About

ABOUT COURSE

The skill of facilitation is indispensable in order to engage your team for better brainstorming, buy-in and complex problem-solving. By facilitating everyone’s participation, problems are better understood, better decisions are made, and productivity is raised.

An effective facilitator ensures that all participants in the meeting contribute and that objectives are achieved through leading and blocking techniques within a group discussion or meeting. An effective facilitator manages group members’ emotions, defusing conflicts and encouraging team cohesiveness. By the end of this course you will have a better understanding of how to facilitate and secure the involvement of the group for greater commitment and buy-in.


KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

•    Lead a variety of discussions, meetings, including team / project meetings and working groups

• Guide people to solve problems and make decisions
• Achieve buy-in and commitment
• Respond to unforeseen changes in group or individual behaviour and outcomes
• Create and sustain a participatory environment, managing the individuals and group for successful outcomes
• Identify your own style of facilitation and flex this style for the needs of the group as relevant to ensure client participation and attention

Outline

COURSE OUTLINE

Roles and responsibilities of the effective learning facilitator

• The core competencies of an effective learning facilitator
• Identifying and understanding individual strengths
• Three styles of facilitation: directive, co-operative and autonomous
• Three dimensions of facilitation: move group to outcomes/ goals; create and manage an efficient and collaborative group process; involve all participants and draw out value
• Top ‘dreaded’ facilitators

Laying the groundwork

• Understanding the principles of essential preparation
• Needs analysis
• Containment and connections (constructing a sense of individuals as a group and focused on task)
• Designing a realistic agenda

Facilitation and communication preferences

• Use a simple tool to understand the communication preferences both your own and those of the participnts
• Understand potential strengths and risks of your preferences
• Be able to flex preferences for both particpants and facilitation situations

Adult learning principles in facilitation

• Critical elements of learning that a facilitator needs to be aware of and integrate into planning
• The learning cycle
• Using VAK to ensure best chance of message s being heard and effective communication
• Dynamics of group decision making (divergent and convergent thinking)

Participatory and group management skills

• Group awareness and inclusiveness
• Keeping the group focussed through consensus building
• Leading discussions
• Challenging questionable suggestions
• Floating ideas
• Addressing group dysfunction
• Conflict management techniques for facilitators
• Moderating undesirable behaviour
• Guiding group to consensus and desired outcomes

Interpersonal communication skills

• Building rapport
• Delivering feedback
• Active listening
• Questioning and probing
• Clarifying

Outcome focused processes and methods

• Choosing and designing the group facilitation process
• Decision making tools and techniques
• Collaborative tools and techniques
• Analysis techniques

Video feedback
Each participant will be video recorded on a practice session for private viewing. A group feedback session will allow for observation and feedback for self-development.



Facilitator

Penny Holden

Penny Holden has over 18 years in the field of learning and development as trainer, leader, manager, coach and programme designer. Operating in New Zealand, the UK and Australia, Penny has the enviable position of having trained in all sectors (private, government, corporate, NGOs) and across most industries. She brings this in-depth knowledge and experience to offer insightful, rigorous and highly practical and motivating training.

Her training programmes are packed with practical ideas, tools, up-to-date information and strategies for success. She actively works with participants to make training as individual and valuable as possible, ensuring a return on investment. Programme expertise includes leadership and management training, and developing people capability and organisational effectiveness at all levels.

Penny Holden is also facilitating:

• Advanced Train the Trainer
• Change Management for Managers in Times of Restructuring & Redundancies
• Communicating with Diplomacy, Influence and Credibility
• Dealing with Difficult People for EAs & PAs
• Development and Training Needs Assessment
• Effective Performance Conversations
• Internal Consulting Skills
• Tackling Challenging Conversations for EAs & PAs
• Tackling Challenging Conversations for Team Leaders & New Managers
• Team Leaders & Supervisors Masterclass
• The Influential Leader
• Train the Trainer

In-house Training