The Art of Facilitation: Getting the Most Out of your Meetings
Thursday, October 2018
1 pm
Sharon Lezberg
Jennifer Erickson
During this interactive workshop, participants will learn and practice the skill and art of facilitation. We will use a combination of large group, small group, and paired discussion formats to teach and model facilitation practices. Emphasis will be placed on pre-planning, the role of the facilitator, meeting tips, and process design. Participants will practice facilitative listening skills and small group techniques.
Details
During this interactive workshop, participants will learn and practice the skill and art of facilitation. We will use a combination of large group, small group, and paired discussion formats to teach and model facilitation practices. The following topics will be covered in the workshop: 1) The role of the facilitator: How to bring your best self to the meeting, preplanning, setting the stage, using facilitative listening skills, creating space for diverse views and ensuring participation; 2) Group dynamics: Stages of group decision making, managing group dynamics, understanding the culture of groups; 3) Process design: Tools and techniques to engage participants in decision-making, facilitating large group open discussions, using small groups and other discussion formats; 4) Meeting agenda tips: Designing an agenda, setting ground rules, recording, group reflection and meeting evaluation
Both Jenny and Sharon have facilitated dozens of meetings in their roles as UW Extension educators, and have discovered some tools and strategies that work for us. We also draw from the work of researchers who have pioneered the development of facilitative techniques, and from training programs we’ve attended on facilitation. We see this workshop as an opportunity to both teach and learn, and will create a workshop environment where all participants share, teach, listen, and learn.
