Facilitation Skills Training

Facilitation Skills Training

Course Description

Facilitation Skills Training is the new cornerstone of management philosophy. At the same time, it focuses on fairness and creating an easy decision-making process. It is also developing a comfortable environment through better facilitation.

Good facilitators see and hear not only the obvious but are in tune with what else might be going on that isn’t quite so apparent. They have skills in interpreting the difficulties, resolving conflict, cutting through time-wasting and diversionary tactics, and, most importantly, enabling people to reach agreements and develop new practices that will work.

So think about the more crucial meetings in your workplace where everyone keeps going ’round in circles, and then imagine what clarity you could bring in the role of facilitator.

Facilitation Skills Training will give participants a better understanding of what a good facilitator can do to improve skills. It aims to help any organization make better decisions. Additionally, it will give participants an understanding of what facilitation is all about. This training will also provide some tools that they can use to facilitate.

The course will provide a strong understanding of how a facilitator can command a room. Finally, dictating the pace of a meeting will have participants on the road to becoming great facilitators.

Course Objectives

• Define facilitation & identify its purpose
• Understand the benefits of good facilitation
• Master the role & focus of a facilitator
• Differentiate between process & content of a group discussion
• Learn effective tools for preparing for an effective facilitation session
• Master techniques for effective facilitation from Tuckman & Jensen’s stages of group development (forming, storming, norming & performing)
• Learn how to help a group reach a consensus and a final solution by encouraging participation
• Practice techniques for dealing with disruptions, dysfunctions & difficult people in a group setting
• Define what interventions are, when they are appropriate, and learn how to implement them

Course Modules

Lesson 1 – The Peaceful Warrior

• The role and purpose of facilitating
• The Limits of Facilitation
• Qualities of Effective Facilitation
• LDP Review – facilitation preferences
• Reflection

Lesson 2 – Just Add People and Stir

• The Ideal World
• The Real World
• Reflection

Lesson 3 – Trusting in the Process

• Preparation
• Starting Off
• The Middle Bit
• The End Bit
• I never agreed to that! (Keeping Records)
• Reflection

Lesson 4 – Making Decisions

• Tell me again, why are we here?
• Divergent and Convergent Thinking
• Building Consensus and Inclusive Solutions
• Reflection

Lesson 5 – Maximizing Interaction

• Exercising Control
• Exercising Control
• Dealing with Challenges
• Reflection

Lesson 6 – Virtual facilitation

• Preparation
• Technology
• Maintaining Engagement
• Reflection

Lesson 7 – Reflections

• Create an Action Plan
• Lessons Learned