating? A tricky moment you want to handle better next time? Use the structured activity to explore those challenges, get feedback, and discover what works.
Here’s how to make the most of your session:
- Come with a real facilitation challenge you’re working through.
- Step into the facilitator role, or play along and offer thoughtful feedback.
- Leave with not just ideas—but actual progress on something that matters.
The best part? You’ll be learning with others who are passionate about creating better collaboration, just like you.
MBA Research and Curriculum Center has graciously agreed to allow use their
conference room for the remainder of the year. We believe it is more centrally located
than other locations we’ve used.
Please make sure to park in the back of the facility and come in the back door. Access
directly from King Avenue is limited.
Interested in a private cohort for your team?
Let us know
Featured in the Lab
We’ll be practicing The Party Exercise. Through the Party Exercise, we’ll spark a growth
mindset, expand creative thinking, and shift into a proactive, positive mode. We’ll explore
divergent and convergent thinking and apply the learning to overcome creative blocks.
mindset, expand creative thinking, and shift into a proactive, positive mode. We’ll explore
divergent and convergent thinking and apply the learning to overcome creative blocks.
About Facilitation Lab Columbus
Facilitation Lab Columbus is a monthly in-person meetup for changemakers, collaborative leaders, and facilitators across Columbus. Our purpose is to foster learning by doing in a psychologically safe environment, building a strong and supportive community of peers across the region.
As Regional Lead, Daniela and Julie cultivate a space for experimentation and collaborative leadership development, with a focus on people-powered organizational change.
Facilitation Lab Columbus is a global network of regions, including other virtual meetups organized by continent and in-person meetups organized by cities. See the region list for a full list of all active meetups.
You can also join us in the Facilitation Lab Community Hub to stay connected with the facilitation community and get reminders of all upcoming events.
Agenda
Opener
An attendee will lead us through an engaging opener
Practice & Role Play
Attendees take turns role-playing as facilitators and participants as we practices different methods
Debrief
After some quiet reflection we’ll debrief the role-play and key learnings
Closer
An attendee will lead us through a purposeful closer
Who Should Attend
Experienced & New Facilitators
Who want to level up their facilitation skills and enhance their ability to effectively engage participants
Chiefs of Staff
Who want to align initiatives across departments and ensure strategic projects are implemented successfully
Product & Project Managers
Who want to steer stakeholders to the best outcomes and learn best practices in stakeholder management
Teachers & Trainers
Who want to design the most impactful learning and create engaging learning experiences
Key Takeaways
Gain hands-on experience with a spectrum of facilitation techniques, from classic to cutting-edge.
Receive immediate, constructive feedback in a nurturing environment to refine your facilitation skills.
Explore the depths of your existing facilitation knowledge and boost your confidence through low-stakes practice sessions.
Realize the potential to learn from anyone, appreciating the value of diverse experiences and perspectives.
Featured Facilitators
Julie McManus
Julie McManus is globally recognized leadership expert and senior executive with over 40 years of experience transforming organizations from the inside out. Julie brings both a strategic lens and lived experiences to her work – shaped by years in teaching, coaching, operations, and transformation across diverse industries and cultures. She has worked with more than 50 companies across 5 continents, from start-ups to global giants like, Johnson & Johnson, Westpac Bank and DeBeers. Julie has spent her career helping companies unlock potential by streamlining operations, boosting operations, and elevating leadership at every level. She has consistently delivered measurable results and multiple millions in savings to her clients. Her approach blends practical know-how, tough love, and people centered leadership which consistently leads to better results, smoother operations and stronger teams. Known for her visionary thinking and grounded approach, Julie is a lead-by-example change agent who empowers teams to thrive. Whether training frontline teams or coaching executives, her impact is seen in the quality of results, the clarity of direction, and the increased confidence and competence of those she leads, trains and coaches.
Daniela Lohse
Daniela helps small business owners cut through the noise, gain clarity, and grow with confidence. Drawing on 25+ years leading strategy, innovation, and transformation inside national and global Fortune-ranked companies, she brings big-company expertise to entrepreneurs who want to work smarter, not harder.
In Partnership With
MBA Research and Curriculum Center
MBA Research and Curriculum Center is dedicated to supporting educators in the preparation of students for careers in the areas of business management, finance, marketing, hospitality and tourism management, and entrepreneurship. Established in 1971, we are a not- for-profit operated and governed by a consortium of state education departments.
What People Are Saying
"The community’s warmth and generosity in tending to me and the issue made me feel cared for and supported. Beyond the suggestions, which were immediately useful, the culture of the community makes leaning into that growth edge easier, and more delightful."
Katrina Mitchell
Senior Technical Advisor, JHPiego
“I just wanted to say thanks for the great session last night. Your feedback and suggestions were fantastic. I left very energized!"
Dan Corbin
Instructor at Pragmatic Institute
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 our events manager if you have any concerns or if you wish to be exempted from this activity.