facilitation techniques

Dominant, supportive. Immediate value, gradual value. Explicit, implicit. Scarcity, abundance. Consultant, Facilitator.

It might be tempting to view the roles of a consultant, and that of a facilitator, through these opposing dichotomies, but nothing is ever really that black and white. And as Benjamin Taylor and I speak about this week, there’s a great deal to be learnt from the intersection of the two!

This episode takes a look at facilitation through the meta-lens; from afar, we inspect it as a movement and dig up some uncomfortable clichéd truths, and up-close, we unravel the intricacies of manipulation, shallow vs deep facilitation, and the most daring tool of all in our toolkit.

Find out about:

• Where facilitation shows up in consulting and the interplay between the two disciplines
• What Benjamin has learnt from decades spent as a consultant in the public sector
• The distinction between shallow and deep facilitation and why it is critical for an effective outcome
• Why the key to impactful facilitation lies in fostering an environment of connection, collaboration and empowering each participant’s strengths
• Why consultants must resist the urge to prove instant value; instead taking a more measured, facilitative approach to collaboration

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.

Put the episode's best takeaways into practice with Skillding. Visit skillding.com/workshop to begin your journey from learning to doing. Track your progress as you hone your new skills. Start now!

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Benjamin Taylor:

LinkedIn

RedQuadrant

Support the show:

Make a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

Check out the podcast map to see the overview of all podcast episodes: https://workshops.work/podcast-map

This episode is a special one! You’re invited to time travel back to the NeverDoneBefore Festival, and join me in my virtual podcast boat where I speak to six of our talented facilitators over the 24-hour event: Becky Sawle, Sonja Sinz, Mirjam Leunissen, Célia Rene Corail, Etrit Shkreli and Marianne Oh. 

It’s a jam-packed journey, full of rich, multifaceted wisdom; each conversation offers a fascinating and thoughtful perspective, making the next hour and a half an exploration into facilitation as a whole, in its many wondrous forms.

We talk about the balance between structure and emergence, we find unexpected learnings in a Christian Andersen folktale and teachings from a Hindu goddess, we delve into embodiment, trust, costumes, language and neutrality, and how we can support neurodiversity in workshop settings. Phew, it’s a whistle-stop tour!

Find out about:

• How costumes can create a safe space to tap into our creativity
• The balance between structure and emergence that appears through co-creation, and how to navigate the two
• Why conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing; when you lean into it, we can strengthen relationships
• Why as a facilitator, we are the ultimate source of energy, transferring our feelings and emotions to the group
• How to use embodiment to shift moods, develop new behaviours, and why observing a deeper connection with our body is a journey into self-discovery
• Why we can draw inspiration from Shiva and Kali in Hindu mythology, to find the balance between presence and action
• How facilitators can balance diverse needs and preferences to support neurodiversity 

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.

Put the episode's best takeaways into practice with Skillding. Visit skillding.com/workshop to begin your journey from learning to doing. Track your progress as you hone your new skills. Start now!

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to the guests on LinkedIn:
Becky Sawle
Sonja Sinz
Mirjam Leunissen
Célia Rene Corail
Etrit Shkreli
Marianne Oh

Support the show:

Make a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

Check out the podcast map to see the overview of all podcast episodes: https://workshops.work/podcast-map