Description
Teams and groups are much more effective if they are led by a skilled facilitator who encourages participation and creativity while maintaining focus and staying within time constraints. A competent facilitator makes review sessions, meetings, and workshops more productive. A facilitator understands how to plan and prepare for group sessions and how to exercise the interpersonal skills that achieve best results. This interactive workshop describes these skills and affords students an opportunity to apply and refine them through extended role playing activities.

Audience
Anyone involved in formal or informal facilitation.

Prerequisites
An understanding of communication skills is needed—attendance at Arkoa's Communication Skills for IT Professionals is helpful.

Classroom Requirements
Room set up as horseshoe and large enough for team activities, or with break-out rooms for team activities. Overhead projector, flipcharts.

Format

• Presentation
  
• Written Exercises
  
• Interactive Activities
  

Objectives
After completing this course, participants should be able to:

• Define the goals and constraints of different types of facilitation
• Define the roles of those involved in the facilitation process
• Plan and prepare for facilitation
• Apply facilitation techniques

Introduction

Understanding Facilitation

• Context for facilitation
• Leading, coaching, and facilitating

Planning and Preparation

• Setting objectives and boundaries
• Environment and logistics

Roles and Responsibilities

• The facilitator’s role
• The participants’ roles and responsibilities

Occasions for Facilitation

• Group functions and goals
• Workshops, team meetings, and JAD sessions

Facilitation Skills and Techniques

• Verbal and non-verbal communication
• Managing disagreement constructively
• Handling difficult individuals

Performing Facilitation

• Setting the scene
• Time keeping and record keeping
• Follow up

Conclusion

• Personal action plan