“You can talk the talk all you want, but the group is going to know if you’re not walking the walk. As the facilitator, you have to be the one that’s ready to lead in what you’re asking them to do.”- Caterina Rodriguez

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. Cat 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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About the Guest

Caterina Rodriguez is a facilitator, consultant, and strategic leader dedicated to helping organizations build inclusive, change-ready cultures. With a background in program and learning design, facilitation, and organizational change, Caterina specializes in designing experiences that foster collaboration, co-creation, and meaningful outcomes. As the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Continuous Learning at ADL, she leads learning and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen organizational effectiveness. In her consulting work, Caterina designs and facilitates experiences that foster collaboration, co-creation, and strategic alignment to help teams navigate complexity and drive lasting impact. From guiding executive teams through complex change to developing large-scale programs, facilitating high-stakes conversations, and equipping teams with facilitation tools and leadership skills, Caterina enables organizations to build capacity for alignment, collaboration, and long-term success.

About Voltage Control

Voltage Control is a facilitation academy that develops leaders through certifications, workshops, and organizational coaching focused on facilitation mastery, innovation, and play. Today’s leaders are confronted with unprecedented uncertainty and complex change. Navigating this uncertainty requires a systemic facilitative approach to gain clarity and chart pathways forward. We prepare today’s leaders for now and what’s next.

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Transcript

Douglas Ferguson:

Hi, I’m Douglas Ferguson. Welcome to the Facilitation Lab podcast where I speak with voltage control certification alumni and other facilitation experts about the remarkable impact they’re making.

We embrace a method-agnostic approach so you can enjoy a wide range of topics and perspectives as we examine all the nuances of enabling meaningful group experiences. This series is dedicated to helping you navigate the realities of facilitating collaboration, ensuring every session you lead becomes truly transformative.

Thanks so much for listening. If you’d like to join us for a live session sometime, you can join our facilitation lab community. It’s an ideal space to apply what you learn in the podcast in real time with peers. Sign up today at voltagecontrol.com/facilitation-lab.

And if you’d like to learn more about our 12-week facilitation certification program, you can read about it at voltagecontrol.com.

Today I’m with Caterina Rodriguez, a facilitator, consultant, and strategic leader dedicated to helping organizations build inclusive change ready cultures. Cat serves as the director of strategic initiatives and continuous learning at ADL, where she leads learning and capacity building initiatives to strengthen organizational effectiveness.

In her consulting work, Cat specializes in designing and facilitating experiences that foster collaboration, co-creation, and strategic alignment, helping teams navigate complexity and drive lasting change. Welcome to the show, Cat.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Thanks so much for having me, Douglas. Excited to be here.

Douglas Ferguson:

So great to have you. To get started, let’s hear a little bit about how you started your facilitation journey.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, so I’ll go back to right as I started working after I graduated grad school, and I had just started as a program manager at ADL. And I was in charge of both managing some of our anti-bias education programs locally, but I also would sometimes go out and facilitate them myself.

And that was the first time that I had ever facilitated, not presented, or given a training or a talk, where the majority of the program was actually focused on creating discussions, walking the groups through really interactive activities. And I remember getting onboarded to deliver these programs, and it blew my mind a little bit. I had never, not just not facilitated, I had never been in a session that was facilitated up to that point. Every experience I had had, had been very much kind of the talking at you, presenting at you style,

Douglas Ferguson:

What blew your mind the most?

Caterina Rodriguez:

Honestly, seeing the difference in the amount of engagement from participants, and the fact that by the end of the session, they had done just as much, if not actually a whole lot more talking than I had, and something inside of me clicked. I just went, that felt right. It wasn’t, I’m here to teach you what I know, but rather all of a sudden I kind of noticed this shift of, I’m here to help you uncover what you already know and what you’ve experienced, and then start to become a little bit more aware of, okay, then how do I continue growing from where I’m currently at?

And so all of a sudden it became less about me and more about the group that I was working with. And that felt super right, because I had never thought about learning being this co-creative process, versus the more traditional style of learning, which is more, there’s one or two people, right? They hold some kind of expertise, and you just get all the knowledge that you need from them.

But I think when it comes to anything like whether it’s, you know, anti-bias education at the time, or now a lot more, you know, learning and development or organizational effectiveness work that I do, a lot of that is really around the messiness of people. And so it’s really not nearly as effective to talk at people about that messiness rather than actually helping them explore that messiness, if that makes sense.

Douglas Ferguson:

It does. I want to come back to your point about it feeling right. When did you first notice that feeling? Was it when you were in the training, and learning these techniques, and how they were going to structure the time with students? Or was it when you were facilitating it for the first time? Or like when did you notice that?

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, so during the onboarding when I was getting trained, I think it was just a whole lot of anxiety. So that was definitely not the moment that it felt right. It was just a totally new approach to me. So I was absorbing. And we had tons of space to practice, but I think that always an onboarding always feels kind of like, okay, well this is artificial, so of course it’s going to go in a nice way.

For me, it clicked the first time that I actually got out into the field, where I was working through my agenda with the students, and all of a sudden I noticed that it became a group conversation, and things were starting to surface that weren’t necessarily directly related to the question I asked, but rather things were building up and up and up and people were responding to what other people were saying, and digging a little bit deeper and asking questions of each other. And so for me, it was the first time that I actually got out on the field and worked with the group.

I’m painting a very idyllic picture. It did not go perfectly right at all, but just the drastic shift in experiencing that was really wild. And so after that first time I was hooked. I was super hungry to really start to take facilitation more of as a craft versus just, you know, this is just a particular style in which I deliver this specific program for this specific organization. And so I started to, kind of, start to pay attention to facilitation is something more than just how to do something, but rather a whole, you know, mindset shift, approach shift, externally. I hadn’t quite yet, because now in my current role, I’m fully internal at the time, right? I was still associating facilitation with this is how I work with external stakeholders. And it hadn’t quite sunk in that this is just in general an approach to working with people regardless of whether they’re on my team, outside of the organization, so on and so forth.

So yeah, I would say the first time I went out in the field was when it clicked, but it was also when I very quickly realized I had a whole lot more to learn and practice.

Douglas Ferguson:

Coming back to those feelings of anxiety during the training and prep, how much of this new way of working, or the mystery of like approaching training in this way, how much did that have an impact in the anxiety or the uncertainty?

Caterina Rodriguez:

I mean a whole lot, honestly. It really leans into all the skills that, I think traditionally they’re called soft skills, when honestly they’re just leadership skills, right? And so the unfamiliarity with facilitation as a style, as an approach, as a practice was a big part of it. Because it was two things that I was learning. It was the content and the kind of the subject matter piece of the programs while at the same time learning how to deliver it in an entirely different way.

And for me, the subject matter, that’s easy, right? You study, you learn it, you’re good. But learning an entirely different way to engage groups, that takes time to craft and to kind of find your authentic voice. Because that was another piece too, that because it was so new to me and I was immediately implementing it on the ground at the same time, I was still looking at some of the other facilitators I was working with because we always did it in a co-facilitation pair. And so, I was trying to pull from the best things that I was noticing, but I hadn’t quite found my own authentic facilitation style and voice. I was still mimicking for a long time.

Douglas Ferguson:

What helped you move past the mimicking? Were there steps that led to something that felt more authentic?

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, honestly, a lot of trial and error, and this is going to sound really funny, trial and error with actual groups of participants. So one of the things that, you know, I’ll come back to that I so appreciate now about voltage controls or community of practice, but I didn’t have that back then. There were no spaces to practice, to unpack, to ask questions of facilitation as a practice.

I just got out there a lot in my role as a program manager. I didn’t necessarily have to be out in the field facilitating that much. We had a core group of independent contractors that we would deploy, but I liked getting out there. And so I would co-facilitate quite a bit.

And it was through a lot of trial and error and feeling and seeing the reactions of the groups to me, that kind of started to cue me in on that I wasn’t bringing my authentic self into it. And that is a very hard realization, all of a sudden, to notice that the group you’re working with is kind of almost calling your bluff a little bit.

I started to just kind of take a little more risks in terms of just showing up as myself. I wasn’t trying to be as gentle as maybe the facilitator that comes off as almost like a super caretaker. I wasn’t trying to be the most boisterous, like hilarious comedian in the room. I wasn’t trying to be the most elevated of subject matter experts. I just kind of showed up as Cat, and all of a sudden I started to realize that participants were responding to me entirely differently. They were starting to feel like they were making genuine connections with me. And I noticed that in the work itself, it started to lead to much more interesting conversations, because all of a sudden they noticed that I wasn’t performing. They noticed that I was just there to connect with them and help them connect with each other, if that makes sense.

Douglas Ferguson:

It does. And you know, it’s much easier for people to connect when we’re able to model what connection is like.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Definitely. That is, honestly, the biggest thing in facilitation across the board. Whether it was previously leading anti-bias education programs or now doing a lot of organizational effectiveness work, it is about authentic connection across the board, because that is going to be what kind of… You can say that you’ve designed a container or a space for people to come in and you know, build up that trust and do these things together.

But you can talk the talk all you want. The group is going to know if you’re not walking the walk, essentially. And I do think as the facilitator creating that container, you have to be the one that’s ready to lead in what you’re asking them to do, at the end of the day. So for me, modeling that connection is huge.

Douglas Ferguson:

You know, I was thinking about the comment you made earlier on the shift between anti-bias to org effectiveness, and I’m curious what led to that shift? What gave you the inspiration and confidence and what were the bricks that were laid to get you there?

Caterina Rodriguez:

So I had started to get a little bit involved with helping deliver our Train the Trainer, which is our internal onboarding program when we hire new staff or new independent contractors for our programming. And so I became part of the behind the scenes team that helps people learn about facilitation, and I absolutely loved it.

Quickly thereafter, I shifted from being on our regional team to our national education team, and that’s when I became the director of our anti-bias programs. And half of my job was around the program management piece, but the other half became very quickly a lot of this internal onboarding and capacity building for facilitating our programming. And that was my favorite part of the job. Like, I absolutely adored starting to work more internally to teach people about facilitation and create spaces for them to practice, start to bring to the team new designs and methods that were out there. Or in the anti-bias field, you’re leading really fraught conversations that have only gotten more polarized with time.

Starting to think about how do I help staff and contractors be able to lean into the inevitable conflict and uncertainty that’s going to come up in those spaces, with practices like how do we ask curious questions, how do we reframe, how do we actually throw it back to the group? And use the wisdom of the group, things like that to help the group probe deeper as opposed to constantly having them turn to you. Like you hold all the answers, so what do you think?

I fell in love with teaching people about facilitation. And that part of my portfolio, although it wasn’t my primary role at the time, kept expanding and expanding. So first it started with helping with the Train the Trainer. Then I started leading the Train the Trainer, Covid hit, and I completely redesigned it to be delivered virtually once Covid hit.

And that then kind of stepped me into a completely different echelon of thinking about facilitation, because I’ve been remote since 2018, but there wasn’t a lot of that being done virtually. I was still traveling to help lead Train the Trainers, and then Covid hit and I was like, oh, I now have to reimagine this craft that I absolutely am in love with, into doing it completely virtually. And that’s a whole different beast. That was a really, really fun process to basically have to redesign from the ground up, how do you train people on facilitation, which a lot of people have this concept, oh, you got to be in person and you do the cool things with the sticky notes on the wall, right? To at the time, not just going virtually, but teaching people how to be interactive on Zoom, and how do we do breakouts and this and that. So it took on a whole different technical meeting.

At the same time that I was redesigning this program, I was also having to teach myself a whole lot more about technology than I ever knew. And I’m very much a person that learns by doing. So it’s funny because at the time I look back and think about my biggest anxiety was not even around training facilitators, it was around the virtual piece. And now a majority of the facilitation I do is virtual. And that has started to feel a whole lot more natural to me, because there’s some interesting things around the virtual settings and dynamics that are at play or not at play. But all that to say, I think I started to, the biggest building block was starting to go from helping out with our Train the Trainer to leading it to then redesigning it.

Organically I just started to get more involved in kind of the learning and development side of things. So if someone in our department writes some part of our team released a new piece of content or updated one of our programs or things like that, I would often work with those stakeholders to think about, how do we bring that to our staff in a way that’s engaging and interactive. We don’t just sit them down for a 45-minute PD or professional development session, where we just talk at them and say, here’s the things we updated, or here’s the new information now go do, right? It would be okay, how do we think about you present bite-sized pieces of information and we have an experience, to experience the impact of the thing that we’re going to be asking them to then take to their stakeholders, to the schools, and the campuses, and the community organizations that they partner with on the ground across the regional offices.

So I slowly started to get more involved with the learning and development side of things. And that kind of just continued to grow until last, about almost a year ago now, I really shifted into a fully internal role and stepped away from my program director role where now I sit at this really cool intersection of learning and development program design and organizational effectiveness facilitation. And so it’s fun because I am still housed in my education department with a team that I adore, but I kind of almost act as a consultant to the other departments across the organization, where I basically bring them my expertise on facilitation to help them either deliver information to the organization or recreate their own programs where they’re engaging different stakeholders externally.

It’s been really neat to kind of become this internal, almost like a capability builder, where we’re really trying to help the folks across the organization engage whatever stakeholders they work with in much more effective and interesting ways.

Douglas Ferguson:

What’s been the reception across the organization to this kind of capacity building or even this consultative approach to where you’re providing these abilities? What have you been noticing as far as the reactions and how willing they are to embrace this as an alternative?

Caterina Rodriguez:

I think that at first, people were, no one was ever really resistant. It was more of like, I don’t know what to expect of this. So I think it was just more a little bit of uncertainty and curiosity, and also on my end too. So it’s a brand new role that has never existed, kind of building it as we go kind of deal. And so it also just required a lot of flexibility and nimbleness, to kind of see what comes of it.

As I’ve been working with teams, it’s been really fun because once we’re on the other side of it, they’re like, holy crap, that was really cool and really amazing. And once I’m on the other side of it, I’m like, holy crap, I had no idea that this is what you were doing. We always hear just very high level readouts from different departments. I mean, it’s an organization of I think about 500 people, so it’s not a small one.

And then there’s the other piece too, that in like any good nonprofit setting, we are all probably juggling two to three roles at once. And so, at the end of the day too, anyone is always really happy to get extra capacity or help to do something or help them think about something in a different way. So it’s been really neat.

It’s still a very new role, and we are still very much figuring out how does it show up in different spaces across ADL. But my favorite part of it is that it truly is like this internal consultant. So every project is different. It’s a different puzzle piece to solve, not just because it might be either a different team or different content. Sometimes it’s the same team, but because it’s more about enabling people to do their work better together, it just becomes a whole different beast, right? Like it’s not repetitive, it’s not monotonous. There’s always something new bubbling to the surface to work through or to think about or get curious about.

I would say that that’s been my favorite piece, is just that it is not boring. It’s never the same week to week, which I love. And it’s also one of the things that I love, I think, about consulting as well, is that every project is different because everyone has a different messy human challenge to solve.

Douglas Ferguson:

Yeah. Your point about there not being a lot of pushback and that it was people seeking more clarity or more certainty around what it is. I’d say that most of the time when I see pushback from individuals, it’s because they lack the clarity and certainty of what the thing is.

And so that might, how they show up for you as more curious versus more just blatantly pushing back, I think might be culturally or an impact of the culture there. But I’m just kind of curious what advice you would have for folks wanting to grow or offer up a service like this with inside of their company. Like what were some of the things that were successful or that you would just recommend people will tend to as they’re thinking about setting something like this up?

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, definitely. Once, I’ll take one step back. I think a couple pieces. One is definitely the culture too, is I had been there at the time back then for already seven and a half years. So I’ve also built a ton of trust across the organization. And so I think, having those trusted relationships. Now, fast forwarding to your question about what are some tips or pieces of advice I may have for folks that want to do more of this internally, is first, especially if you’re not new to a place and you don’t have relationships developed, start building those relationships, not just within your team, but outside of them.

So join those optional calls that are hosted by other departments, or come to critical cross-departmental conversations and offer up ideas or offer up hard questions that we need to explore. And I would say probably one of the biggest things in my journey, where I noticed a really different shift in how our own leadership team started to look at the value that I brought to the organization, is when there have been really sticky challenges that have come up internally and there’s disagreement in how to solve for them, or how to move forward.

I went from being reflective and a little quieter and going like, okay, this is how we’re going to do things, regardless of what I think too. I started to become pretty vocal, but I did it in a very solutions oriented way. So I would step into these spaces with my peers or with leaders and say, you know, I’m not so sure about that and here’s why, but I’m curious though what you think about this instead. Or, you know, I don’t know if that would work or not. Honestly, here’s where my head was at instead. And like, let’s explore, you know, where the delta is and why we’re thinking about this differently. And I started to engage in conversations.

I think there’s an interesting balance to strike between just being a “yes” person and being, you know, just completely negative all the time about things that you’re not in a hundred percent alignment with. I guess what I’m trying to say is I really started to practice, I think one of my key mantras for myself and facilitation is commitment over consensus. So I started to unpack conversations and push back and suggest and recommend things, not because I wanted everyone to think the same way as me, or I felt like I should think the same as them, but because I wanted us to understand all the different perspectives where we might have room to learn from each other and then start to create this path forward that made sense for everyone, right?

Everyone may not be a hundred percent in alignment or agreement about everything, but we’re all understanding where we’re at, where we’re headed, why we’re doing it that way. And so now you really lowered the barrier of resistance and you have buy-in for people to commit to those decisions, to that strategic path forward. And so that would be, for me, probably one of the biggest pieces of advice is to start strategically inserting your voice into critical conversations, both inside and outside of your team.

And then the other piece too is just getting curious in your conversations with people. So asking a whole lot more questions than you are, kind of making statements at, or telling people things. I think that also really helped shape the ways in which people expected me to show up, where I think all of a sudden I start entering spaces and people almost expected me to want to probe deeper, have these discussions, or explore and answer questions.

So yeah, I would say build relationships outside of your team, not just inside of your team. Start to build that trust, show up to spaces and use your voice in them, but use it strategically, right? And model the kind of effective curiosity that leads people to start to behave in a way where they’re starting to ask more questions and eventually starting to see, you know, how do we commit, despite the fact that we’re not all agreeing. Because especially in large teams, you very rarely are going to have a hundred percent consensus on sticky challenges.

Douglas Ferguson:

You know, I think that that’s an interesting phenomenon, because you know, consensus means agreement. And we can decide as a group what agreement means for us, and rarely does unanimity serve us well, right? And I think a lot of people hear agreement and they hear consensus and they think unanimity, when really there might be other protocols that might serve us better.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, no, that’s honestly so true. And it’s been, I think when I work, whether it’s internally or consulting, when I work with groups of people where there’s been some kind of breakdown along the way, oftentimes it’s because people are expecting unanimity in order to move forward. And I think that’s one of the most critical pieces or differentiators of facilitation, is the fact that we are not actually trying to achieve unanimity versus right.

When you do more like a presentation, you know, a speaking engagement kind of deal, or you approach it more in that way of a trainer style of, I have the right way and I’m going to equip you with that one right way. I think that’s when you start to allow for a whole lot more of the gray instead of the black and white. And that’s when you start to see a whole lot more nuance. And I think that’s the biggest piece is that we need to get people outside of the binary thinking of everything is a yes or a no, and realize that oftentimes most things actually lie somewhere in between, and that it’s okay for them to be there.

Douglas Ferguson:

You know, coming back to your model, your advice of building relationships, crafting a perspective, and you know, speaking up, sharing that perspective, as well as being curious. If you think about it, those things all layer on each other pretty well because it’s hard to have a perspective if you haven’t gotten really curious and have a lot of understanding about how things work.

And then also, if you’re building up relationships and trust and getting to know folks through curious questions, then you start to understand their perspectives and you can become an advocate for their perspectives as well. Maybe even elevate them at times. So you know, it’s interesting, those things you laid out all kind of feed into each other, and if you use them together, they’re kind of self-reinforcing versus kind of independent pillars.

Caterina Rodriguez:

A thousand percent. And honestly, when you use them all together too, you start to realize that you become very well aware of people’s motivations in the room, even though they may not know each other. So because you’ve gotten really curious and you’ve built these relationships, and you start to shut them up to these spaces and lead in ways that engage rather than dictate, all of a sudden, I know that this person who constantly pushes back is because they are fearful that any change is going to be at the detriment of our impact with our stakeholders, right? Or I know that this person is consistently quiet and doesn’t engage, not because they’re uninterested, but because oftentimes they feel like they don’t even have the space to think and process. And so they just kind of sit back trying to catch up on everything that’s happened.

And all of a sudden you start to, as you build these relationships, you start to be able to understand a lot of the personalities that come into the space and their motivations behind it. And so you’re able to, it’s kind of like you said, as you build these relationships, as you lean into these spaces more, and you build this trust, all of a sudden I’m able to follow up with even more curiosity, but that’s tailored at helping each other see these different motivations and realizing we’re all actually committed to the same thing. We’re just coming at it from very different places. And none of those places are right or wrong, they just are.

And it’s very similar to in consulting practices where I may only work with a group for a very short period of time, or sometimes it’s like a one and done kind of deal. And even though I may not have the time to build relationships with everyone that’s going to be in the space, because of my experiences and practices internally, I’ve become really attuned to the fact that I’m not making assumptions about anybody. And so I’m going to get really curious, right? If something comes up in the room, if there’s some kind of reaction, or some kind of interesting statement or question or a non-reaction, I’ll get really curious and I’ll dig into it and I’ll ask that question.

Because I think that when people start to see that you are not just trying to take them through a process, but actually you’re taking the time to see them as people, they become a whole lot more willing to enter that space and to engage in that space. I think it honestly is about the fact that a lot of people aren’t used to the practice of being seen in a professional setting, right? It’s like, I’m heard, or I hear you, and that’s it. But to actually see someone and go beyond just kind of the surface level, we’re here to achieve this outcome and this is how we’re going to get there, versus, oh, but you may or may not be ready to completely go all that way because there’s something unresolved here, right?

It forces you to have to see people in their wholeness and not ask them to check themselves at the door, right? I think that’s the other big piece in professional settings is we’re expecting people to leave 75% of themselves at the door. You just bring like your brain with you to professionally engage versus actually know the space is meant for you to step inside of it fully and whatever surfaces is part of the process. I don’t expect you to check your emotions at the door. I don’t expect you to keep your disagreements to yourself. I don’t expect you to keep your fear or anxiety about what might be changing in the space to yourself.

I think when you invite people wholly, you start to see that they’re engaging wholly. But without that invitation, it’s not the norm. It’s not how we’ve created spaces in a professional setting before. And for me, that’s been one of the biggest pieces in being very intentional when I work with groups as a consultant versus internally, because like I said, internally have those relationships built. So when it’s groups that I don’t have those relationships with, how do I off the bat based off of my design, so how I’m designing the experience, how I think about the container I’m building, design becomes a whole lot more intentional there. And the decisions that I make around it before I even step in the door or in the virtual Zoom room.

Douglas Ferguson:

It’s all making me think about a comment you made earlier about the mindset shift versus just thinking about facilitation through techniques. And so, that’s making me more curious about that. What do these mindset shifts look like for you? What do you think is most important to acknowledge there?

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, the biggest shift for me was, if I’m stepping into a space as a facilitator, right? Not a trainer, not a speaker, as a facilitator, I don’t have to hold all the answers. And in fact, I shouldn’t be the one holding all the answers.

And that was a huge shift for me for a couple of reasons. I think internally, one, it takes the pressure off. I think there’s a lot of fear around saying to someone, I don’t know, I’m curious what you all think about that instead, right? I almost think that people see that as a kind of failure instead of actually using that as a way to get curious and empower other people to be the experts of their own work or experiences.

So for me, it actually became way less high stakes when I didn’t feel like I had to have all the answers. But the other piece too is, it models for groups, the idea that if I don’t have all the answers, then you know, there’s a reason why we’re here as a group and I can start to rely on the wisdom of the group. I always love to say the wisdom of the group is great. It’s better than just myself.

That’s a big one. A big mindset shift was that, you know, I’m here to be a guide. I’m not here to be the expert. And then another big mindset shift is, you know, the fact that curiosity only leads to more curiosity. I think that, when I first started facilitating, I was very, you know, by the book of the activities or the methods that I was doing, it’s like, okay, so in this part it says, I do this for five minutes and then I ask these three questions and then we move on. It was very prescriptive.

And then as I started to shift in my entire mindset about facilitation, I became way less attentive to the steps and much more attentive to what was happening in the space, what was emerging. And so what that might have looked like is, yeah, I took them through these steps and I’m actually just going to ask him what’s coming up? And then I’m just going to start to riff off of the comments that come up. All of a sudden it becomes way less prescriptive, way less of a performance, and it becomes much more of a conversation.

So I think that’s the other piece too, is that I’m there to have and guide conversations. You know, I’m there to ask questions that help lead them to their own answers. I am there to help them work through the messiness that humans bring into a space versus, you know, my main goal is not to be an expert at what you all are doing.

So that’s kind of the other big shift as a facilitator, is that all of a sudden I, it’s not that I had to be a subject matter expert, it’s that I had to be almost like a gathering expert, if that makes sense. You know, it’s been fun because in my consulting work, there’s been some projects I’ve done where, and groups I’ve worked before. I’m like, I know nothing, absolutely nothing about what you do, but what I do know is people and how people work or don’t work when you bring them together into groups. That’s been another big shift, is shifting away from being a subject matter expert to really being kind of this, almost a human centered gatherer, if that makes sense.

Douglas Ferguson:

It absolutely makes sense. And the shift from technique to people is certainly, I think a growth edge, the maturity moment for facilitators. And some people don’t get out of it, some people stay in that mode of, I’ve got the tool and I’m going to go around looking for opportunities for this tool. And then it typically goes, I’ve got a tool, and then I’ve got a toolkit of tools, and then that longing for more, like how can I be more connected? How can I drive deeper outcomes?

And sometimes I see people coming to those conclusions when the tools fail them, when there’s a great laid plan and things go a little wrong. Or maybe they barely land the plane, but they feel like they were lucky to do so. And then reflecting, they think there’s something more here. So I’m curious, what do you think propelled you on this journey of making this shift from being about the process or the tools to being about the people, or looking for this meta broader, more holistic kind of look?

Caterina Rodriguez:

So I think obviously in addition to kind of just going out there, testing things, some going well, some going not great, learning from it, this is actually really taking me back to before I even got into this space, before I started at ADL, before even I was doing social work operations work, I actually got my start in the theological space. So I was actually training to be a hospital chaplain. And there is nothing certain about theology. There is nothing certain about chaplaincy. In fact, the only certainty is uncertainty, right? And the only ways in which you really engage with people are around big questions that have no answers.

And so it was interesting because it’s almost like there were these two separate sides to me, right? It was like the piece around like what I know and the piece around what I practice. And what I knew I was very comfortable with being in the messy uncertainty, but professionally, that was not the way that I was trained to practice. By the time that I got to ADL and the time that I have been a program manager and all these things, I feel like in professional settings, we’re very much trained to lean into the certainties and keep things as binary as possible.

I remember that at a certain point, right as I was facilitating and like I said, trying things, testing things out, learning from those experiments and refining, I started to also realize that I had kind of compartmentalized that side of myself because it almost felt like the things that I was practicing and the habits that I had formed in my theological practice or in my chaplaincy practice, were almost not at all something of value to my professional career. It was, and I think that actually came about because once I shifted, a lot of people would ask me, oh, so like, do you ever even use that? Like, I’m sure you don’t.

And it’s almost like, you know, people react to something weirdly enough that all of a sudden it makes you start to question, oh, so is that like a weird thing, I guess that’s not relevant, you know, and maybe I should kind of like table that or felt that, you know, it’s almost like you want to hide that part of yourself because it almost makes you an “other.” And it was really interesting that fast forwarding and getting more and more into facilitation, which meant I was getting more and more back into, I am literally choosing to stand in the messiest part of human collaboration as a facilitator.

It started to bring back the, almost the purposeness that I felt, around what was at the heart of chaplaincy, but in a very different way. And so all of a sudden I found it was, it was like a light bulb moment where I was like, that’s, that’s how this connects to this, because I have stood in the uncertainty. In fact, that’s all that I ever used to know.

And that’s where I saw that people needed me most, not me as Cat, but me as like what I brought to the space and how I might have guided them through that moment. And that realization is, I think what really ultimately propelled me from being practice focused to being people focused. And my facilitation is kind of bringing that part of myself back, that I had really hit and then compartmentalize like really deeply in a professional sense.

Douglas Ferguson:

So Cat, I think that takes us to a stopping point, because we’re nearing our end of our time here together. And I’d like to give you an opportunity to leave our listeners with a final thought.

Caterina Rodriguez:

My final thought, I would say, is to take the time to not just invite people, but expect people. So what I mean by that is if you are a person that works with groups in any way, right? Whether it’s you call yourself a facilitator, you call yourself a manager, you call yourself a cross collaborator, whatever it may be, whether it’s internal or in a consulting capacity, do not invite people into these kinds of spaces unless you’re ready to actually fully engage with people and their wholeness. There’s nothing more frustrating than being told, I want to invite you in, but I don’t want to see or hear you, or I don’t want to see or hear those parts of you.

What I would say is lean into the uncertainty and the messiness of what it means to be human and collaborate humanly. Because when you take the human piece out of it, all you have left is empty process, if that makes sense. And that’s when you get people who are not connecting, who are not committing, who also are just not included. I would tell people that the only certainty of facilitation is uncertainty. The only certainty of working with people is that they’re going to be messy and unpredictable. And as facilitators, we have a very unique opportunity to be able to step into those moments that no one else would, and help make some magic happen.

Douglas Ferguson:

I love that. And I think one thing to remind folks of is that in order to do this, you have to have some hard conversations about what makes you as a person uncomfortable.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Oh, yeah. And that all starts with you, right? So if you are not keenly aware of what makes you uncomfortable and how you move through that, you’re not going to be able to do that for other people. It’s kind of almost like the mantra of, you can’t fill someone else’s cup before you fill your own, right? Or else you’re trying to pour from an empty cup or the airplane thing of like before you try and help someone with their own oxygen mask, put it on yourself. It’s the same thing with facilitation. If you have not done the work for yourself, you are not going to be prepared to do it for other people,

Douglas Ferguson:

Or you might dismiss or ignore someone that you know is going to behave in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or you find challenging. So you just find ways of engineering your process to avoid them.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Yeah, that’s so true. That’s the other thing about, there is such a thing as over-engineering, and it happens often in facilitation. And I think it happens because people are afraid of conflict, they’re afraid of tension, and oftentimes it’s in that conflict and tension that you’ll actually find the right path forward. Thinking about as conflict and tension almost being kind of your responsibility to actually tend to, versus something to ignore or dismiss or try to avoid.

And I think people will not be able to do that unless they see you model it first. I think that’s the other piece too, is as facilitators, we have to, like I said earlier, we truly have to be willing to model, to walk the walk. And so that’s the other piece around facilitation, is that there really is no destination point. It is truly an ongoing growth journey. There is no point in which I say, I’ve learned all the skills, I’ve learned all the methods. Every time that I facilitate, I’m learning something new. I’m taking questions back with me, and I am seeking out more wisdom from others, which is, I think the other piece too, that I want to leave people with is, if you are in this field of facilitation, find a community of facilitators to plug into.

Because there’s that really old proverb that goes, how does it go? It goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. And facilitation is definitely a craft in which you cannot go far without going together. It takes all types and it takes all kinds. And once groups see that, you embody that, they’ll understand that for themselves, and they’ll be able to start to work with people that think differently and show up differently from them. Don’t just invite people, expect people. Expect them in their messy wholeness.

Douglas Ferguson:

Amazing. Thank you so much, Cat. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you. I look forward to chatting again sometime soon.

Caterina Rodriguez:

Thank you so much, Douglas. It was awesome to be here. And yeah, look forward to many more chats to come.

Douglas Ferguson:

Thanks for joining me for another episode of The Facilitation Lab podcast. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a review and be sure to subscribe and receive updates when new episodes are released.

We love listener tales and invite you to share your facilitation stories. Send them to us on LinkedIn or via email. If you want to know more, head over to our blog where I post weekly articles and resources about facilitation, team dynamics, and collaboration, voltagecontrol.com.

The post The Greatest Shift appeared first on Voltage Control.

I’ve lived in Austin for 25 years, and while I haven’t immersed myself in every SXSW, I’ve managed to participate somewhat every single year I’ve been here. It’s been a big part of my Austin experience. As a musician, I’ve played official showcases, unofficial showcases and even alternative outsider festivals. As a startup founder, I’ve attended VC parties, client activations, networking events, and the beloved Fogo De Chow“meat-ups”, if you know, you know! In recent years, I have mainly been volunteering as a mentor and judge, which has been a wonderful experience in contributing to the ecosystem.

This year, Voltage Control partnered with SXSW to offer our Workshop Design process to all of their workshop facilitators, where we hosted several live sessions in January to help workshop facilitators prepare for their SXSW sessions. With the global success of our Facilitation Lab meetups we also thought it was a great opportunity to bring the meetup to SXSW as an official meetup. Then, just because we had to go all in, we ran a workshop on AI Teammates, to explore team collaboration use cases for generative AI. 

SXSW is always brimming with innovation, creativity, and connection. However, this year through our meetup and workshop we had the opportunity to observe something especially compelling—a deep yearning for genuine, meaningful human-to-human interactions amid all of the passive talks and media consumption. Both of our sessions offered rich insights and genuine connections that we felt were important to share more broadly with the community. Read on for a detailed exploration of the key topics and themes that emerged as we reflected on our SXSW activations.

Creating Meaningful Connections

Our Facilitation Lab meetup sought to elevate interaction beyond the typical exchanges of business cards and superficial networking. As attendees entered, we warmly greeted each person, handing out customized “We Connect” name tags that featured prompts like “Something that’s on my mind right now…” or “I’m curious about…” This simple yet thoughtful intervention quickly transformed initial interactions from polite small talk to engaging conversations rooted in personal interests and genuine curiosity. For instance, one participant humorously noted he spent the entire day with his prompt about ‘remaining grounded under pressure,’ sparking deeper conversations even outside the meetup context. These intentional threshold moments proved pivotal, shifting the energy in the room and setting the tone for sustained and meaningful connections throughout the event.

Erik mentioned to me that he’d forgotten to remove his name badge, and it continued sparking meaningful conversations throughout the day. Inspired by a recent coaching session on the power of silence as a facilitation tool, I chose “Silence” as my own badge prompt. Interestingly—and humorously—some attendees interpreted this as me signaling a need for quiet reflection rather than a conversation starter. Clearly, it’s worth choosing your prompt carefully!

Equally impactful were the interactive posters that posed provocative “How Might We” questions around the room. Participants eagerly engaged with these prompts, leaving behind sticky notes filled with thoughtful observations, authentic vulnerabilities, and creative ideas. These carefully structured, yet simple, tools effectively lowered conversational barriers, inviting authentic exchanges and meaningful reflections.

Notably, we observed attendees continuing their conversations long after the scheduled meetup ended, underscoring the success of our deliberate design in fostering sustained engagement. This experience reinforced for us—and hopefully our attendees—that intentional facilitation of human connection can lead to powerful, lasting interactions that extend far beyond any singular event.

Exploring Loneliness & Vulnerability

One unexpectedly resonant theme from our meetup was loneliness—a timely topic that surfaced repeatedly, even before Michelle Obama’s keynote on the subject. Participants openly shared their experiences of loneliness, highlighting its prevalence and impact across professional settings. Discussions around this theme revealed how critically loneliness intersects with facilitation, community building, and organizational leadership.

Participants emphasized the importance of creating environments where vulnerability is not only permitted but encouraged, seeing it as a catalyst for combating isolation and fostering deeper connections. Many suggested practical strategies, including dedicated moments within events for genuine personal exchange, structured affinity groups, and conscious efforts to normalize sharing vulnerabilities as part of organizational culture.

One compelling nuance that emerged in our discussions was the particular isolation facilitators often experience. While facilitators dedicate themselves to creating inclusive spaces that support and encourage vulnerability among others, attendees openly acknowledged how rarely facilitators themselves receive reciprocal support. This dynamic sparked insightful exchanges around the critical need to intentionally build community and support networks specifically for facilitators—spaces designed to nurture and sustain those whose roles inherently involve emotional labor and continuous support of others. This recognition deepened the collective understanding that addressing loneliness is not only about structured team-building but also about providing consistent, authentic support for those who hold space.

Reimagining the Art of Meetings

Meetings often carry negative connotations—viewed as tedious obligations rather than opportunities for genuine collaboration and innovation. During our meetup, attendees enthusiastically discussed ways to reinvent meetings using facilitation principles. The message was clear: stop “meeting” and start “designing collaboratively,” shifting from passive consumption of content toward active participation.

Innovative ideas emerged, including flipping traditional meeting agendas—prioritizing interactive engagement before addressing routine content—to ensure participant energy and creativity are maximized. A provocative attendee suggestion humorously yet pointedly captured this sentiment: “Any meeting over one hour is a waste of time.” This underscored a shared desire among attendees to prioritize engagement, interactivity, and co-creation in all meeting formats.

Our discussions also highlighted the necessity of making meetings purpose-driven, interactive, and intentional, transforming them from informational sessions into collaborative experiences that actively engage all participants. The clear takeaway for facilitators and business leaders is that intentionality and thoughtful design dramatically improve outcomes, making meetings more impactful and deeply satisfying for everyone involved.

Harnessing Conflict for Growth

One particularly insightful conversation during the meetup revolved around the theme of conflict—often perceived negatively but recognized here as a powerful opportunity for growth and stronger relationships. Attendees expressed the importance of normalizing conflict within teams, treating it not as a failure but as a natural byproduct of diverse perspectives working toward innovation.

To better leverage conflict, participants recommended simulating difficult conversations and scenarios proactively. Such practice not only prepares teams to handle future challenges constructively but also helps establish trust and clear boundaries around how conflicts can be handled effectively. This proactive approach allows teams to feel secure exploring differing opinions, leading to breakthroughs rather than breakdowns.

Further, principles of non-violent communication, depersonalizing disagreements, and establishing trust were frequently suggested as essential facilitation skills. This collective insight reinforced the power of intentional conflict management as a critical facilitation capability, ultimately fostering team cohesion, mutual respect, and collective resilience.

AI as a Dynamic Teammate

At our AI Teammates workshop, the conversation shifted dramatically as participants reconsidered their perceptions of AI—transforming their view from seeing it merely as a utilitarian tool to recognizing its potential as a dynamic teammate. This shift was vividly illustrated when an attendee, deeply familiar with AI in his professional life, experienced an “aha” moment, expressing excitement at recognizing AI’s fuller potential to engage and facilitate.

This cognitive shift emerged through our intentional design. We strategically used persona cards to introduce participants to new perspectives on AI, prompting deeper reflection on roles like historian, synthesizer, challenger, and optimist. Attendees discovered how leveraging AI in these roles could greatly enrich team discussions, sparking creativity and critical reflection.

A particularly powerful moment illustrating this cognitive shift occurred during our AI Teammates workshop. One attendee, who identified himself as deeply embedded professionally in AI technologies, experienced a profound “aha” moment as we explored AI’s collaborative roles. He candidly shared with the group that, despite his extensive use of AI tools, this workshop was the first time he genuinely saw AI’s deeper collaborative potential—not merely as a functional assistant but as an authentic partner in team interactions. Emotionally moved by this realization, he said the experience gave him “goosebumps,” capturing perfectly the transformative possibilities when facilitators intentionally design experiences that prompt meaningful shifts in perspective.

The workshop highlighted how AI, when positioned thoughtfully, could initiate conversations and engage team members who might otherwise hesitate to participate. In essence, AI provided a neutral voice, catalyzing richer dialogue and deeper insights. For teams hesitant about direct engagement, AI offered a safe starting point, a powerful insight into how technology can be a genuine collaborator rather than merely an information tool.

Exploring Practical Applications and Concerns with AI

Participants left our workshop inspired to experiment with new AI tools such as Claude, Perplexity, and Miro Sidekick, seeing firsthand their potential to enhance real-time facilitation. The excitement was palpable as attendees brainstormed practical uses—such as using AI to facilitate deeper reflections, structure conversations, and provide new insights during collaborative sessions.

Yet, despite widespread enthusiasm, participants also candidly discussed concerns around security, privacy, and integration of AI into organizational practices. Attendees from Germany notably highlighted slower regional adoption due to institutional hesitance and rigorous privacy standards. Addressing these concerns became a vital element of our workshop, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful, context-sensitive integration of AI into diverse organizational cultures.

Despite these valid concerns, the workshop’s overwhelming takeaway was excitement about AI’s untapped potential. Attendees saw clear opportunities to enrich their practices through these emerging technologies, feeling empowered and equipped to thoughtfully advocate for and practically implement AI as a meaningful participant in their teams and meetings.

Crossing Thresholds for Transformation

Both our meetup and workshop underscored the critical importance of thoughtfully designed thresholds—both physical entry into spaces and cognitive entry into new ideas. By consciously crafting these moments, we enabled attendees to shift from routine thinking into new possibilities, deeply enhancing their event experience.

Participants expressed gratitude for small yet impactful interventions, such as the persona cards we handed out while attendees were waiting in line for the workshop. Given the unique context of SXSW, where attendees often queue up 45 minutes or more in advance, the cards provided a delightful and unexpected moment of connection and reflection. As participants selected a card that best represented their approach or attitude toward AI, spontaneous conversations quickly blossomed among previously disconnected attendees. People eagerly compared their chosen personas—whether Historian, Synthesizer, Challenger, or Optimist—sparking curiosity, laughter, and immediate bonds. These thoughtfully designed threshold experiences didn’t just occupy waiting time; they actively reshaped the atmosphere, transitioning attendees from passive anticipation to active engagement and collaboration, dramatically influencing their openness, interactions, and reflections throughout the rest of the workshop.

And the big payoff was crossing cognitive thresholds around their use of AI demonstrated facilitation’s power to shift perspectives profoundly. Attendees repeatedly shared that thoughtfully guided experiences allowed them to see familiar tools and interactions in entirely new ways, demonstrating how effective facilitation can lead to significant shifts in understanding and collaboration practices.

Reflect, Experiment, and Engage

Our experiences at SXSW demonstrated the incredible potential at the intersection of human connection, vulnerability, thoughtful facilitation, and AI integration. These moments provided rich insights and clear evidence that intentional facilitation can profoundly reshape organizational culture and interpersonal dynamics.

We invite you—our community of facilitators, leaders, students, and alumni—to embrace and carry these insights into your own practice. Experiment boldly with facilitation techniques, reimagine your meetings for deeper impact, navigate conflict constructively, and thoughtfully explore AI as an active, engaged teammate.

Join us at our upcoming Facilitation Lab events and continue exploring these themes with us. Together, let’s facilitate spaces where human connection, innovation, and meaningful change flourish.

The post Facilitating Human Connection in the AI Era appeared first on Voltage Control.

When I stepped onto the stage to kick off Facilitation Lab Summit 2025, our 7th annual facilitation summit, I took a moment to acknowledge the deep appreciation and humility I felt as I reflected on our seven remarkable years and journey that brought us all together. Full of exuberance, curiosity, and optimism for what we all might create together, the energy in the room was palpable. In the days since, I kept telling people how special it felt, as if it were a barometer of great things to come. 

The summit is an annual experience dedicated to showcasing our talented and engaging alumni and fostering an environment of shared curiosity and practice. This year was filled with inspiration, learning, and growth. Facilitators from all backgrounds came together to engage in thought-provoking sessions, participate in interactive activities, and share their expertise. Whether you attended or are hearing about it for the first time, here’s a recap of what made this year’s summit unforgettable.

Summit Highlights

I’m deeply proud of all eight of our alumni who facilitated the conference this year. They did an exceptional job of guiding everyone through thoughtful exploration of concepts alongside hands-on exploration. In the coming weeks, we release videos of each of the workshops. In the meantime, here are some key highlights:

Day 1: Laying the Foundation for Transformation

Our summit kicked off with an electrifying session by Skye Idehen-Osunde on building credibility and psychological safety in workshops. The Safety Net session set the tone for the day, equipping facilitators with practical tools to foster environments where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard. Skye’s high-energy delivery was the perfect catalyst for the learning and exploration that would unfold throughout the day.

Next, Alyssa Coughlin took us through Change Through Stories: Capturing Hearts and Aligning Minds, a powerful workshop on the role of storytelling in change management. Alyssa demonstrated how compelling narratives can unite teams and inspire collaborative action, offering attendees a framework for creating stories that resonate and drive transformation.

After a brief networking break, Kathy Ditmore led a session on Mapping Your Change Journey. Kathy dove deep into the complexities of change initiatives, guiding participants through the essential steps to successfully align teams and navigate the challenges of process redesign. Her interactive exercises, including pre-mortem analysis, provided real-world tools to help facilitators tackle change with confidence and purpose.

In the afternoon, Dom Michalec brought a groundbreaking approach to the table with his session, Facilitating Transformation: How Small Changes Change Everything. Drawing on his expertise in Behavior Design, Dom illustrated how tiny, intentional shifts can lead to massive transformations in both personal and professional settings. His insights were both practical and inspiring, leaving attendees with a newfound superpower: the ability to create lasting habits and facilitate meaningful change.

As the day wrapped up, we gathered to honor the incredible contributions of our community. The Facilitation Lab Summit 2025 Awards celebrated some outstanding individuals whose dedication and innovation have left a lasting impact on the field of facilitation:

• Innovation Award: Dan Walker for reshaping how facilitators engage teams with creative techniques.
• Growth Award: Theresa Ledesma for her continuous learning and professional development, making a positive impact in her community.
• Community Award: Robin Neidorf for her mentorship and fostering collaboration within the facilitation community.
• Impact Award: Dirk Van Onsem for his profound influence on driving organizational change and empowering teams to tackle societal challenges.

These incredible facilitators exemplify the power of facilitation in driving positive change, and we were thrilled to celebrate their achievements.

Day 2: Deepening the Practice and Creating Lasting Connections

Day 2 of the summit began with Dr. Karyn Edwards, PCC, as she introduced The Secrets of Applying Executive Coaching to Facilitation. Karyn’s session on non-directional coaching techniques provided valuable insights into how facilitators can create self-led discovery and foster deeper learning within groups. Her session was a transformative experience for attendees looking to refine their facilitation skills and deepen their impact.

Next, JJ Rogers led us in exploring Radical Acts of Delight. In this lively and inspiring session, JJ encouraged facilitators to infuse joy and creativity into their practice, creating high-trust environments where participants feel engaged and connected. The session was a reminder that delight and creativity are essential to making facilitation memorable and impactful.

After lunch, Caterina Rodriguez brought us into the world of nonverbal communication in her workshop Enhancing Facilitation Through Nonverbal Communication. This interactive session highlighted the critical role nonverbal cues play in building inclusivity and connection. Participants learned how cultural values shape communication styles and gained practical tools to enhance their facilitation by listening beyond words.

The summit closed with a truly special session by Elena Farden titled Consent as Ceremony: Learnings from Nurturing Safe Connections in Indigenous Play Parties. Elena’s exploration of cultural practices of consent and gratitude provided profound insights into creating environments where respect, trust, and connection flourish. This session offered a unique perspective on how cultural teachings can enhance facilitation, fostering deeper connections and more inclusive experiences.

Key Takeaways from the Summit

While the summit was full of insightful sessions, here are some key takeaways that resonated across the two days:

• Psychological safety and credibility are crucial for creating impactful workshops where everyone feels valued.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool for fostering change and aligning teams around a shared vision.
• Small, intentional behavior changes can lead to meaningful transformations.
• Nonverbal communication plays a pivotal role in creating inclusive and engaging environments.
• Infusing delight and creativity into facilitation fosters greater engagement and trust.

Join the Community and Stay Connected

Although the summit has ended, the journey doesn’t have to stop here. Continue engaging with facilitators from around the world through our Community Hub. Share resources, exchange ideas, and keep the momentum going!

Join the Community Hub

Looking Ahead to the 2026 Summit

Excited for next year? Early bird tickets for the 2026 Facilitation Lab Summit are now available at a discounted rate, but don’t wait—these tickets are only available until August! Secure your spot early and save on registration.

Get 2026 Tickets Now

Thank you to everyone who made Facilitation Lab Summit 2025 a success. We can’t wait to see you next year as we continue to inspire, engage, and transform through the power of facilitation.

The post Facilitation Lab Summit 2025 appeared first on Voltage Control.

“I saw her facilitate and I thought, “Wow, she’s really drawing things out of the group instead of telling them what to do.” That was so powerful, and I thought to myself, “I want to do that. I want to be able to do that type of work someday.”- Dr. Karyn Edwards, PCC

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 Wiese, 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.

Show Highlights

Links | Resources

About the Guest

Dr. Karyn Edwards, PCC is the founder and CEO of Abloom Coaching. In her work, she takes an evidence-based approach to bringing professional coaching and personal development to leaders so they can take control of their future. The work that she does is rooted in her experience working in organizations for 25+ years as a senior leader with the majority of that time in the talent management arena. She has a solid understanding of what leaders experience and what organizations are looking for in their top leaders.

Karyn earned a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology, a master’s degree in organizational management, and certificates in business process improvement and professional and executive coaching. Karyn is certified in PROSCI’s model as a change practitioner and has supported the process of change management for many years in the roles she has held. Karyn is a member of the APA and of the Society of Psychologists in Leadership. As a speaker and expert facilitator, Karyn motivates organizations and individuals by focusing on leadership essentials, powerful storytelling, and practical strategies. Karyn regularly speaks at industry conferences and as a keynote for organizations. Karyn is a trusted advisor who connects the dots to help leaders and organizations meet the current challenges and those that lie ahead.

About Voltage Control

Voltage Control is a facilitation academy that develops leaders through certifications, workshops, and organizational coaching focused on facilitation mastery, innovation, and play. Today’s leaders are confronted with unprecedented uncertainty and complex change. Navigating this uncertainty requires a systemic facilitative approach to gain clarity and chart pathways forward. We prepare today’s leaders for now and what’s next.

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Transcript

Douglas:

Hi, I’m Douglas Ferguson. Welcome to the Facilitation Lab podcast, where I speak with Voltage Control certification alumni and other facilitation experts about the remarkable impact they’re making. We embrace a method agnostic approach so you can enjoy a wide range of topics and perspectives as we examine all the nuances of enabling meaningful group experiences. This series is dedicated to helping you navigate the realities of facilitating collaboration, ensuring every session you lead becomes truly transformative. Thanks so much for listening.

If you’d like to join us for a live session sometime, you can join our Facilitation Lab Community. It’s an ideal space to apply what you learn in the podcast in real time with peers. Sign up today at voltagecontrol.com/facilitation-lab. And if you’d like to learn more about our 12-week Facilitation Certification program, you can read about it at voltagecontrol.com. Today, I’m with Dr. Karyn Edwards from a Abloom Consulting, where she supports leaders and organizations as an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and leadership development expert. Welcome to the show, Karyn.

Karyn:

Thanks for having me, Douglas. I’m really excited to be here.

Douglas:

Yes. Fantastic to chat. It’s been a minute since we had a moment to sit down and talk about facilitation and coaching, and all the wonderful things that you do.

Karyn:

Yeah. It’s one of my favorite topics to talk about, so thanks for having me.

Douglas:

Yeah, absolutely. Well, let’s get into it. So, let’s start off with how you got your start. Could you take us back to that moment at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, where you first saw Facilitation in action? Gosh, am I remembering, was it Julianne Wiese?

Karyn:

Yeah., so I worked for Carlson Wagonlit. So, it’s a French company, part of it. So, it looks like Wagonlit, but it’s Wagonlit. I worked there for a long time and I met Julianne Wiese. Gosh, she was part of a merger that the organization did, one of many. And I was in a session that she was facilitating, and I thought I had done technical training for a long time. I actually started off in banking, was a bank teller during college, and then I started training for the bank. And so, I had done all this regulation and technical, how to use a computer and there’s technology systems.

But I saw her facilitate and I thought, wow, she’s really drawing things out of the group, that instead of telling them what to do, that I thought was so powerful. And I thought to myself, I want to do that. I want to be able to do that type of work someday. And she was really a role model for me. And actually, we’re still good friends to this day, so we’re actually colleagues now. So, she was a huge part of my career development.

Douglas:

Did you ever get to collaborate with her on designs or sessions before?

Karyn:

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, not in that job, which was funny. So, I left that role and I went to go work for a big utility here where I live in Arizona. And when I got into a leadership role, I called her because she was a coach. And so, she actually supported me as a leader, as I was learning how to do some transitions, and figuring out how do you get along with people and all that fun stuff. And then the present day, she actually helped me figure out that as I was deciding what I wanted to do next, what was my next act after working at Corporate America for 30 years. I got this PhD and she said, “I feel like you just really could do this on your own and you’d be great.” And she’s a super encouraging person, so she’s played a lot of roles in my career trajectory. She’s listening, shout out, because she’s an amazing coach and amazing person, too.

Douglas:

That’s fantastic. Isn’t it great to have those folks from time to time to just push you a little bit, push you out of the nest a little?

Karyn:

Totally. Yeah. She had to drag me out of the nest, but she did it.

Douglas:

So, you mentioned a moment there when her memory came back to you when you were finding yourself in that new leadership position. What was it like for you when you had that opportunity to step into leadership? What were some of the things you were noticing and feeling as that was fresh and new for you?

Karyn:

Yeah. So, I had been in leadership for a while. When I took that job, I had led people in different types of roles and different organizations and things like that. But what was different about that job is it wasn’t in my area of expertise. So, I had shifted. They asked me to shift. They were sort of doing leadership rotations out from a development role and into an operations role. And it was in a call center and it was customer service. And I was working with a lot of frontline leaders and just finding myself as a duck out of water, so to speak on, how do I motivate people? Because most of the time I was working with people that were trying to learn a job and they already had internal motivation. These folks already had their job, and didn’t necessarily need me to do their job and already knew what they were doing.

So, it was just a completely different experience. And I found myself kind of rudderless, I think as we were talking earlier about some things. And just sort of flailing about, trying to figure out what’s right and how do I empower people. I had some natural abilities, in terms of getting people to talk with me and that type of thing. But how do you lead people when you don’t even know what they do? How do you lead people when you’re not the expert at the thing? And so, it was a very unsettling experience. And so, I reached out to her and said, “Hey, I know you’re not only a great facilitator, but also a coach. And I could really use some help figuring out how do I navigate this space that I’m in.”

Douglas:

Yeah. So, what was the unlock for you that really brought things into focus, the rudder, so to speak?

Karyn:

Yeah. So, at the time I was having just this feeling of I didn’t know what I was doing. Sort of this imposter syndrome feeling of, pretty soon people thought I was going to be great at this job and now they’re going to find out that I don’t really have any idea what I’m doing. And so, working with her… And I’ve learned this too as a coach over time, is that it’s not so much about what people know technically about their job. It’s how do you work with other people. That’s really what at the end of the day is what trips up most people in leadership roles. So, they used to call them soft skills and I call them power skills. It’s all these skills of how do you appreciate, how do you get along with other people? How do you maximize their potential and basically get out of their way?

And so, she really helped me with really overcoming that imposter syndrome piece. And it’s funny, I just took a session the other day on the same topic. And it’s something like 70% of people experienced this at some point, so it’s very common. But at the time I didn’t know that. I thought I was the only one that was thinking that I was feeling that way. And so, that was a big rudder establishing, putting the rudder back in the water, so to speak, of, okay, you don’t have to know what they do. What you have to do is help them figure out where we’re headed and then how they can help us get there. And so, for me, that was sort of a light bulb moment.

Douglas:

Were there any specific techniques or tools, or even just things that clicked as you were starting to put that into practice?

Karyn:

I think watching people do what they do, and getting out of their way, and realizing that the solutions that they came up with were way better than what I would’ve ever thought of because they know what they’re doing. And that my job was to set a vision of where we’re headed. It wasn’t to be in their day to day or tell them how to do everything. Now, it’s not to say that there weren’t issues that came up from time to time that were in the weeds and they would ask me for help or that type of thing. But when I think of where I spent the majority of my time, it was on what are we doing next, not what we’re doing right now. And so, I think that’s a distinguishing piece as well of what I learned in that job.

Douglas:

At what point did you start to develop your experience in organizational psychology?

Karyn:

So, it was in the same role that I was talking about earlier. And I decided to go back to school and get a doctorate, because it’s pretty common in my field to get a doctorate. And around that time, as I was working on my doctorate, I was thinking, and so was the company, how are we going to use somebody with a PhD? And at first I was insulted. I was like, well, gosh, there’s a lot of things you can use someone for. But I’m not really an academic. I’m more of a practitioner style. And so, I decided to switch jobs and I wound up moving over to Choice Hotels. And in that position, I really got the opportunity to take all these things that I had learned plus all this experience, and put them all together and help with things like establishing leadership development programs, and doing succession planning, and coaching people internally within the organization.

I didn’t have the coaching credential that I do now at that time, but I was doing a combination of coaching, and consulting, and helping people figure out… And I really felt a natural attraction to that part of my work the most and really enjoyed it. And so, IO psychology or industrial organizational psychology is the study of people in the workplace. And it has a lot of different facets to it. There’s some parts around assessing leaders, there’s parts around how organizations are structured to make them successful. And the part that I gravitate towards is around leaders and leadership effectiveness overall.

Douglas:

And in your doctorate, was there a particular area of focus in your research?

Karyn:

Yeah. So, my dissertation was on the leadership style that leaders have and its impact on employee engagement. So, that was the overall, the 300-page document that you can go out and read if you want to. But Choice, I’m really grateful to them because they let me do the research at the company, which in an academic setting is very unusual, because a lot of research is done on college students. And they’re not necessarily representative of leaders and organizations who’ve been in their jobs for 10 or 20 years, so it was really nice that I got to do that internally. And the research that I found was that leaders who are servant leaders really have the biggest impact in terms of employee engagement. And so, that premise in terms of the different types of leadership was one of the findings, so kind of interesting.

Douglas:

Yeah. Were there any things that really surprised you or caught you off guard as you were conducting your research?

Karyn:

I guess how many people were interested in helping me. So, I put out a survey in the organization and asked people to identify their current leader’s leadership style based on some definitions, that we had three different definitions. So, one was the servant leader approach. The second was, I guess I’ll call it a line manager style. I’m not giving the academic terms, but somebody who is in the day-to-day, giving direction, constant. And then their last one is these hands-off leaders that maybe think they’re giving a lot of autonomy, but they’re really removed and distance from the people that report to them.

And the servant leader was the most effective leader. The distance leader was the least effective leader. And the people in the middle get some successes, but others don’t appreciate that style as much. So, anyway, I guess, how many people completed the survey of a 2,000 person at the time organization? About 900 people completed the survey, which is a pretty good survey response.

Douglas:

Oh, wow.

Karyn:

Yeah. So, I was really appreciative. And like I said, I’ll always be grateful to that group for helping me out with that.

Douglas:

Yeah. That’s super cool, that not only were receptive to you doing the work, but then also supportive of the research and the degree as well.

Karyn:

Yeah. I remember when I went to one of the town halls after I had finished my program, and I was speaking about some business topic and I just stopped for a second. I said, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know you can now call me Dr. K, because I finished my doctor.” And I got this huge standing ovation, which was again one of those moments where I was like, wow. I think always appreciating there’s so many people that want to help out there, and sometimes you just have to ask.

Douglas:

Yeah, no doubt. It’s interesting that I feel like so many surveys are like self-assessment kind of surveys, or they take some sort of long evaluation and then it puts them in a bucket. Interesting that your approach was having the direct reports categorize their leaders. And I guess I’m curious, what were some of the qualities that people would use to distinguish between someone who’s more directive versus someone that’s more servant leader? Because the off hands is like, that’s kind of a very clear bucket. They’re just not present. But there’s some subtle differences I think, between the other two or there could be on perception. And so, I’m curious, what are some of those qualifiers that direct reports were latching onto, ways that they were differentiating?

Karyn:

Yeah. Well, what’s interesting, in the research, we gave them very specific academic definitions that are part of a leadership model. So, they didn’t really have a lot of latitude to give us like, “Hey, this leader has these certain traits.” But what we were able to tie it to was, once we had… We had the list of leaders in the organization, we had the people who responded, and then what we were able to do is look at the engagement scores for the organization of those leaders. And to see if there’s a correlation between, hey, this person’s been described by the majority of their team, that they’re a servant leader. And oh, let’s take a look at their engagement score and their engagement score correlated. And same thing with the hands-off leaders. Their engagement scores were lower in the organization’s results. And so, it was just really interesting to see them define it and then watch it show up in a completely different survey that another organization put out. And just correlate those two things together was fascinating.

Douglas:

Yeah. It’s hard to ignore when there’s definitive clusters. It’s like, okay, well, that’s there and what kind of meaning are we going to apply to it? So, in your mind, I guess for the listener, what are some of those qualities, or how do y’all define those academic definitions for the directive type leader versus the more servant leader?

Karyn:

Yeah. So, depending on which research you read and different models, some of these models have been in place for a long time. And when we’re doing a PhD, you have to lean on more academic definitions in order to get through that process. But I would say in practical terms today, what a servant leader is, is somebody who has the ability to put their own interests behind that of the person that they’re trying to help. And so, it’s a little bit of a ego definition, too, where you sort of have to say, “Yeah, I’m the leader, but my job isn’t to be the one to take all the credit or to stand out. But my recognition is actually going to come because of the way in which I support my team and the work that gets done through my team, versus the work that I do as an individual.”

And I think that’s one of the biggest distinguishing factors of people that move up successfully in organizations, is they understand that switch that you have to make when you go into senior leadership. So, you’re not getting the work done through your own self work that you do, but you’re getting work done through the people that work for you. And it’s a hard transition to make, because all through your career, all the way up, up until that point, you’ve been rewarded and validated for the things that you’ve done versus other people around you, or maybe you’ve been part of a team or something like that. But to actually have the recognition given to you based on how effective you are at helping other people is quite different and quite vulnerable. It’s a vulnerable position to be in.

Douglas:

Yeah. And are you finding most of your coaching clients are in this moment of transition where they’re needing to redefine their leadership style?

Karyn:

Yeah. I would say most of my clients are in some moment of transition. They’re either moving from a senior level position into an executive team, or they’re already an executive, and now they’re… The world is changing so rapidly that they’re finding themselves in, I don’t know what the right word is, complexities that they have never experienced before. And so, even though they’ve been an executive before, they’re now experiencing that imposter syndrome that we talked about earlier for themselves, because it’s untested, it’s net new challenges that have not been present. Like AI for most organizations is net new. There’s nothing like it that’s ever been before and it’s continually evolving. And there’s sometimes struggling with, “Okay, how do I integrate this new thing? And how do I show up as a leader while I’m leading all these people through this significant processes and times of change?”

Douglas:

What’s the most common transition? It sounds like, ultimately, you’re trying to help people get to that servant leader mindset or from that frame of reference. What sorts of positions are they? Are they exhibiting those behaviors but needing to refine them? Are they more stuck in the declarative type of leadership or hands-off? Or what are you finding that’s the most common transition folks go through?

Karyn:

That’s a good question. I think the common thing, if I were to boil it down, is transition. So, for some people, it can be being promoted and their scope is expanding. For other people, there’s something that’s been observed or noticed that they really need to change in order to be effective. And they have a blind spot and they’re not seeing it, but they need to transition in terms of behavior. Other people are buying a business or starting a business and they’re trying to figure out, “I used to work for a company and now I’m an entrepreneur.” And those are pretty significant transitions. Some people I’ve been working with are thinking about retirement. And okay, so, how do I get out of this identity? And maybe that’s the word, Douglas, is it’s an identity shift from, “Hey, I’m this person at work and then now what? Now that I’m not going to be working anymore or working in a traditional sense, what’s my identity?” So, a lot of work is around that concept of identity.

Douglas:

Yeah. You mentioned transitions. And anytime folks are changing or going through some kind of transition, identity is such a core part of that. The story I like to tell in regards to this is when so many companies were going through cloud migrations, digital transformations, there’s so many roles that had to shift. You were a sysadmin at a company that had a lot of servers inside of a data center. Now they’re migrating everything to the cloud. It doesn’t mean you don’t have a job at that company. But if you only think of yourself as a sysadmin, it’s going to be really difficult. And so, a big part of change is that identity component.

Karyn:

Absolutely. Yeah. And it’s hard. I mean, I think we all have this sort of self-awareness and self-perception of who we are and how we operate within what we know, what we’re experts in. And then somebody comes along and rattles that cage or puts a big change in place. I’ve worked in a couple organizations that have gone from waterfall to agile, and just mind-bending to people to have to work in these short sprints. And their jobs were completely changed in terms of how they operated. And that’s hard, because there’s the brain. A lot of neuroscience stuff here, too. We like to be able to predict what’s coming next.

Douglas:

Certainty.

Karyn:

And when that gets interrupted, it’s like you can go into the fight, flight, freeze mode of I don’t know what to do. And that’s where, as a coach, it can also be helpful to help people recognize, through either helping them just through the questioning process of what I call non-directive coaching. And actually comes from Clare Norman and her work. It’s called The Transformational Coach. And that process of, hey, you know the answer. It’s within you. We just got to clear all this clutter out that’s getting in the way of your clear thought process because you’re under stress.

And so, the other thing I like to talk about is we are both thinking creatures, but we also have chemistry going on in our body at the same time. So, when we have stress responses, your brain actually doesn’t work the way that it should. So, if you’re getting all these micro stressors all day long of, “Oh, my gosh, I don’t know what I’m doing. Oh, my gosh, they changed this again and ugh, I don’t like that.” Then you’re getting a lot of cortisol. Cortisol interferes with your ability to use your prefrontal cortex, and your center of clear and logical thinking is diminished. And so, as a coach, I also help people recognize these patterns that we get into of stress response. And then the third thing that I do is I use assessments to help them understand how they’re wired, because we all come into the world with certain personality traits and then we get raised in certain ways.

And so, the nature-nurture debate has been solved. It’s both. And then when you get into the workplace, you’ve made all of these compensatory strategies to be able to function as a leader. And some of those have worked. And now that you’re ascending into a new scope or a broader team, or a different job, some of those strategies all of a sudden aren’t working for you anymore. And you got to figure out new strategies. And so, working with someone to help think about all of that and then figure out what’s right for you and how do you want to show up, but with the fundamental belief that you are whole and capable and competent. And we all need sometimes for somebody to listen and then help us figure out where we go next. And I love doing that. It’s my favorite part of my job.

Douglas:

Yeah. So, when you think about these transitions and helping individuals work through it, even mentioned the agile transformation, similar to the cloud example I gave. People are having to go through identity shifts. Do you often find that when you’re doing the one-on-one coaching that opens up needs and conversations at the team level? So, in addition to one-on-one, it’s one to many kinds of engagements to help broader organizations start to grapple some of these transitions?

Karyn:

Yeah, absolutely. A lot of times in my work… And I just did the talk at the Voltage Control Summit. So, that was exciting to talk about how executive coaching concepts can be utilized in facilitation. So, oftentimes, I’ll work with an executive or a leader and they’ll say, “Hey, this is great.” And also, my team, they’re an extension of the leader, and so they oftentimes will bring me in to do leadership sessions or facilitate meetings, or that type of thing. First of all, one of the first concepts is that people are whole, and capable, and smart, and can figure out the things that they need to, is applied to the many as well as to the individual. So, the collective wisdom of the group.

But one of the things that we talk about in coaching is you have to let go of the outcome and you have to let go of being right or giving advice, which I also think applies to facilitation. I think you need to have a structure, and a framework, and you need to have an outcome in mind that the group is trying to get to. But how they get there and what they actually accomplish is something that can be applied from the coaching framework into facilitation. Because those skill sets of asking questions and helping people recognize what they want to do is really fundamental to facilitation, and it’s also fundamental to coaching.

Douglas:

That’s making me think about one of our recent facilitation labs. I was just in New York City. We were having a facilitation lab there at Muro’s office. So, I went in to help support, because I knew we’d have a larger audience and just excited support our friends at Muro for offering up the space. And so, I was assisting Noelle, our regional lead there in New York. And the person that was practicing was struggling a little bit. And I noticed it and Noelle noticed it at the same time. I also noticed Noelle starting to lean in to give him some advice and maybe even help the audience better understand the instructions.

And then I motioned at her and said, “Just wait.” And then once she understood what I was encouraging her to do, just to pause, then I leaned over and I said, “That’s going to be really great for the debrief.” Because especially in Facilitation Lab where we’re just practicing in front of a peer group and learning, it’s okay if things are rough. That’s what lab’s all about. But the learning is so much richer if we talk about it in the debrief versus if we correct it in the moment.

Karyn:

Absolutely. Yeah, it’s funny, that’s something that Julianne and I always talk about, too, when is the learning or the teaching, if you want to call it that from a facilitator perspective, comes and pointing out in the debrief. Which isn’t unlike coaching, where someone will say something and I will reflect back to them, “Hey, this seems really important to you. You’ve brought it up several times. What’s your reaction to that?” So, it’s inviting people to react to different parts of information that you’re noticing or observing, or pulling out along the way, but really letting of that I am the stage, on the stage or whatever everybody says. And that I have the all-knowing…

It’s like, no, you’re there to set up an environment where people can do the work that they need to do. And that’s another translation to coaching, is as a coach, my job isn’t to figure out what… I’m not a consultant as a coach. I can be, but I try not to be. My job is to set up an environment where people can do the work that they need to do. And a lot of that has to do with the preparation that you do and the questions that you ask. And so, there’s a ton of tie-backs to facilitation.

Douglas:

Yeah. I like to compare it to being a gardener versus a mechanic. A mechanic goes in with the tools and they put everything at the right to work. They make the engine work. But a gardener just sets the conditions for plants to grow. They can’t make the plant grow. They can’t tell the plant what to do. It’s going to do what a plant does. And so, I think humans are not like cars. They’re more like plants.

Karyn:

Yeah, I love that analogy. I might steal that.

Douglas:

Please do. I think more people need to understand that.

Karyn:

And it’s also, if you think about it and take that analogy one step further, the preparation, the soil has to have certain components to it and that you have to have certain sunlight and heat. And there’s just so many factors. And I think sometimes that’s where facilitators might get overwhelmed, is there’s a lot of variables in there. But if you set up an environment that you are pretty sure is going to create conditions that would be successful, that’s what your role is.

Douglas:

Yeah. And being prepared for some potential outcomes, but being willing to adapt if things don’t… If it doesn’t snow, then we maybe don’t need to put up the heat lamp or whatever. I think so many times folks get really excited about a design or their plans and they’re unwilling to let go of that. And to me, the real thing is just being willing to respond to what emerges.

Karyn:

Yeah. And I think that’s one of the things that I’ve noticed that learning to be a coach has really helped me do. And I often wonder if there’s a place in Facilitation, training around coaching, because I’m super comfortable now, more comfortable than I’ve ever been. And being able to handle any question from any level of person in any meeting that I’m in, because I don’t have to have the answer. My job isn’t to have the answer. And no matter how challenging someone can be or things that I’m not expecting, I can be okay with that because my job is to reflect, and to ask questions, and to set up an environment. And when I do get nervous, that’s what I tell myself is that’s not my job. My job is to set up the environment. My job isn’t to control how this goes.

Douglas:

Yeah, I love that. I think so often folks get so concerned about making sure every detail’s correct and everything’s right, and it turns out perfectly, that the obsession and concern over all the details means they miss landing the plane, when in fact landing the plane was all they needed to do.

Karyn:

Yeah, absolutely. It’s funny, I’m learning a new program right now. And I’m listening to the recording of the way that they’re doing their certification. And one of the things which I really love is they’re expecting you to know that you know what you’re doing. And they’re giving you, “Here’s the what’s important part of this, here’s why this matters, this particular concept or piece of information,” but how you as a facilitator go through the exercise or what have you, there’s so many different options and ways that they’re giving you to do that. And I think that’s another important thing, is to be flexible. Is that even though this activity was planned to be 20 minutes, but people are having a really robust conversation, being flexible to go, “Okay, well, I’m going to adjust this other activity because this one seemed to be really valuable.” And instead of being so structured and rigid to a specific timeline, I think that’s another key learning… And just getting comfortable, being flexible really.

Douglas:

It’s funny, it reminds me of a recent conversation I had at Facilitation Lab, Austin, where someone was talking about a challenge they have around keeping people engaged and maintaining the engagement. And when we peeled back a few layers, it was clear that she was not given the latitude and flexibility to adjust the timing, to adjust how it was facilitated. Everything was by the minute, spelled out. There was no leeway. If something needed to go longer and something else get compressed, none of that was allowed. It had to be on the money, and it was even audited to that point. There were people that were observing to make sure she did it right. And it’s funny, because when we really looked at the design, there were some real design flaws to begin with. So, not only was there no ability for her as a facilitator to adapt that space to the needs of whoever showed up, it also was designed in a way that didn’t create great engagement. So, it was like we were at little bit of a loss to give her advice because, wow, you’re kind of in a trap.

Karyn:

Yeah. And companies spend millions, if not billions of dollars on development. And it’s stuff like that that just makes me cringe. I’ve worked in some environments like that. And I would say if that were the case today, I would definitely not do that facilitation, because you’re just being set up to fail. And everybody in the room is actually being set up to fail, not just the facilitator.

Douglas:

Yeah. And that’s a problem I would say with a lot of L&D types of facilitation. It’s like you’re working with people that have just been instructed they have to be there. It’s like they didn’t sign up for this.

Karyn:

Captive audience.

Douglas:

Yes. It’s like, man. Well, amidst of captive audience, you’ve been talking about how you’re just going through a moment right now, which I think might be reflective of just where the market’s shifting, from a bit more of a bearish market to maybe a more bullish market. Or just people are spending more. You’re talking about fish jumping in the boat, so what’s that been like.

Karyn:

Oh, yeah. It was funny, I was just talking to someone today. They said, “Wow, you have a lot of fish jumping in your boat.” So, I just have been very grateful that there’s getting a lot of different types of work. So, I do executive coaching, I do facilitation, I do leadership development, I do some speaking. And I’ve had this really nice blend and mix of all of those opportunities. But really, this year has started off really strong. And I’m super grateful for that and the different types of experiences that I’m getting the chance to do. So, it’s so far so good. So, I’m optimistic that it’s going to be a good year.

Douglas:

I love that.

Karyn:

Knock on wood.

Douglas:

Yeah, absolutely. And it sounded like lots of coaching opportunities, which it’s really great that there’s more of that work coming and you’re able to solidify that.

Karyn:

Yeah. One of the things that I love about executive coaching is, to me, it’s one of the most individualized forms of development. So, you can go to a class and learn a lot of great things. And you can go to conferences and pick up on new ideas and innovations and all kinds of… And all of those things are great and valid. But the deep work that you can do as a leader, I think there’s probably no substitute in my mind for sitting down with a coach and figuring out what’s next for you, what might be getting in your way, and how do you want to go about resolving that. Not somebody telling you or giving you a model.

There’s a time and place for that in leadership development. I think when you’re newer in career, learning about situational leadership and learning about the different models of strategic direction and strategic leadership, those are all important to know. But then there comes a point at which knowing, again, the technical aspects isn’t going to solve it. It’s how do you move through different transition periods in a way that’s going to work for you? And I love doing that.

Douglas:

Yeah. It’s almost like it becomes more introspective than tool-based at that point.

Karyn:

Yeah. Some people want more structure than others. Some people want to talk through… A lot of times one topic that comes up a lot is delegation. And there are different ways to delegate that some people have never heard about. And so, as a coach, I sometimes will weave consulting into coaching, because if people truly don’t know that there’s lots of different ways to solve a challenge, then I’m happy to share that. But a lot of times you can never really fully appreciate where somebody else is coming from because we don’t sit in their seat. We don’t have the same lived experience, no matter how similar you are to someone else. So, we’re all more biased that our own solutions are the best. And so, the more we can pull those out and go, “Okay, well, what do you want to try? What do you want to experiment with?” And doing something on a small scale, seeing if it works, continuing to build, and that also builds confidence. Those are all the techniques and things that I tend to work within.

Douglas:

Where do you see all this going? I know when we did the blog post, you had talked about maybe there’s a book in the future. Is that something that’s taken some roots or what do you think is coming in the future for you?

Karyn:

Yeah. So, I’m still rolling that around. I think the struggle I’m having is finding the time, which is probably the biggest factor for everybody. But I’m actually writing some articles. So, I’ve written a couple articles for training and development. So, ATD, which is the Association for Training and Development. And I’m writing one right now with a partner of mine about, if you’re a leader in an organization, how do you select an executive coach? I mean, it’s a pretty flooded market and it’s pretty unregulated. There’s a lot of great coaches out there, but how do you find the one that is right for your organization and right for you? John Reed, who is another co-collaborator with mine, he wrote a book about that subject. I’m doing some writing in some different kinds of ways right now. And then I do think at some point down the road, I’d love to get a book out.

I’m actually also learning some different programs. So, there’s a program out of New Zealand, which is called Riders and Elephants, and it’s around culture change. So, I’m learning about how leaders can impact that, because I think organizational cultures and just the culture that we are all living through right now deserves some thoughtfulness. And so, I’m learning how to facilitate. So, I’m going to be a lifelong learner. My husband keeps asking me if I’m done. He is like, “When are you…” I said, “I don’t think I’m ever going to be done.” So, those are, for me, what’s next, is just how do I continue to keep contributing in this space in lots of different ways. And then when I finally can get some space and figure out how I’m going to write a book, maybe I need a coach.

Douglas:

There you go. I’ve had friends that the book becomes an artifact of all the smaller writings that were done along the way. So, maybe these posts that you’re working on are the breadcrumbs that take you to the larger work.

Karyn:

Yeah. I have my index cards, and the way I write down all my ideas. And then I have a stack of index cards, so someday those will find their way into a book.

Douglas:

Fantastic. Well, we can’t wait to see it. And I guess in the meantime, make sure to share the articles. We’d love to read them, amplify them, get the word out, because a big fan of what you’re doing.

Karyn:

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

Douglas:

Thanks for being a part of the summit and being an active alumni. We appreciate all you do.

Karyn:

Oh, thanks, Douglas. And thanks for having me on. It was great to talk with you, and I appreciate it very much.

Douglas:

Yeah. And before we go, do you have a final thought for our listeners?

Karyn:

I would say if you are thinking about your development and you’re considering what’s next, I would say consider a coach. It can be a transformational experience. It was for me, and I think it can be in a lot of ways. So, I think that’s my final thought, is give it a consideration.

Douglas:

Nice. Yeah. Excellent. Well, Karyn, it was a pleasure having you. I look forward to talking to you again soon.

Karyn:

Thanks, Douglas.

Douglas:

Thanks for joining me for another episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a review, and be sure to subscribe and receive updates when new episodes are released. We love listener tales and invite you to share your facilitation stories. Send them to us on LinkedIn or via email. If you want to know more, head over to our blog where I post weekly articles and resources about facilitation, team dynamics and collaboration. Voltagecontrol.com.

The post How Can Embracing Vulnerability Transform Your Leadership Journey? appeared first on Voltage Control.

Finding my calling

Facilitation has been in the center of my professional journey since discovering it during my time as a student at Hyper Island. It was there that I first experienced the transformative power of facilitation, a career path that I was previously unaware of, but has given me a rich professional as well as personal life. 

Before joining Hyper Island, I intended to continue my career in advertising with a focus on digital strategy. I had previously completed a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing, and after that landed my first job at an advertising agency in Canada. During my first week at Hyper Island, I experienced my first facilitated workshops. This experience made a huge impression on me. Instead of wanting to be the person with the best idea, I became interested in how I could help groups come up with better ideas together. I saw a huge potential in using facilitation as a tool to help groups solve complex problems together, especially in the context of the digital transformation that was happening at the time, and that I had witnessed firsthand working in advertising as new digital media was being adopted. 

During the remaining part of the Digital Media program at Hyper Island, I continued to explore facilitation, workshop design, and design thinking. For my internship, I got the opportunity to go to Buenos Aires to participate in the development of a new innovation incubator created by Mondelez to support innovation in the area of marketing. This was a great opportunity to use what I had learned at Hyper Island, as I got to use the facilitation and design thinking skills I had acquired to help create innovative solutions in advertising that leverage new technology and media. 

During the following years of my career I leveraged facilitation and human-centered design in helping advertising agencies adapt to new ways of collaborating and solving problems in response to the digital transformation of communications. Facilitation became both a personal journey and a profession, as I spent over a decade working with organizations to teach and implement these critical skills. I had the opportunity to work with advertising agencies, marketing departments, schools, and startups, facilitating everything from one-day learning experiences and workshops to longer programs lasting years to enable sustainable change. 

After a few years in Buenos Aires, I met the founders of Mural and gladly decided to join their team to help enable remote collaboration for teams globally through their digital whiteboard. With my previous experience in facilitation, workshop and learning experience design and facilitation, together with my international background, mostly for in-person contexts, this was a great chance to apply and develop my skills to the digital space. My work with Mural was a turning point, enabling me to explore and refine facilitation practices specifically designed for remote and hybrid environments. I dived into the nuances of synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, helping teams overcome the unique challenges of working across time zones, tools, and physical boundaries. These experiences not only broadened my skills but also deepened my appreciation for the evolving nature of facilitation along with new technology.

During this time, I also had the opportunity to collaborate with Publicitarias, a foundation that seeks to encourage female participation and leadership in agencies, as well as inform and educate about the influence that communication has on gender equality. Together with Publicitarias, I developed workshops and tools to enable teams to create more inclusive content. We created a package that anyone could use to facilitate conversations on the topic with their team, as well as evaluate and brainstorm ideas. This experience once again proved the transformative power of facilitation, and through developing these tools, we were able to enable the Publicitarias community to become change agents in their own contexts. The tool was also co-created together with the community, a process that I also got to facilitate. This also opened me up to the possibilities of using facilitation tools and techniques on a larger scale to achieve a bigger impact and involve whole communities. 

Maturing as a facilitator

Still, the more I learned, the more I realized how much there was yet to discover. With more than 10 years of experience in facilitation, and as I began to receive opportunities to lead more intricate and complex projects, I felt the need to validate and update my skills further. I had also grown into facilitation as my professional role and felt more sure than ever that the path I’m on is the right one. Certification became a natural next step, not just as a proof of professional validation but also as an opportunity to grow, connect, and contribute to a broader community of facilitators.

Choosing the certification program with Voltage Control felt like the perfect fit. My history with the organization, dating back to my time at Mural, had already left a strong impression. The weekly Facilitation Lab with Douglas and Eric became a space for me where I had a chance to meet and learn from other experienced facilitators. The environment was very friendly yet challenging, which offered the right mix of safety and motivation to keep improving my craft. Through Mural, I also had the opportunity to collaborate with Douglas on webinars, workshops, and the creation of templates to enable others to facilitate better meetings and workshops. I was very inspired by their professional approach, broad knowledge of methods and techniques, and their constant reinvention of methods that make every experience feel inspiring and fresh. The Voltage Control team and community had been there for many years during my career as a source for co-creation, collaboration, learning and inspiration. So, when I was laid off from Mural and received an invitation to join the program, it felt like a moment of alignment. I was ready to relaunch my career, refine my skills, and rediscover my unique voice as a facilitator.

Immersing myself in the program: A journey of growth

The certification program was a transformative three-month journey, allowing enough time for reflection, hands-on work, and reading in between facilitated community learning sessions. The sessions provided an opportunity to reflect and discuss insights and learnings together as a group from books we read during the program, such as The Art of Gathering and Gamestorming. Even if these books have been part of my toolkit for many years, discussing them with others allowed me to deepen my understanding and uncover new insights. Additionally, reading and discussing The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making gave me practical tools for managing difficult situations. We also did exercises that allowed us to practice certain techniques and skills from the books together.

One of the highlights was building my facilitation portfolio and working in pairs with other participants during the course. This process was both retrospective and introspective, allowing me to reflect on my experiences and articulate my strengths. Receiving feedback from peers was invaluable; it provided new perspectives and helped me develop my identity as a facilitator. Supporting other participants with their portfolios gave me new perspectives, and it was also a way to get to know each other quickly. 

Another aspect of the course that was very valuable to me was taking turns facilitating activities. Facilitating a group of seasoned professionals, followed by constructive feedback, was a unique and deeply enriching experience. The community-based learning fostered an environment of shared growth. Facilitating and sharing in front of experienced professionals pushed me out of my comfort zone. While this added pressure, it also underscored the value of their feedback. Having access to a group of professional facilitators, with their high expectations, is a powerful source of learning and improvement.

One particularly memorable moment was the final presentation. Watching everyone confidently present their identities as facilitators was one of the most inspiring moments of the course. The program’s duration allowed genuine transformation to take place, and the mutual support among participants made the journey even more meaningful. 

The personal coaching sessions with Erik provided tailored feedback and expert insights that significantly impacted my development. Throughout the program, he generously shared stories and learnings from his own career, both in group sessions and one-on-one coaching. I found the individual coaching especially valuable in identifying areas for growth, refining my voice, and defining my identity as a facilitator. This personal support complemented the group sessions, where we learned from each other while also focusing on our unique development needs.

Developing my superpower

Through the program, I rediscovered my superpower: the ability to create safe and respectful environments where people feel free to express themselves. This not only reaffirmed my passion for facilitation but also underscored the importance of continually learning and growing. Intuition and communication are essential, but having self-awareness and a robust toolkit of techniques and approaches makes it easier to navigate any situation.

Putting skills into practice

Since completing the certification, I’ve already begun applying what I learned in various ways. My role as Community Lead at Howspace has provided the perfect opportunity to implement these skills. I’ve designed workshops that address complex challenges for senior learning and transformation leaders. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive and they especially appreciate the professional yet relaxed environment and feel empowered to share openly.

Facilitating and moderating workshops with senior leaders presented both an exciting opportunity and a unique challenge. Their time is valuable, and each session had to be carefully designed to ensure it provided meaningful takeaways. Additionally, being significantly younger than most participants, I needed the confidence to guide discussions with authority while maintaining a humble and open approach. The skills I gained from Voltage Control prepared me for this, allowing me to create engaging, high-impact experiences where leaders felt heard, challenged, and inspired.

Building a thriving community requires more than just gathering people; it demands the creation of shared experiences that provide real value. To keep sessions dynamic and engaging, I drew from the broad range of facilitation techniques I had mastered. Each meeting included time for structured team-building, giving members the opportunity to connect on a deeper level and build trust. Without this, open and honest discussions wouldn’t have been possible, the true value of the community came from learning from each other. At the same time, the workshops needed to be results-driven. The workshop design techniques I had refined through the Voltage Control program allowed me to skillfully guide groups from complex challenges to actionable solutions within the limited hours available.

Moderating discussions with experts on transformation was another critical aspect of my role. Having practiced my own facilitation and communication skills in the program, I felt prepared to lead these conversations in an inclusive, professional, and structured way, ensuring all voices were heard while keeping discussions on track. At the same time, adapting to a new digital collaboration platform, Howspace, introduced another layer of complexity. Unlike the freeform nature of the Mural whiteboard, Howspace provided a more structured environment that leveraged AI for real-time synthesis. While it required a shift in approach, it also enabled a new way of facilitating at scale, accelerating decision-making, and fostering meaningful participation in ways I hadn’t explored before.

Another notable application was in my work as a facilitator and learning experience designer for #TechElevateHER, a four month long program created by Tik Tok and Geek Girl Meetup for young women from the Nordics. I designed diverse learning experiences, balancing online and offline, synchronous and asynchronous sessions. During the spring we travelled to all the Nordic capitals with the program to deliver weekend-long hybrid and in-person workshops, and in-between we hosted interactive sessions online. The feedback I received highlighted the strong sense of community my team-building and reflection activities fostered, proving that facilitation can deeply impact group dynamics.

One of the most impactful moments of my work with #TechElevateHER was facilitating team-building exercises on the very first day. We wanted the program to do more than just prepare participants for careers in tech through lectures, workshops, and mentorship, we wanted it to be the foundation of a strong, supportive network of women who could uplift each other long after the program ended. To set the right tone, I designed a mix of activities that encouraged them to relax, play, and connect. We started with movement-based exercises to shake off any nerves, followed by creative tasks including drawing, which brought laughter and eased participants into a more open mindset. One of the most effective activities was having them create their own icebreaker questions, giving them ownership over how they got to know one another. By the end of the program, many participants reflected that these initial sessions played a crucial role in helping them bond, making them feel comfortable enough to support and learn from one another throughout the journey.

Beyond the in-person sessions, I also designed online collaborative learning experiences to keep engagement high between physical meetings. While the participants were digital natives, many had little experience using corporate collaboration platforms, so I needed to create an experience that was intuitive, engaging, and meaningful. Since the program took place on weekends and many participants were juggling studies or running their own businesses, the online component had to feel like a natural extension of their learning rather than an added burden. My time in the Voltage Control program proved invaluable here, as I had learned from other facilitators about the challenges and solutions they had encountered in creating engaging experiences. Drawing from those insights, I crafted interactive, easy-to-navigate sessions that kept participants motivated, ensuring they stayed connected and continued learning between in-person gatherings.

Looking ahead: Ambitions and aspirations

This certification has given me the confidence to tackle larger, more complex projects and organizations. I feel better equipped to facilitate in challenging situations and to work with diverse groups, regardless of age, industry, or culture.

Looking to the future, I am eager to continue exploring how facilitation can enhance collaborative peer-to-peer and community learning, drive organizational change, and improve collaboration in hybrid work settings. I am particularly drawn to creating more human-centered work experiences and helping organizations adopt new mental models for transformation.

A journey of growth

Looking back on this experience, I am grateful for the encouragement I received during the program to follow my passion. The connections I made with my portfolio partners and the broader community were unexpected yet invaluable outcomes. Having a network to share my facilitation journey with, people to learn from, seek advice from, and offer support to, has been more than I expected to gain from the course.

The program made me feel confident to take on more complex and sensitive initiatives involving many stakeholders. I feel eager to work both as an independent consultant or as part of a team, helping organizations develop facilitative leadership capabilities, improve the way they work and collaborate, or solve challenges. I see opportunities to guide organizations through transformation, support them in building better ways of working, and create environments where participation and shared decision-making lead to meaningful change. With the skills I’ve gained, I feel more prepared to design and facilitate sessions that respect the time and expertise of senior leaders while ensuring productive and valuable outcomes.

In the coming years, I want to continue exploring how to support organizations in becoming learning organizations, building their change capabilities, strengthening facilitative leadership, and managing conflicts effectively. Facilitation has just started to become part of the mainstream conversation. It is increasingly becoming an in-house skill and is recognized as an essential leadership skill. In this context I also feel great responsibility of making sure my skills are up to date and that I’m facilitating in an ethical and safe way, another reason why pursuing a certification is important. As they state in The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making, it takes decades for a social innovation to truly become embedded. Facilitation can be supported by AI, especially to support diversity and inclusivity, but facilitation skills such as holding space for difficult conversations and disagreements can’t be replaced. 

The Voltage Control community has been a great support system in this journey. I still check in with the people I met in the course, and they help remind me of what I’ve learned and reconnect me with my purpose. When I face facilitation challenges, I know I can always turn to this network for insights and encouragement. It’s also been valuable to have a group of peers to collaborate with or refer opportunities to when projects fall outside my expertise. Looking ahead, I want to continue growing, learning, and contributing to the evolution of facilitation as a key capability for the future of work.

Erik and Douglas deserve special mention for their exceptional facilitation. Their expertise, guidance, and encouragement were fundamental in shaping this transformative journey.

This certification was more than a professional milestone; it was a deeply personal journey of growth, discovery, and connection. I am excited to continue leveraging these experiences to create meaningful, impactful facilitation opportunities in the future. For anyone curious about facilitation, my advice is simple: dive in, connect with others, and embrace the growth process. Certification is just one step, but it’s a powerful one.ture of our communities. And trust me, we need as many people as possible stepping into that space.

The post Mastering Facilitation appeared first on Voltage Control.

If you’ve embraced the lessons of Dare to Lead, you already know that vulnerability, empathy, and courage are the cornerstones of transformative leadership. But how do you take these powerful insights and translate them into practical, day-to-day actions that drive team success? That’s where our facilitation certification comes in. By blending Dare to Lead’s heart-centered approach with our robust facilitation competencies and additional methods, you can create environments where every voice is heard and every challenge becomes an opportunity.

Bridging the Gap Between Inspiration and Implementation

Dare to Lead has inspired countless leaders to dig deep, embrace vulnerability, and cultivate authentic connections. However, inspiration without execution can sometimes fall short in the fast-paced, ever-changing workplace. Our facilitation certification acts as the bridge between the visionary concepts of Dare to Lead and tangible, effective practices. Here’s how:

• Structured Application: While Dare to Lead encourages you to be courageous and empathetic, our certification provides you with structured techniques to guide discussions, manage group dynamics, and ensure meaningful engagement. We help you transform leadership insights into structured methods that improve team alignment and overall effectiveness.
• Actionable Frameworks: We introduce practical frameworks that help you apply those core principles in various contexts—from team meetings and strategy sessions to conflict resolution and innovation workshops. By mastering facilitation techniques, you can confidently translate leadership insights into repeatable, reliable processes.
• Enhanced Communication: Our program emphasizes the art of asking the right questions, active listening, and fostering inclusive dialogue—all skills that complement the emotional intelligence at the heart of Dare to Lead. These enhanced communication skills will empower you to handle difficult conversations, build team cohesion, and drive productive discussions.

Transforming Vulnerability into Strategic Advantage

One of the most transformative aspects of Dare to Lead is its emphasis on vulnerability. It teaches leaders that showing up as their authentic selves isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength. But vulnerability must be carefully managed within a team setting to truly drive innovation and collaboration. Our facilitation certification helps you harness vulnerability as a strategic advantage by:

• Creating Safe Spaces: Learn how to design environments where team members feel safe to express their ideas, take risks, and even make mistakes. Techniques like setting ground rules for respectful dialogue and practicing empathy-based communication are central to this process. Encouraging psychological safety ensures a more engaged and innovative team.
• Guided Dialogues: Develop the skills to facilitate conversations that dive deep into the root of issues, allowing teams to address challenges openly and constructively. By becoming proficient in facilitation, you ensure that all voices are heard and solutions are developed collaboratively.
• Balancing Emotions and Execution: Understand how to honor the emotional components of vulnerability while maintaining focus on achieving actionable outcomes. Effective leaders find ways to harness emotions as a driving force behind motivation and accountability.

Integrating Facilitation Competencies with Dare to Lead Principles

At its core, Dare to Lead is about cultivating courage and resilience in leadership. Our facilitation certification takes these principles and integrates them with additional competencies that enhance your ability to drive change and innovation:

• Active Listening and Inquiry: While Dare to Lead champions the power of listening, our certification provides you with a toolkit to not only listen but also to ask probing questions that uncover deeper insights. This leads to richer, more meaningful conversations that propel your team forward and encourage ownership of ideas.
• Conflict Management: Learning to navigate and resolve conflicts is critical for any leader. Our program offers practical techniques for mediating disagreements and turning conflicts into opportunities for learning and growth—skills that complement Dare to Lead’s focus on accountability and trust. With hands-on practice, you will develop the confidence to de-escalate tensions and maintain harmony in challenging situations.
• Strategic Planning and Execution: Beyond inspiring leadership, our certification gives you the tools to map out strategic plans, facilitate brainstorming sessions, and implement decisions effectively. This blend of visionary thinking and practical execution ensures that your team not only dreams big but also makes those dreams a reality.

Blending Additional Methods for Holistic Leadership Development

Beyond the core competencies that align with Dare to Lead, our facilitation certification introduces a variety of additional methods to further enrich your leadership toolkit:

• Design Thinking: Integrate creative problem-solving techniques that encourage innovative solutions. Design thinking’s iterative process of prototyping and testing complements Dare to Lead’s emphasis on learning from failure and continuously evolving. Leaders who incorporate design thinking can approach problem-solving with greater adaptability and creativity.
• Systems Thinking: Understand the interconnectedness of team dynamics and organizational structures. Systems thinking helps you see the bigger picture and design interventions that address complex challenges at multiple levels. By leveraging this skill, you can identify key leverage points for impactful change.
• Collaborative Technologies: In today’s digital landscape, knowing how to effectively utilize collaborative tools can make or break a team’s productivity. Our training covers digital facilitation methods, ensuring that you can lead both in-person and virtual sessions with equal confidence. With hybrid and remote work environments becoming the norm, mastering digital collaboration is a must-have skill for modern leaders.

Real-World Impact: Case Studies and Success Stories

Consider the story of a leader who had fully embraced the principles of Dare to Lead but struggled to translate these insights into team action. By enrolling in our facilitation certification, they learned how to set clear agendas, use reflective inquiry techniques, and manage diverse group dynamics effectively. The result? Meetings transformed into vibrant spaces of co-creation, conflict turned into constructive dialogue, and innovation became a regular part of the team’s workflow.

Similarly, many leaders have found that our certification not only reinforces their Dare to Lead training but also introduces them to new strategies that amplify their impact. From structured brainstorming sessions that yield breakthrough ideas to conflict resolution techniques that restore trust, these real-world applications demonstrate the powerful synergy between courageous leadership and skilled facilitation. Our alumni have reported increased confidence, stronger team engagement, and measurable improvements in organizational effectiveness.

Creating a Legacy of Leadership

In today’s complex environment, leadership is not just about guiding a team through day-to-day tasks—it’s about creating a legacy. When you combine the transformative ideas of Dare to Lead with the practical skills from our facilitation certification, you’re not only equipping yourself for success; you’re setting the stage for a culture of innovation, accountability, and resilience that can transform your entire organization.

• Empowering Future Leaders: By modeling both vulnerability and effective facilitation, you inspire those around you to take initiative, lead with authenticity, and continuously seek improvement. A commitment to facilitation ensures that leadership skills are passed down and cultivated within the team.
• Sustainable Change: The skills you gain from our certification are not one-off tools but part of a sustainable approach to leadership. As you continue to apply these methods, you’ll see long-term benefits in team cohesion, innovation, and overall performance. Organizations that adopt facilitation principles tend to experience stronger alignment and clearer pathways to execution.
• Community Impact: The ripple effect of empowered leadership extends beyond the workplace. When leaders are equipped to foster open dialogue and inclusive decision-making, they create a positive impact that resonates through communities and industries alike. Leadership is no longer confined to boardrooms—it shapes societal progress as well.

Final Thoughts: Your Next Step on the Leadership Journey

If you’ve embraced Dare to Lead, you already possess a deep understanding of the qualities that make for transformative leadership. Now, imagine coupling that inner strength with a set of practical facilitation skills that allow you to translate vision into action. Our facilitation certification offers you that opportunity—a way to apply the lessons of Dare to Lead in a concrete, impactful manner.

Together, we can transform the way we lead. Welcome to a new era of leadership—one where vulnerability meets actionable strategy, and where every challenge is an opportunity for growth.

The post Translating Dare to Lead into Action appeared first on Voltage Control.

I spent the early years of my career working in government and nonprofit spaces, and if you had asked me back then, I wouldn’t have said “I’m a facilitator.” I was an attorney for a while, primarily focused on individual cases helping families avoid eviction in New York City.In that world, my responsibility was laser-focused on the people I represented and whatever issue needed to be solved in court. I worked mostly alone or with a manager, never really needing to mobilize a large group to accomplish goals. It was just the nature of legal work—you handle your caseload, and you figure things out case by case.

However, as I grew in my roles, I began noticing that so many of the challenges I faced demanded more than just one person’s expertise. My move into city government introduced me to the vast network of agencies, community advisory boards, and elected officials that intersect in the shelter system. Managing those relationships required a different set of skills. No longer could I just rely on the typical “put a meeting on the calendar” approach to get things done. Suddenly, I was juggling multi-stakeholder collaborations, trying to ensure that cross-communication happened smoothly, and noticing all the ways good—or bad—facilitation could make or break a gathering.

The turning point, though, was when I started attending events and convenings where facilitation was either spectacular or absolutely lackluster. A few years back, I was at a conference in Baltimore, and there was a woman who absolutely lit up the room with her ability to unify everyone. She pulled us into tough conversations about race and economic mobility yet somehow kept the atmosphere open, supportive, and even fun. The next day, I sat in another session with a different facilitator who hadn’t tapped into that same energy. The difference between a transformative gathering and a frustrating one was striking.

That was when I realized that this is a specialized craft. It’s not just about telling people to speak up or dividing us into breakout rooms. I saw how skilled facilitators build arcs in conversations, make space for people who might otherwise be overlooked, and draw people into a shared sense of purpose. Good facilitation, I came to learn, could amplify our collective intelligence and address systemic issues in a way that top-down decision-making never could.

At that moment, a spark went off in me. I reflected back on my earlier career steps—moments when I’d been the one urging my team to structure the conversation better or break down silos. I realized I had always gravitated toward that role, whether I called it facilitation or not. Yet, I also recognized I was mostly winging it. I was operating off my gut instincts. That conference in Baltimore showed me there was a name, a body of knowledge, and a whole set of practices behind this. That conference was also a stepping stone to something I never knew I’d become passionate about: a formalized, trained facilitator.

Embracing My Innate Facilitator 

When I look back on my journey, I realize I’ve been stepping into facilitator-like roles for quite some time—even when I didn’t have the vocabulary or the framework to define what I was doing. My transition into city government was the first moment I saw how vital real collaboration was. I went from running my own legal cases to being responsible for group initiatives involving all sorts of stakeholders—shelter operators, local politicians, and various agencies. I noticed that simply scheduling another meeting usually wasn’t enough to align all those different priorities.

Initially, I’ll admit, I was part of the problem. I’d call a meeting, show up without a clear strategy, and see the frustration on everyone’s faces as we left the room more confused than when we arrived. Then I’d revert to thinking, “Maybe I’ll fix this alone,” which never worked out well either. Eventually, it dawned on me that I needed to do a better job of designing these gatherings. I had to become more intentional about how people were introduced to each other and how their ideas could be harnessed. It was a mental shift from manager to facilitator, and it was a pivotal moment.

A lot of my initial learning came from observation and intuition. I saw what I didn’t like in other people’s facilitation styles, and I noticed the good moments that made me think, “Yes, that’s how it’s done!” I started looking for resources online, discovering that facilitation truly is a broad discipline. There were books, tools, and entire communities dedicated to guiding people through tough conversations. In my work at Robin Hood—where we focus on community-driven solutions to poverty—I started recognizing this skill as essential. We talk about trust-based philanthropy, but it dawned on me that fostering genuine trust and collaboration demands effective facilitation.

Just knowing that there was a whole methodology behind this was a huge breakthrough for me. It aligned perfectly with how I’d been approaching community-centered grantmaking: treat partners as collaborators rather than just recipients, and try to create space for everyone to shape the process. In other words, everything I wanted to do—driving collaboration, forging connections, addressing systemic issues—could be elevated if I learned the actual craft of facilitation. I had the passion for it; now I just needed the structure and technique.

Finding My Home at Voltage Control

The real turning point in my facilitation journey came when someone on my team handed me an article about collaboration. It was all about deconstructing top-down managerial structures and ushering in a more equitable approach to working together. When I finished reading, I felt both excited and a little daunted. Yes, I wanted to foster that co-created environment, but how? Where does one even begin?

I started scouring the internet, googling “facilitation training” because I realized that if I wanted to show up differently for my team, I needed a formal learning experience. That’s when I discovered Voltage Control. I remember seeing the program details and thinking, “This is comprehensive, but also feels accessible and fun.” A big selling point was the sense that they really embraced creativity and hands-on practice rather than just academic theory.

So I applied. I wasn’t sure how I’d afford it, so I also submitted a scholarship application. Given the focus of my work on marginalized communities, I wanted to make a case for why I needed these skills—not just for my nine-to-five job, but to bring facilitation to spaces that couldn’t otherwise afford professional facilitators. When I got accepted and sorted out the financial piece, it felt like a validation of everything I’d experienced: “Yes, this is the place to learn. Yes, these are the skills that will help me be a better leader, manager, and collaborator.” It was time to get formal training for what I’d been doing on instinct for so long.

My Hogwarts of Collaboration

Stepping into the certification program felt a bit like getting a welcome letter to Hogwarts. I was excited but also super nervous. The pace was brisk; there were frameworks, readings, and practice sessions on top of my full-time job. But it was also exhilarating. Every session kicked off or closed with a fun activity, and we got to see so many practical techniques in action. For instance, when my turn came to lead an opener, I improvised a simple activity. To my surprise, it landed so well that people asked if it was from a resource or a book. In that moment, I realized that creativity and intuition truly flourish when backed by a strong foundation of theory and technique.

One of my favorite parts of the program was discovering how to structure an entire session or convening. We learned about the critical “pre-work” that Priya Parker advocates for in her book—ensuring participants know each other, understand the purpose, and feel prepared for the topic. Suddenly, I saw how even a simple team meeting could transform into a powerful collaboration tool if we gave some advance thought to design. That blew my mind because in workplaces, especially nonprofits, we often talk about big, lofty goals but skip the fundamental steps that ensure everyone is aligned.

The elective sessions were another highlight. I did workshop design and “cascades,” which focuses on navigating transition and organizational change. That second one was eye-opening because I’ve navigated countless transitions—new CEOs, staff turnover, evolving missions—and never had a structured approach to carrying people along for the ride. Seeing a facilitator’s framework for transitions made me realize how essential these skills are. We often pay huge sums to consultants to handle “change management,” yet many still overlook the real nuance of facilitation. Now I’m confident in wearing the “facilitator hat” whether or not I explicitly announce it in a meeting. And that confidence was forged in the program’s practice labs, reading, and peer feedback.

Leading with a Mindset of Inclusion

One of the biggest transformations for me is how I now approach leadership itself. In my earlier years, I thought the manager’s job was to be the “shiny, brightest thing” in the room, the one who calls the shots and directs people. But going through this certification process taught me the power of stepping back—of focusing on how to create a context where everyone shines. In facilitation, we often talk about making sure people know they belong in the conversation. That’s become a guiding principle for me: If I’m leading a meeting, how am I ensuring that each person feels like their experience and ideas are needed?

It’s also changed the dynamic in my team. I’ve always said I value collaboration, but now I have a concrete sense of how to structure it. I use practices like ensuring we allow space for those who are new to the team or who might have a quieter voice. I look at the agenda and ask, “Does this format reinforce participation or does it shut down dialogue?” Instead of calling a standard meeting and winging it, I might embed an interactive activity or a time for reflection. I make sure to consider who hasn’t spoken, and I directly invite them into the conversation. That shift has created deeper buy-in for our projects and, I believe, a healthier team culture.

Another big game changer is that I can now articulate my method. Before, I just leaned on gut feeling; now, I can point to frameworks and best practices. That’s helped me advocate for changes in how we host events or build consensus within my organization. I can say, “Here is why we need a round-robin format,” or “Let’s try a divergent-convergent technique.” I’ve discovered that many managers and directors appreciate seeing these approaches spelled out clearly. It’s not just me being a people person—it’s a disciplined approach that helps everyone do their best work and fosters a sense of belonging.

Catalyzing Conversations for Change

As I look ahead, I’m excited to integrate these facilitation skills into the next stage of my career—wherever that might be. I’m interviewing for new roles, but no matter where I land, I know I’ll keep championing co-creation and collaborative leadership. I’m determined to spread the word that if we truly want to address social issues like economic mobility or health equity, we can’t afford to ignore the power of skillful facilitation. Whether it’s in the philanthropic sector or with smaller grassroots movements, I intend to use these tools to make sure every voice is heard.

I’m especially drawn to supporting conversations around race, class, and the systemic issues that undergird the work I do. I’ve always been willing to lean into these topics, but I realize that many people are hesitant, especially now, given the political climate. Being a facilitator gives me “armor,” in a sense. It’s a structured framework that makes hard conversations more approachable for everyone. The dream is to combine narrative-change work, storytelling, and facilitation to create spaces where we can have honest, constructive dialogues about the challenges we face and how we want to move forward together. Idealistic? Maybe. But every new project is a chance to bring us one step closer to that vision.

If there’s one thing I’d like prospective students to know, it’s that facilitation is a gateway skill. It sharpens your communication, strengthens your leadership, and provides you with a toolkit you can apply to any environment—professional, personal, or community-based. It’s not just for people who want to run big conferences. It’s for anyone who wants to transform a group’s energy and purpose into real results.

So if you’re thinking about the certification, I’d say: jump in. Don’t be afraid to learn, experiment, and find your unique facilitation style. The payoff goes far beyond the classroom. It expands your capacity to create meaningful connections and lead in a way that truly honors every voice. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the future of work—and the future of our communities. And trust me, we need as many people as possible stepping into that space.

The post From the Courts to Collaboration appeared first on Voltage Control.

As we transition out of the Valentine season, a time traditionally focused on relationships, it offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how we build and maintain connections in our professional lives. While Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic love, its broader essence—acknowledging and nurturing relationships—aligns deeply with the work of facilitators. Whether through summits, virtual meetings, or regional gatherings, fostering connection is at the heart of impactful facilitation.

Facilitation is more than guiding conversations; it is about creating environments where relationships can flourish, where individuals feel heard, valued, and empowered to contribute. This article explores the various ways facilitators can build meaningful connections, the challenges that arise in virtual and hybrid workspaces, and practical approaches to fostering trust, managing conflict, and leveraging shared experiences. In the long run, the strength of relationships within a group is what determines the quality of collaboration and innovation that emerges.

Cultivating Connection in Distributed and Hybrid Work

In today’s distributed work environment, the nature of relationships has shifted. Many teams operate primarily in virtual spaces, only occasionally gathering in person. This reality makes intentional connection-building more crucial than ever. Without frequent in-person interactions, individuals may feel isolated, which can lead to a loss of engagement, lower morale, and ultimately, a decrease in collective productivity.

Facilitators play a pivotal role in creating spaces where relationships can thrive despite physical distance. This can be achieved through:

• Intentional Welcome Practices: Being fully present when participants arrive, rather than focusing solely on logistical details. A warm welcome helps set the tone and establishes an immediate sense of belonging.
• Seeding Vulnerability Early: Encouraging moments where mistakes or missteps are acknowledged without fear, setting a tone for authenticity. Facilitators who openly acknowledge their own imperfections create a space where participants feel safe to engage more deeply.
• Leveraging Regional Meetups: Using smaller, in-person gatherings to deepen relationships beyond the digital screen. These regional events provide a valuable touchpoint for teams that otherwise operate in a virtual setting.
• Integrating Informal Check-Ins: Embedding regular informal check-ins and personal updates at the beginning of meetings to establish a stronger sense of community over time.
• Intentional Personalization: Taking the time to recognize the individuality of each participant, much like choosing a thoughtful Valentine’s Day card.

Recently, Erik took his children to the store to pick out Valentine’s Day cards and small gifts for their classmates. Instead of randomly selecting generic cards, his kids carefully considered what each of their friends would like. Some classmates received their favorite cartoon characters, while others got notes with inside jokes or stickers that reflected shared interests. Erik’s daughter even took time to write thoughtful messages tailored to each recipient, making sure the card truly reflected her relationship with that person.

This same intentionality is critical in facilitation. Just as Erik’s children ensured their gestures were personal and meaningful, facilitators can personalize interactions, ensuring participants feel seen and valued. By considering individual preferences, past contributions, and interests, facilitators can create a deeper sense of belonging in a group setting.

By investing in these moments, we counterbalance the isolating effects of remote work and ensure that relationships remain at the core of collaboration.

The Role of Intentionality in Building Lasting Relationships

Relationships in facilitation don’t just happen—they are deliberately cultivated. Facilitators must think strategically about the small but impactful ways they can strengthen bonds between participants.

Key approaches include:

• Recognizing and Honoring Individual Contributions: Taking the time to highlight and acknowledge the unique skills, perspectives, and contributions of each participant fosters a sense of belonging and appreciation.
• Designing Activities That Reflect Participants’ Needs and Identities: Ensuring that activities resonate with the group by incorporating elements that align with their experiences, values, and goals.
• Using Small Details to Foster Connection: Elements such as name tags that include a fun fact about each participant, personalized welcome messages, or even room layouts that encourage mingling can make a difference in how people interact.
• Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Acknowledgment: Having participants recognize each other’s contributions through structured appreciation moments builds deeper relational ties.

Facilitators who approach relationship-building with intentionality will find that participants engage more meaningfully and leave with stronger connections that extend beyond the session.

The Impact of Shared Rituals on Connection

In any relationship—whether personal or professional—rituals play a powerful role in reinforcing bonds. In facilitation, shared rituals can create a sense of belonging and continuity, helping participants feel anchored to the group and its purpose. Rituals don’t have to be grand or complex; even small, repeated gestures can significantly strengthen relationships.

Some examples of facilitation rituals that build connection include:

• Opening and Closing Circles: Beginning and ending sessions with a consistent check-in and check-out process allows participants to express their thoughts, emotions, or reflections. This ritual fosters psychological safety and encourages vulnerability within the group.
• Shared Reflection Moments: Pausing at key moments in a session to collectively reflect on insights, challenges, or shifts in perspective builds group cohesion and reinforces learning.
• Recognizing Contributions: Creating a habit of publicly acknowledging contributions—whether through verbal appreciation, a digital recognition board, or handwritten notes—helps reinforce a culture of appreciation and care.
• Symbolic Gestures: Introducing small but meaningful traditions, such as a “facilitator’s token” that passes from session to session, can create a tangible reminder of the group’s shared journey.
• Intentional Breaks and Informal Conversations: Encouraging participants to step away from structured discussions and engage in casual, meaningful conversations during breaks can foster authentic relationships.

By integrating shared rituals into facilitation, facilitators create a predictable, comforting rhythm that strengthens group cohesion. These practices signal that every participant is valued, reinforcing a sense of connection that lasts beyond the session itself.

Facilitation as a Practice of Care

Facilitation is not just about structuring discussions or guiding teams to decisions—it is a practice of care. Thoughtful facilitation prioritizes the well-being and engagement of all participants, ensuring that they feel supported, valued, and empowered.

Some ways facilitators can cultivate care in their sessions include:

• Empathy-Driven Facilitation: Understanding and responding to participants’ emotional states can significantly impact engagement. Taking time to check in, acknowledging struggles, and showing compassion can help participants feel heard and respected.
• Follow-Ups and Check-Ins: Small acts like following up on a participant’s earlier comment in a later session or remembering personal details can make people feel genuinely seen and valued.
• Encouraging Psychological Safety: Creating spaces where people feel safe to share their thoughts without fear of judgment fosters stronger relationships and more open conversations.
• Framing Discussions in Inclusive Ways: Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to contribute by designing activities that accommodate different communication styles and perspectives.
• Celebrating Small Wins: Acknowledging group achievements, however minor, creates an environment of encouragement and shared success.

Facilitators who see their role as caretakers of the space they create will find that their sessions leave a lasting impact, reinforcing relationships that extend far beyond structured discussions.

The Role of Trust in Relationship-Building

Trust is the foundation of meaningful relationships, especially in facilitation. However, trust does not simply appear—it must be cultivated with intentionality. Without trust, participants may hesitate to contribute fully, limiting the richness of dialogue and collaboration. When teams trust one another, they engage more deeply, offer more honest insights, and are willing to take the creative risks necessary for innovation.

Key trust-building behaviors include:

• Modeling the Behavior You Want to See: Demonstrating openness, vulnerability, and curiosity rather than focusing on division. Trust is often mirrored, meaning facilitators must lead by example.
• Focusing on Connection Over Perfection: Accepting that mistakes will happen and treating them as opportunities for humanizing interactions. This builds resilience in relationships, helping teams navigate challenges with greater ease.
• Active Listening and Elevating Others: Creating space for voices that might otherwise go unheard fosters inclusivity and connection. Asking thoughtful follow-up questions and acknowledging contributions can help participants feel seen and valued.
• Creating Psychological Safety: Ensuring that participants feel comfortable sharing their perspectives without fear of judgment or reprisal.

The Long-Term Impact of Facilitated Relationships

Facilitation is not just about guiding discussions in the moment; it is about creating relationships that endure and influence collaboration long after the session ends. When facilitators intentionally foster connection, they lay the groundwork for future partnerships, mutual trust, and sustained engagement. These relationships can have a profound impact on individuals, teams, and even entire organizations.

Sustained Professional Networks

One of the most significant long-term benefits of facilitated relationships is the creation of professional networks. When individuals participate in meaningful, well-structured discussions, they not only connect with ideas but also with the people behind them. These connections often extend beyond the session, leading to mentorships, collaborations, and even job opportunities. A well-facilitated event can introduce participants to valuable new contacts, allowing them to build a web of relationships that continues to provide support and inspiration in the years to come.

The Ripple Effect of Connection

When people experience strong relationships in a facilitated setting, they often bring that sense of connection back to their own teams and organizations. A facilitator’s ability to create an inclusive and psychologically safe environment can inspire participants to replicate those conditions in their own workspaces. This ripple effect leads to stronger workplace cultures, where trust, open communication, and collaboration become the norm.

Stories of Continued Collaboration

Some of the most impactful professional partnerships and innovations have their roots in facilitated discussions. Whether it’s two individuals who meet during a workshop and later co-found a business, or a team that sustains momentum on a project long after an initial facilitated session, these relationships become a foundation for meaningful progress. Facilitators can enhance these outcomes by encouraging participants to stay connected, providing follow-up resources, and reinforcing the value of long-term collaboration.

By recognizing that facilitation is not just about the immediate experience but about shaping enduring relationships, facilitators can design sessions that truly transform the way people connect, work together, and grow beyond the room.

Relationships as an Outcome, Not Just a Means

Too often, relationships are seen as secondary to the ‘real’ work of facilitation. However, relationships themselves are one of the most valuable outcomes of any facilitated session. When people feel connected, they work more effectively, engage more deeply, and navigate challenges with greater resilience. The relationships formed through facilitation extend far beyond a single event, influencing future collaborations, decision-making, and organizational culture.

Facilitators must ask themselves: What kinds of relationships do I hope will emerge from this work? By centering connection in our approach—through trust, storytelling, conflict resolution, and shared experience—we create the conditions for stronger, more impactful collaborations. And in doing so, we ensure that our work is not just about achieving outputs but about fostering lasting, meaningful relationships that endure far beyond the session itself.

By embracing the power of relationships, facilitators become more than just guides—they become catalysts for lasting change. When people walk away from a session not only with new insights but also with a sense of belonging and trust in those around them, facilitation has done its job at the highest level. The work of fostering relationships may not always be immediately measurable, but its effects are profound and far-reaching, shaping the way individuals and teams collaborate for years to come.

The post The Power of Connection appeared first on Voltage Control.

“There is so much humanity in vulnerability. If you’re going to ask others to be vulnerable, you have to be willing to do so yourself and let your walls down to have rich, honest conversations.”- Alyssa Coughlin

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Alyssa Coughlin, Chief of Staff Director for the Data and AI Platform Organization at Autodesk. Alyssa shares her journey into facilitation and leadership, emphasizing the importance of patience, active listening, and storytelling in effective facilitation. She discusses leading through influence rather than positional power, empowering team members, and creating a collaborative environment. Alyssa also highlights techniques for engaging quieter participants and the significance of addressing underlying tensions in group dynamics. The episode concludes with a focus on fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment.

Show Highlights

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About the Guest

Alyssa Coughlin is a seasoned leader with a passion for facilitation, a skill she’s honed throughout her career, from student council to her current role as Chief of Staff at Autodesk. Her journey began in high school, organizing chaotic meetings, and evolved as she realized facilitation was central to her leadership style. After transitioning from pharmaceutical sales to project management in tech, Alyssa embraced facilitation as a critical tool for aligning diverse teams and fostering collaboration. She further developed her skills through Voltage Control’s certification program, where she gained confidence in her ability to create inclusive, engaging, and impactful meetings. Alyssa is now focused on scaling facilitation skills across her organization, empowering others to lead conversations and drive collective success.

About Voltage Control

Voltage Control is a facilitation academy that develops leaders through certifications, workshops, and organizational coaching focused on facilitation mastery, innovation, and play. Today’s leaders are confronted with unprecedented uncertainty and complex change. Navigating this uncertainty requires a systemic facilitative approach to gain clarity and chart pathways forward. We prepare today’s leaders for now and what’s next.

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Transcript

Douglas:

Hi, I’m Douglas Ferguson. Welcome to the Facilitation Lab podcast where I speak with Voltage Control certification alumni and other facilitation experts about the remarkable impact they’re making. We embrace a method agnostic approach so you can enjoy a wide range of topics and perspectives as we examine all the nuances of enabling meaningful group experiences. This series is dedicated to helping you navigate the realities of facilitating collaboration, ensuring every session you lead becomes truly transformative. Thanks so much for listening. If you’d like to join us for a live session sometime, you can join our Facilitation Lab community. It’s an ideal space to apply what you learn in the podcast in real time with peers. Sign up today at voltagecontrol.com/facilitation-lab and if you’d like to learn more about our twelve-week facilitation certification program, you can read about it at voltagecontrol.com. Today, I’m with Alyssa Coughlin at Autodesk, where she is the chief of staff director for the data and AI platform organization. Welcome to the show, Alyssa.

Alyssa:

Thanks Douglas, and thanks for having me. I’m excited to be here.

Douglas:

Of course. Thanks for joining. Well, let’s get started by hearing a little bit about how you got into this work. How did you get into being a chief of staff and thinking about facilitation and bringing groups together to make better decisions?

Alyssa:

Yeah, chief of staff is something I kind of stumbled into. At the beginning of my career, I didn’t know about this position or what it entailed. I just knew I had this myriad of skills and they all centered around bringing people together and driving organizations towards common goals and really just kind of being that connective tissue that paves the way for others to succeed. I got here through various positions. I’m actually on my second career. I started as a pharmaceutical sales rep, which is very different, and from there I moved over to the technology space and I did project and program management, and that really morphed into being a chief of staff, and it’s been a really exciting career journey because I finally found the position that if I could have just dreamed it up and picked all of the things I like to do and I’m good at, it would’ve come down to being a chief of staff.

Douglas:

I was thinking about your alumni story and how you depicted this tale of facilitating long before you really thought about it from the perspective of that role or that title. I think I remember you talking about a prom planning committee, is that right?

Alyssa:

Yeah, and student council, and I have just been doing this forever and then didn’t realize it was facilitation until somewhat recently.

Douglas:

When you think back to those early formative days, what do you think were some of the key skills or some of the key ways that you were showing up that made you successful?

Alyssa:

I think being able to read people and read a room and having a high EIQ is invaluable when it comes to facilitation. And so when I was on the prom planning committee or student council, I would see that need and I would lean into it and step in and realize that this group all has the same intentions and they want the same goals, but they don’t really know how to get there. And so I would step in and I would lead that discussion and that conversation and just help drive them to the endpoint without necessarily feeding them the answers. It’s more about discovery and giving them an opportunity to figure out the answers for themselves.

Douglas:

Oh, I love that. So this idea of not feeding them the answers, what’s your favorite go-to technique? I mean, I’m sure you’ve grown a lot and advanced a lot since those days, but I’m sure this not feeding people the answers is still core component of how you show up. And so I’m curious, nowadays, which one of your favorite ways of not feeding the answers, but making it feel productive or inviting?

Alyssa:

Funny enough, I find the simpler the probing questions, the better because they leave a lot of room for interpretation. So if the group is starting to get there, but they’re not quite there, something as simple as, “Say more about that.” Or, “How did you get there?” Make them kind of reflect on what they’ve said so far and what they’ve learned so far, and then drill back into maybe something that deserves more detail that they glossed over or recenter them back on the original conversation. It’s really just corralling almost.

Douglas:

Yeah, I love that. And so much of that is active listening and curiosity

Alyssa:

And come to it with an open mind, even if it’s a topic that you are familiar with. When you’re trying to lead these conversations, just act like you’re unfamiliar with the topic and be like, “Well, that’s interesting. Say more about this.” Or, “Why are we doing it this way?” And sometimes just drilling back to those basics helps reground and recenter the group and helps them move forward in a more cohesive way.

Douglas:

Yeah, absolutely. And I love this idea of even if we know the answer, we don’t necessarily have to provide it as the leader.

Alyssa:

Exactly. And a good leader I think focuses more on teaching. That old adage of give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life. I think leaders really live by that, and it’s so much easier to be like, the answer is ABC, but your group will never learn. Your group will never become self-sufficient and they’ll never be able to grow. And I think a good leader wants their group to actually grow beyond them. You don’t need to know everything to be a good leader or to be a good facilitator. You need to know how to embody the people around you to be their best.

Douglas:

Love that. And so let’s go back to those early formative days. If you could send a message to yourself or go visit with your younger self, what’s one piece of advice you would depart on that you now know, some of this wisdom that you’ve gained through the years?

Alyssa:

I think advice that I would give my younger self is to be more patient in the conversation. And that’s really hard. When we study facilitation, we learn about the power of the pause and the power of just a moment of silence to give others a chance to jump in or to reflect. And so as an extrovert, that’s so hard. I’m like, I’m ready to go. I have the answer. I’m excited about this. But that’s not really how you lead facilitation and that’s not really how you help the group grow. So my advice to my younger self would be just be patient, slow down and let the conversation happen more organically.

Douglas:

So this is a common one, so I find this fascinating. Did you find that that silence was uncomfortable for you or was it just this mindset of we’re going, following the energy and it’s being exciting and let’s move and go and go? Or was it just that anytime silence came up it was uncomfortable or maybe it was a mixture of both? I don’t know. How did it feel?

Alyssa:

I would say it’s a mixture of both. I definitely don’t want to lose the momentum from the conversation. And at the same time, there’s a little bit of an imposter syndrome around that silence. Am I failing if I’m not filling every second of this conversation? And moving past that and learning that, no, I’m not failing. I’m empowering and I am giving the group an opportunity to fill the space with what they see fit. But it’s definitely something that it takes practice, especially when you consider active listening and how your brain is just moving so fast and you’re like, I want to contribute all of these things to this conversation, but I need to slow down for a minute and actually listen to what the rest of the group is saying and allow them to fill some of this space as well, because it’s not a monologue or it’s not me just talking to myself.

Douglas:

You’re right. It’s not a monologue and it requires a group conversation to get past these obvious solutions to get to things that are novel and interesting.

Alyssa:

And I think what’s really important is for whatever the outcome you’re trying to accomplish, to really resonate and to have a lasting impact, it needs to be cultivated by the entire group. It’s not going to be as meaningful. It’s not going to take root if it’s just me or any one person just talking at them. It needs to be a story that we build and we tell and we see ourselves in together and not just about one person.

Douglas:

Yeah. So you mentioned the word story there. How often does story and narrative show up in your facilitation?

Alyssa:

All the time. I think people will resonate with that more. When you think about stuff that you can remember from years and years ago, whether it’s a song or it’s a story or something funny that happened, there’s a personal connection there and that’s what allows it to really stay with you for a long time versus, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, because there wasn’t a story there. That wasn’t important and that didn’t matter to me. And so I think when you are telling a story, you are inviting a sense of belonging and purpose in whatever narrative you’re trying to explain, and it becomes a shared narrative at that point.

Douglas:

Yeah. I’m also curious, we talked a little bit about leadership, it’s come up already. And as someone who’s been drawn to leadership roles from a young age, how has your sense of what leadership is evolved through the years?

Alyssa:

I think I really started to understand my brand of leadership when I transitioned into the technology sector and I was introduced to Scrum and Agile project management. And so one of the foundations of Agile is servant leadership. And the whole concept around a leader paves the way for the team. They remove obstacles, they provide resources, they set everyone else up for success. It’s kind of the mantra, leaders eat last. And so that’s where I had this moment of self-recognition or self-realization and I was like, “Yeah, that’s my leadership brand.” And that’s why I’m passionate about it. I attribute my personal success to the success of my team and those around me. And that’s something that I really love about being a chief of staff is that’s my job. It’s to make my leadership team the best they can be and the more they succeed, the more I succeed.

Douglas:

I love that. This idea of our success is measured through the success of those around us and those that we influence.

Alyssa:

Absolutely. And I think that is so important for facilitators, because how do you measure a successful gathering or successful facilitation? It’s not about how you feel when you walk away from the session. It’s, what was the outcome of the session? What is the sentiment of everyone else who was there? Was it valuable for them? Was it meaningful? Will it last? And I think my brand of leadership just so naturally fed into what makes a successful facilitator.

Douglas:

What advice do you have for folks that maybe aren’t in positional leadership roles and how they might view leadership from this lens? Because I personally feel that there’s a lot of opportunities to lead as an influential leader even if you don’t have this positional power. And so I’m really curious, I’m sure you see a lot of that at your vantage point there at Autodesk, because you get to see a lot of different individuals in a lot of different roles. So what advice do you have for folks that maybe want to be in leadership, but maybe don’t have that position or just don’t feel like they’re a leader?

Alyssa:

Yeah, for those folks the first thing I would say is don’t equate management with leadership. They’re not the same thing at all. You do not need to be a people manager or any position of authority to lead. In fact, leading through influence is the hardest way to do it, and it will be the most pivotal skill set you will develop in your career. To be able to lead up, down, and across is going to be really important. My advice would be don’t doubt yourself. Take up space. You are in that room for a reason and your experience and your contributions are valued. And so share those. And help make room for others, because people will notice that if there’s somebody in the room who is maybe feeling timid about chiming in, make space for them and be like, “Well, what are you thinking?” And people will remember that, people will automatically look at you as somebody who is leading and who is helping to guide the group.

Douglas:

That is such a great tool just to bring others into the conversation.

Alyssa:

Never underestimate the power of that.

Douglas:

What’s some of your favorite ways to A, identify those that might need to be included, and then also just bringing them in subtle but powerful ways?

Alyssa:

Yeah, I think as far as identifying those as a facilitator, there’s definitely a little bit of pre-work. So whenever you go into a meeting or a session, you want to make sure you understand the audience and that you have the right people there. Priya Parker talks about generous exclusion and it’s so important. So if you have somebody there and they’re not speaking up, the first thing you want to do is make sure, is this person set up for success? Are they actually supposed to be in this meeting or this session, or are they set up to just not be able to contribute? And that’s not going to be a good experience for anyone. But beyond that, it’s a lot about reading cues and reading energy, and that’s so much easier in person.

So with Zoom, I always suggest camera’s on because as the facilitator, you can kind of read people, maybe they’re about to say something and then they pause or you can see their face light up or a scowl, and you’ll find clues that they have something to say. Then just gradually invite them in. Don’t put them on the spot, just be like, “Hey, so-and-so, I think you have a lot of expertise in this area. What do you think about that?” Something that kind of builds them up first instead of just putting them directly in the spot and being like, “Hey, you haven’t said anything.” Nobody’s going to respond well to that.

Douglas:

Yeah, I like that. Gradually building folks up.

Alyssa:

Yeah, absolutely. Leaders build up those around them. There’s nothing to accomplish by tearing people down. Even if you think it makes yourself look better, it doesn’t. And people will remember that, especially if it’s the first time you’ve interacted with a group, there’s no second chance at a first impression. And so just remember that when you build up, rising tides, lift all ships. And so it’s important that you are elevating everyone around you, because you don’t actually know their full potential and you don’t know what they could contribute. But if you tear them down and they don’t feel empowered to contribute, then it’s just a loss for everyone.

Douglas:

Speaking of lifting others up, I believe you shared a story about an HR colleague that helped you realize that what you were doing was facilitation and being able to label your skills in that way opened up a career path or those realizations just changed how you approached your career development. So tell me a little bit more about that.

Alyssa:

Yeah, and that’s such a prime example of sometimes you really just need one person to believe in you to get you over that hurdle. So this happened back when I wanted to transition from working in pharmaceuticals to working in tech, and I was really intimidated by this change. I’d had friends tell me, and colleagues that, “You have a transferable skill set. Why don’t you jump into this industry if you’re not really resonating with the industry you’re in right now?” And I was like, “Well, I’m not an engineer. I don’t have this deep technical background. I’m not sure how I can really sell myself to a new industry.” And I had a really good friend who was an HR business partner at the time, and she just helped me kind of build my resume and go through it. And she asked me questions about like, “Well, what do you do all day?”

And as I was explaining what I do, she’s like, “That’s creating a business plan, that’s facilitating, that’s…” All of these different skill sets that hadn’t occurred to me because I was being so literal with everything I was doing. I was like, “Well, I sell drugs in the neuroscience division.” But that’s not what matters, and that’s not what transfers and translates. And so she taught me, and this is a really important skill set for a facilitator, is to know when to zoom out to zoom in. And so she said, “Pull back. Just look at the raw form of everything you’re doing. What is that? How would you describe it?” And I’m like, “Oh, well, this is facilitation.” And she’s like, “Exactly, so put that on your resume.” And so it was just having somebody who could help me get through a moment of doubt and a moment of imposter syndrome. And that’s important in leadership, and that’s important in facilitation is just sometimes everybody needs a little push and a little help.

Douglas:

Absolutely. And that’s so great to know that they were there when you needed them. And then as leaders, we can reciprocate to those in need and step into those moments too.

Alyssa:

Yeah, there are probably so many moments that seem benign or mundane to you that had an impact on somebody else’s life and you don’t know. And so I always try to show up as my best and to bring out the best in others, because you don’t necessarily know when somebody else is having a moment of self-doubt and they just need one person to cheer them on or believe in them for a second, and that’ll get them over that hump.

Douglas:

Yeah, so true. Even folks that seem like they have confidence, there might not be a lot underneath that exterior that we see.

Alyssa:

Totally, yeah. I mean, I work with VPs who in a one-on-one will be like, “I am extremely introverted. I am uncomfortable with these big group conversations, and this is not my natural personality. This is not how I show up at home.” And then they’ll give a presentation and it’s like they’re presenting a daytime talk show or something. I mean, they’re just so confident and they’re so smooth. And so people are complex and they are layers. And so how people show up in one situation or one environment is not their whole personality. And I think it’s really important to remember that and to dig through them and to encourage it, because sometimes you can get stuck in, I’m not a speaker, I’m not a facilitator. And you just need somebody to say, “Well, yeah, you are and you’ve got this.” And remember at the end of the day that everybody’s human and nobody’s perfect, and it’s really unreasonable to expect that. And I think as soon as you break down that need for perfection, you create a more welcoming environment that’s going to be conducive to better conversations.

Douglas:

I’m thinking about how you shared in your transition to project management that a lot of it was navigating conflicting priorities with diverse teams. And so I’m curious, when you think about some of these tough facilitation moments or these challenges that the teams were facing or that you were facing together as you were facilitating and they were trying to figure this stuff out, what comes to mind that might be interesting for folks to hear about? If you can’t name specifics, are there any patterns that you’ve noticed?

Alyssa:

I have. I think it’s human nature to kind of revert back to meeting your own needs first. And so as a facilitator, something that I commonly encounter is having to break down organizational silos. So for example, I used to work in the class action litigation space, project managing those, and that’s a really complex process. You have the data processing team, you have the print formatting team, you have finance, you have all of these teams, and they each have these individual goals and objectives that they need to accomplish.

And so my job as the project manager and as the facilitator was to help them break down their individual silos and their individual goals and remind them at the end of the day, helping people who have been hurt and meeting the needs of our client is our goal across the board. This is what we’re all striving to achieve. And so I think when you remind them of how their part contributes to the whole and how it’s important to have everybody’s part contributing to the whole, you help break down these barriers and move the project forward. But it’s something I still encounter to this day. Different leaders all have their own organizations and they’re all just worried about the success of their organization, but at the end of the day, it’s really the success of Autodesk that matters. And we have a belief, we call it “One Autodesk”, and it’s so important to remember that and to remember that we are separate parts contributing to a bigger whole.

Douglas:

You’ve got the mantra of what you mentioned, and I’m sure that’s effective of just helping people anchor in on this bigger purpose, this bigger why. What are some other ways that you’re aligning folks in these sessions?

Alyssa:

I think one important way to, or an important aspect of alignment is to address any sort of elephant in the room. A lot of times people will not say exactly what they mean and the conversation will just kind of go in circles and the important stuff ends up going left unsaid. And so there’s definitely an aspect of diplomacy, but bravery as well and being able to just prompt that and be like, are we actually talking about what we need to talk about right now? Or are we staying at the surface level and all trying to be friendly, in which case we’re just spinning our wheels and we’re not actually moving forward towards accomplishing our goals. And so kind of knowing when to push the group a little bit to move past those barriers and past those comfort zones versus when to step back and let them sort of do it on their own, there’s definitely an art to it. It’s by no means a science, and a lot of it is just trying. There’s so much reading people in facilitation.

Douglas:

Reading people is so essential and there’s so many signals to watch out for. What are some of your go-to methods for making sure you have your finger on the pulse, so to speak?

Alyssa:

Yeah, well, when you’re in person, there’s obviously body language is really important to keep an eye on, but we live in a hybrid world and myself, and I’m sure many other folks are primarily on video calls and Zoom. And so from there I try to keep an eye on the pace of the conversation. Are people cutting each other off more? Is it getting a little bit more assertive? Is there some hostility starting to bubble underneath the surface? On the flip side of that, has somebody completely shut down? Is somebody who is normally a contributor and who I would expect to contribute to this portion of the conversation remaining silent? And just watch for the tone, watch for, you can even just see a smile.

You can see how people are reacting or are they scowling? But it’s so many subtleties that you want to look out for. There’s very seldom going to be this glaring sign that’s like, “Hey, the group is not on the same page anymore.” If you reach the point where it has escalated to that level, you probably missed a few subtle cues you could have used to rein it in sooner. But I would say just really watch the flow of the conversation, watch how they’re interacting. Is their demeanor changing? Is their voice changing? And when it does, how can you help bring them back?

Douglas:

Yeah. What are some of your go-to approaches to bring it back? I mean, you used the word rein it in, so what does reining it in look like for you?

Alyssa:

Sometimes it means reminding the group of the north star and why we’re here and saying something along, “I hear what you’re saying, however, I’m not sure that that’s going to get us to our north star. And so let’s step back for a moment and possibly look at this from a different angle.” Another way to do it is to ask them to frame it in a different way. Say, “Hey, I don’t really understand what you’re saying right now. Can you frame it from this angle for me? Or how does what you’re saying contribute to the objective of this gathering, meeting, session?” Whatever it may be.

And so by rein it in, what I refer to is step back to step forward and just remind everybody of why they’re there. Try to deescalate, try to recenter and refocus, and then have the group get back on track. And that’s tricky, because sometimes it’s so hard to know when the conversation is going in an important direction that you should allow as a facilitator and when it’s starting to run down a rabbit hole and you need to pull it back in. And so that’s where the active listening really comes in handy. And you need to be completely engaged the entire time.

Douglas:

Yeah, that’s a stylistic thing too. How far do you let things go out into the nether regions before you bring them back in, because that’s where inspiration might hit or innovative ideas might happen. And so I think when folks shut that off too quick, they miss those opportunities.

Alyssa:

Exactly. And I come back to it’s an art, not a science. It’s really hard to know when are you blocking innovation versus when are you blocking unnecessary conflict. And it’s so much easier when you’re working with a group continually. So for me, I work with a senior leadership team all the time. I know them well. I know when they’re starting to go down an avenue that’s not going to be successful versus when they might be starting to figure something out. It’s really, really hard though as a facilitator when you’re jumping into a group you’re not familiar with. And my advice in that situation is to really lean into that naivety and to be like, “I don’t understand this. Could you explain this further?” Or, “How does this accomplish whatever our ultimate goal is?” And there’s nothing wrong with just asking those questions that they may sound uninformed, but they could be helping to prompt the group to pause for a moment just to reflect on are we going towards this path of innovation or is this a fruitless conversation that we should abandon?

Douglas:

Yeah, I like that. And it can often be used as a way to, as the facilitator, you can de-escalate using that approach. You can steer things back toward the purpose or north star, as you were saying earlier, but do it in a way that doesn’t seem confrontational. Saying things like, “Help me connect the dots here.” Because it’s not about them saying it wrong or being confusing. It’s about me, the facilitator, having trouble connecting the dots when probably everybody else in the room felt the same way, but because I’m the one that fell on the sword, now everyone gets the benefit.

Alyssa:

Absolutely, yeah. Facilitators have to be willing to just take the bullet sometimes and be okay with doing it for the better of the group. Yeah, to your point, I mean, you’re probably not the only one who’s thinking that. I guarantee you there’s somebody else in the room who’s like, “Why are we talking about this?” But there’s a group dynamic at play, and as a facilitator, you’re oftentimes seen as this impartial entity. And so it’s not going to be as intrusive if you ask the question as if somebody else in the group were to do so.

Douglas:

And also I think we practice those ways of not being judgmental or not coming across as confrontational. I think even if folks aren’t being confrontational, if they clearly have an opinion on the matter and they just blurt out whatever is on the top of mind, it probably comes across confrontational.

Alyssa:

Absolutely. And in those situations, I try to bring things back to facts. Is this just an objective opinion? Do you just feel some way about this? Or do you have information that the rest of the group could benefit from understanding that has led you to this opinion? And so if you challenge them on that, you’ll oftentimes find your answer whether they were right, and there’s an avenue that you should be pursuing that you missed. Or it’ll kind of allow them to self-check and be like, “Wow, I feel this way because I feel this way, but I don’t have any data I can bring to the group to validate it.”

Douglas:

When you were saying validation and bring it back to facts, it made me think how powerful a prompt along the lines of, how might we measure that?

Alyssa:

Definitely. And my organization, we live in the world of OKRs, which are objectives and key results for anyone who’s not familiar, and they’re a way to measure the success of an organization. And there’s such an easy thing to point work back to. So if a team is kind of going in the wrong direction, it’s like, which OKR are you feeding with this project? Are you moving us towards our common goals that we aligned on and that we agreed on as a group? And yeah, I love that you said that, Douglas. How will you measure success? Is this measurable? Is a great question to ask because it really forces them to pause and think, is there a way for me to know for certain that this is the right thing to do, or is it just a shot in the dark?

Douglas:

Yeah, I love that. I want to talk about vulnerability real quick. And you mentioned that as one of the key parts in the learning experience for you during our certification, and I wanted to see if you could elaborate a bit on how embracing vulnerabilities has helped you grow as a facilitator.

Alyssa:

There is so much humanity in vulnerability. And coming back to what we were saying earlier about facilitation, it’s just not possible if you can’t connect on a human level. I think if you’re going to ask others to be vulnerable, you have to be willing to do so yourself and to let your walls down and to be able to have these rich, honest conversations. And it’s so uncomfortable. You’re opening up a piece of yourself that you’ve probably really tried to protect, and that’s I think, a natural instinct. But learning to talk about things maybe you’re not great at or things that you wish you could do better. It doesn’t have to be a therapy session where you’re like, “Here’s my every insecurity and here’s what led to it.” But being able to show people that you’re willing to give a piece of yourself makes them more prone to giving a piece of themselves in return and then you’re having a more honest conversation.

Douglas:

Yeah. Speaking of the summit, you’re going to be at the summit this year, so what kind of excites you the most about coming down to Austin and being with a bunch of fellow facilitators?

Alyssa:

So much. I love getting to talk to other facilitators and learn from them. Everybody does it a little bit differently and so there’s always so many gold nuggets that I can borrow from other facilitators and share. Some of mine in return this year will be different. I’m excited for a different reason because I’m presenting this year, it is my first time presenting at the Facilitation Summit, and I’m actually going to be talking about some of the stuff we discussed today. We’re going to talk about using storytelling and leveraging that through facilitation to enable change management and how when you want a change to really take root and take effect, you have to tell a story that people can see themselves in and you have to bring them along on the journey with you. That’s where you get that true buy-in. And so we’re going to talk about kind of how do you do that? What are some tips? Coming back to how do you measure it, how do you know if it’s been successful? And how can you seamlessly fold that into just your everyday facilitation?

Douglas:

Love that. Storytelling is so critical. I think so often stories are such a part of getting teams to align, getting ideas to come out, yet folks aren’t spending enough time thinking about how they draw a good story out of people.

Alyssa:

Yeah, you always have to think about the what’s in it for me. So I work with the platform organization at Autodesk and we build all of these cool capabilities and then we take them to product teams and we’re like, “Hey, use this.” And the first, the human response is, “No, why? You haven’t given me a reason. What’s in it for me?” And so to be able to tell that story, to tell the story of why this is a great capability for your use case and how it can unlock new things for your work and make your life easier. Really putting them in the story of your capability or your product really makes it seem like it’s something that they belong to as well. And so that’s what we’re going to talk about some. And whether you’re trying to increase adoption or sell something or start a new idea, it doesn’t really matter. Being able to tell that story will help you be more successful.

Douglas:

So you’ve also mentioned the importance of mentoring others in facilitation at Autodesk. I’m curious, what strategies have worked best when you’ve been developing others around these skills and how do you see facilitation shaping the organization’s culture?

Alyssa:

Yeah, I think not taking for granted the ability to be a storyteller is really important because that is something that comes more naturally to some folks than others. And so we’ve really been focusing on how to be a storyteller and helping our team feel confident in their ability to articulate a story, especially because we have a global team. We have people with different first languages coming from different cultures and different backgrounds, and that can create different insecurities. And so being able to connect through story and be like, well, a story doesn’t necessarily have to know any sort of cultural bounds, it’s something that we can all belong to together.

And so I lead the extended leadership team for my organization and at our summit this past summer, we spent an entire day just focusing on storytelling and talking about all the different ways that that can be an asset in their toolset or career, however you want to phrase it. And it’s not just at work. I’m on the board for the Autodesk Women’s Network, and we’re talking about selling your own skill sets and standing up for yourself, selling your brand and what you can bring to the table in your career. And so there are just so many different ways that being able to be an efficient storyteller can help you not only move your career forward, but also help you bring others along.

Douglas:

That’s a nice segue. I was wanting to hear about, as you think about the next phase of your career, as you move that along, what most excites you about the role of facilitation and how it might play in that work that you do in the future?

Alyssa:

I think now I’m at a phase in my career where I have a decent amount of influence. And so being able to use that position to empower others is really exciting to me. When somebody who’s on the leadership team taps you on the shoulder and says, “I think you would be really great for this. I’m so proud of what you’ve done to date, and I’d love for you to share that with others.” You’re really not only building that next generation of leadership, but you’re holding a hand out to somebody else. Because at some point in my career, there was somebody who did that for me, and it gave me the confidence to kind of lean into that unknown, to be vulnerable and to take a chance.

And so now it’s my turn to do that for others and to hold the door open for those behind me. And so I’m really excited to be at a point, obviously you never are done learning how to facilitate. It’s a lifelong learning process, but I do have enough knowledge and information now that I can start to share that with others. And that’s really exciting for me. I would love for everybody to be able to tell their story and to just create this belonging all the way through our organization.

Douglas:

So as we come to a close, I want to give you an opportunity to leave our listeners with a final thought.

Alyssa:

I think it’s kind of a silly analogy, but it’s the one that I hold onto. And what I see facilitation and leadership really drilling down to is you’re kind of a collaboration Sherpa. You know the way, you’re guiding the team, but you’re still letting them make the journey on their own, and you’re helping to remove obstacles and roadblocks, and you’re getting them to where they need to go, but you’re not doing it for them. And that’s really what I try to bear in mind as a leader and a facilitator.

Douglas:

It’s been a pleasure having you on the show, Alyssa. Thanks for joining.

Alyssa:

Thank you. I had a great time. I loved this conversation.

Douglas:

I did as well, and I look forward to talking to you again probably at the summit.

Alyssa:

Great. I’ll see you there.

Douglas:

Thanks for joining me for another episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a review and be sure to subscribe to receive updates when new episodes are released. We love listener tales and invite you to share your facilitation stories. Send them to us on LinkedIn or via email. If you want to know more, head over to our blog where I post weekly articles and resources about facilitation, team dynamics, and collaboration. voltagecontrol.com.

The post From Extrovert to Empowerment: The Art of Facilitating Group Dynamics appeared first on Voltage Control.

In today’s fast-paced world, the demand for skilled coaches is higher than ever. Professionals across industries are seeking guidance not only on personal and career growth but also on how to lead teams through uncertainty and change. As a coach, you might find that while one-to-one coaching forms the backbone of your practice, you are often invited to lead retreats, offsites, and other group gatherings. This dynamic calls for a complementary skill set—facilitation.

Exploring diverse coaching certification options can open new doors and equip you with the knowledge and techniques to address a wide range of client needs. With so many choices available, from internationally recognized programs to niche specialties, it can feel overwhelming to decide which path best aligns with your career goals. However, blending a strong coaching foundation with advanced facilitation skills can set you apart from the crowd.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through ten top certification options that can help you enhance your practice. One option we’re particularly excited about is our very own Facilitation Certification. It’s designed to serve as a perfect complement to traditional coaching certifications, arming you with the expertise needed to navigate group dynamics and drive collective breakthroughs.

Whether you’re just beginning your journey or looking to expand your repertoire, these certification options provide a spectrum of opportunities to refine your skills, boost your credibility, and ultimately, help you make a lasting impact on the leaders and teams you serve.

1. International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certification

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) remains one of the most prestigious and widely recognized certifications in the coaching industry. ICF certification signals adherence to high ethical standards and a commitment to ongoing professional development. Its rigorous accreditation process is designed to ensure that coaches not only master the theoretical foundations of coaching but also demonstrate practical competence.

ICF-certified programs emphasize mentorship, peer coaching, and hands-on experience, which are vital for coaches aiming to refine their craft. This structure ensures that you are well-prepared to guide individuals through their personal and professional challenges, fostering growth and transformation. The emphasis on measurable competencies and ongoing learning makes ICF a robust foundation for anyone serious about their coaching career.

Furthermore, ICF certification can significantly enhance your marketability. Clients and organizations often seek ICF-certified coaches for their proven skills and ethical approach to coaching. This reputation of excellence helps build trust with prospective clients and paves the way for more impactful engagements. In an increasingly competitive market, having an ICF certification can be a strategic differentiator.

Moreover, ICF’s global network of coaches provides invaluable opportunities for collaboration and continued learning. This community of practice is a resource where you can share experiences, overcome challenges, and stay updated on emerging trends in the coaching field. By joining this network, you can continuously evolve and adapt your coaching strategies to meet the dynamic needs of today’s leaders.

2. Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) Certification

The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) offers a comprehensive coaching program that integrates core coaching competencies with a deep exploration of personal and professional development. iPEC’s certification is well-regarded for its robust curriculum that blends practical coaching skills with strategies for self-mastery. This approach is designed to help coaches not only serve their clients effectively but also cultivate their own leadership qualities.

iPEC places a strong emphasis on energy leadership—a model that encourages coaches to help clients understand and transform the energy behind their actions. This unique framework enables you to guide clients through a process of self-awareness and transformation, resulting in lasting change. The curriculum is designed to be immersive, ensuring that coaches graduate with both the skills and confidence needed to facilitate significant breakthroughs.

A notable advantage of iPEC’s certification is its blend of one-on-one coaching and group learning. The program’s structure, which includes live sessions, peer coaching, and mentorship, mirrors real-world scenarios where coaching often expands into facilitation settings. This hybrid model ensures that you’re prepared to manage both individual sessions and larger group interactions.

For coaches seeking to enhance their ability to run workshops, retreats, or team offsites, iPEC offers a balanced training that addresses these needs. By developing a deep understanding of energy dynamics and group processes, you become well-equipped to create environments that foster collective growth and innovation. This dual focus is invaluable as coaching increasingly intersects with team facilitation.

3. Erickson Coaching International Certification

Erickson Coaching International is celebrated for its solution-focused approach to coaching. This certification emphasizes practical strategies and creative problem-solving techniques that empower clients to envision and achieve their goals. Erickson’s method is grounded in the belief that effective coaching is about unlocking potential through forward-thinking strategies and clear, actionable steps.

The Erickson approach is highly adaptable, making it a strong choice for coaches who work across diverse industries and client needs. By focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems, this certification helps you build a practice that is both client-centered and results-oriented. This proactive approach ensures that your coaching engagements are geared toward measurable outcomes.

A significant benefit of Erickson Certification is its flexibility in application. The techniques taught can be seamlessly integrated into various coaching contexts—from individual sessions to group workshops. This adaptability makes Erickson a great option for coaches looking to expand their services beyond one-to-one coaching, especially when facilitating team gatherings and group discussions.

Additionally, Erickson Coaching International offers a supportive learning environment through interactive workshops and real-life practice scenarios. This hands-on experience not only sharpens your coaching skills but also prepares you to manage dynamic group interactions. Whether you are guiding one individual or facilitating a team session, Erickson’s practical framework can help you drive meaningful change and inspire collective success.

4. Coaches Training Institute (CTI) Certification

Coaches Training Institute (CTI) is renowned for its co-active coaching model—a dynamic approach that emphasizes the interplay between coach and client as active participants in the coaching process. CTI certification focuses on developing both personal awareness and professional skills, enabling coaches to foster powerful relationships and drive transformational change.

The CTI model is built on the premise that coaching is a partnership where both coach and client engage in a mutually evolving dialogue. This interactive process encourages clients to tap into their inner resources and create sustainable change in their personal and professional lives. CTI’s training is immersive, often incorporating experiential learning, role-playing, and real-time feedback sessions that mirror the complexities of real-life coaching situations.

For coaches interested in facilitating group dynamics, the co-active model is particularly beneficial. It teaches you how to create spaces that encourage open communication and active participation, essential skills when leading team offsites or retreats. The model’s emphasis on collaboration and shared responsibility translates well into group settings, where fostering collective insight is paramount.

Moreover, CTI Certification provides a structured yet flexible curriculum that allows you to tailor your learning experience according to your specific interests and career goals. This adaptability ensures that you can integrate the core principles of co-active coaching into your existing practice, enhancing your ability to lead both individual sessions and larger group interactions. With CTI, you build a robust foundation that supports both personal and professional growth for you and your clients.

5. The Association for Coaching (AC) Certification

The Association for Coaching (AC) is a global network that emphasizes high standards and continuous professional development. AC Certification is designed for coaches who aspire to maintain a rigorous ethical framework while continuously evolving their skills. This program is ideal for coaches who want to integrate best practices from around the world into their practice.

AC Certification stands out because it focuses on a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. The program is structured to ensure that coaches not only understand advanced coaching concepts but also know how to implement them effectively in diverse scenarios. This dual focus on theory and practice helps you build a resilient coaching practice that adapts to evolving client needs.

In addition to traditional one-to-one coaching, AC encourages a broader application of coaching skills in group settings. The emphasis on creating engaging, high-impact sessions makes AC Certification a natural stepping stone for those who eventually facilitate team gatherings and organizational offsites. This extended application of coaching skills enhances your versatility as a professional, allowing you to serve a wider array of client needs.

The global network that comes with AC Certification is another powerful benefit. By joining an international community of coaches, you gain access to a wealth of resources, insights, and collaborative opportunities. This network not only supports your professional journey but also offers a platform for continuous learning and growth. With AC, you’re not just earning a credential; you’re becoming part of a worldwide movement dedicated to elevating the coaching profession.

6. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Coaching Certification

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) offers a unique perspective on coaching by focusing on the interplay between neurological processes, language, and behavioral patterns. NLP Coaching Certification equips you with a set of tools that help clients overcome limiting beliefs, reframe challenges, and unlock new levels of performance. This certification is particularly effective for coaches who want to delve deeper into the science of human behavior.

The NLP approach is highly practical and action-oriented. It provides a structured methodology that can be easily applied in one-on-one sessions as well as in group settings. For coaches who find themselves facilitating team retreats or offsites, the NLP techniques are invaluable. They help create an environment where clients can shift perspectives quickly and develop innovative solutions to complex problems.

Moreover, NLP Coaching Certification emphasizes the importance of language in shaping our reality. By mastering the nuances of communication, you can help clients articulate their goals more clearly and navigate obstacles more effectively. This focus on linguistic precision and behavioral change not only strengthens your coaching sessions but also enhances your ability to facilitate engaging group interactions.

The certification process typically includes interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and hands-on practice, ensuring that you gain real-world experience alongside theoretical knowledge. This immersive approach means that you leave the program not only with a certification but with a toolkit that empowers you to make a tangible difference in your clients’ lives—whether working individually or in group dynamics.

7. Positive Psychology Coaching Certification

Positive Psychology Coaching Certification is grounded in the science of happiness and well-being. This certification focuses on identifying and leveraging strengths, cultivating resilience, and fostering an optimistic mindset among clients. By drawing on evidence-based practices, coaches can help clients build a foundation of positivity that drives sustained personal and professional growth.

At its core, positive psychology in coaching emphasizes the importance of focusing on what works well rather than solely on areas for improvement. This strength-based approach not only boosts client confidence but also creates a more engaging and motivating coaching experience. The certification equips you with strategies to help clients celebrate successes and develop a mindset geared toward continuous improvement.

For coaches who also facilitate group sessions, positive psychology offers techniques that can transform team dynamics. By encouraging group members to recognize and build on their strengths, you create an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual support. This approach is especially effective during retreats or offsites where fostering a positive group culture can lead to innovative solutions and stronger team cohesion.

The certification program typically includes a mix of theoretical learning and practical application. Interactive sessions, case studies, and role-playing exercises help you apply positive psychology principles in various coaching scenarios. By integrating these techniques into your practice, you become better equipped to guide both individuals and groups toward achieving their highest potential.

8. Business Coaching Certification

Business Coaching Certification is tailored for those who want to work with leaders and organizations to drive performance and growth. This certification focuses on the unique challenges of the business environment, such as strategic planning, leadership development, and change management. As a business coach, you play a crucial role in helping organizations navigate complexities and achieve sustainable success.

The curriculum in business coaching programs is designed to blend core coaching principles with advanced business acumen. You learn how to diagnose organizational issues, develop strategic solutions, and guide leaders through transformational change. This dual focus on business strategy and personal development makes the certification highly relevant for coaches who aspire to work with corporate clients or lead organizational change initiatives.

For those coaches who find themselves facilitating team meetings, strategic retreats, or offsites, business coaching certification provides an essential toolkit. It equips you with techniques to foster productive dialogue, align team objectives, and drive collaborative decision-making. The ability to transition smoothly between one-on-one sessions and group facilitation can be a game-changer in the business context.

In addition to practical skills, business coaching certification programs often emphasize networking and peer collaboration. Being part of a cohort of like-minded professionals allows you to share insights, challenges, and best practices. This collaborative learning environment not only enriches your coaching practice but also ensures that you remain at the forefront of emerging trends and strategies in the business world.

9. Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification

While traditional coaching certifications provide a solid foundation for one-on-one engagements, many coaches are increasingly called upon to lead group sessions, retreats, and offsite meetings. Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification is specifically designed to bridge this gap, equipping coaches with the skills needed to guide large groups effectively. Our program emphasizes a non-directive style that mirrors the coaching approach but is tailored for managing multiple participants.

Our Facilitation Certification helps you master the art of creating collaborative spaces where every voice is heard and collective insights emerge. You’ll learn how to design and lead interactive sessions that foster innovation and drive group alignment. The curriculum covers a range of topics from setting the right tone for group engagement to managing diverse dynamics, ensuring that you can handle any facilitation scenario with confidence.

One of the key benefits of our program is its seamless integration with traditional coaching practices. Many coaches find that adding facilitation skills to their repertoire enhances their ability to support leaders and teams during complex organizational challenges. The non-directive style used in both coaching and facilitation allows you to guide discussions without imposing your own agenda, creating a space where clients can explore solutions organically.

In addition to enhancing your group facilitation skills, our certification provides valuable insights into designing impactful retreats and offsites. These skills are increasingly in demand as organizations look for coaches who can not only work with individuals but also drive collective transformation. By integrating facilitation into your practice, you become a more versatile professional capable of addressing a wider range of client needs and organizational challenges.

10. Leadership Coaching Institute Certification

Leadership Coaching Institute Certification is an ideal option for coaches looking to specialize in guiding current and emerging leaders. This program focuses on the unique challenges of leadership development, such as strategic visioning, decision-making under pressure, and the cultivation of emotional intelligence. Leadership coaches are instrumental in helping executives navigate complex organizational landscapes and drive meaningful change.

The curriculum is designed to blend advanced coaching techniques with leadership theory, ensuring that you are equipped to handle high-stakes environments. You’ll learn how to facilitate powerful conversations that unlock new perspectives and inspire confidence in leaders facing difficult challenges. This certification not only enhances your ability to support individual growth but also positions you as a trusted advisor within organizational contexts.

For coaches interested in expanding their scope to include team facilitation, Leadership Coaching Institute Certification offers strategies that are directly applicable to group settings. The program provides tools for orchestrating dynamic group discussions and managing conflict in high-pressure situations. These skills are essential when leading leadership retreats or strategic offsites where collective insights drive organizational innovation.

Moreover, the certification process encourages continuous learning and self-reflection—a critical component for anyone guiding leaders through transformative change. By incorporating feedback, peer learning, and practical application, this program ensures that you are always evolving and refining your approach. Ultimately, the Leadership Coaching Institute Certification prepares you to make a profound impact on the leadership journey of your clients, whether in one-on-one settings or as a facilitator of group transformation.

Conclusion

Choosing the right certification can significantly shape the trajectory of your coaching career. As you explore these top 10 options, remember that each program offers unique benefits tailored to different aspects of coaching—from one-on-one engagements to group facilitation. By selecting a certification that aligns with your strengths and career aspirations, you set the stage for continuous growth and impact.

Integrating facilitation skills, such as those offered through Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification, can be a game-changer. It not only broadens your ability to lead diverse groups but also enhances the value you bring to your clients. With the rise of group-based coaching engagements, having a solid facilitation foundation is increasingly becoming a must-have skill for any forward-thinking coach.

As you move forward on your professional journey, consider the diverse pathways available to you. Whether you opt for a well-established certification like ICF or choose to specialize with programs like Leadership Coaching Institute Certification, each step is a stride toward becoming a more versatile and impactful coach.

We invite you to explore these options, invest in your professional development, and embrace the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. By expanding your skill set to include both coaching and facilitation, you are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of today’s leaders and drive transformative change in organizations around the world.

The post Top 10 Coaching Certifications appeared first on Voltage Control.