Hello Facilitators👋 I'm really curious about where everyone is from. I'd love to make this a mega post where we can see how diverse the Facilitator Club community is. Who knows, you might find a lot more people in your area than you thought! Once I have lots of answers on this post, I want to make a nice graph!

Hello factlitators, I've had the privilege of delivering numerous speeches in the past, and I'm currently seeking more advanced tips on how to remember my lines for an upcoming speaking engagement. While I typically prepare extensively, I still struggle with forgetting certain points during the delivery. Therefore, I'm seeking the guidance of this knowledgeable community for any tried and tested techniques to help me deliver an exceptional speech. Thank you in advance for your expertise and insights!

This is one of the things I struggle to do well....when the group is engaged in conversation or generally chatting during a break, are there any more creative / effective ways of getting their attention, other than shouting 'OK, time to move on!'. I've seen some faciliators use airhorns but that seems a bit extreme 😁. And it's great to be here to learn alongside all of you!

Hey team, do you have any suggestions on articles or books that discuss effective communication between Supervisors and employees?

Hi everyone! As someone from an education background, I found observations incredibly useful to be able to see what I've learned in action, and it got me wondering whether observing a workshop or facilitation session is a thing. Is it a done thing? I know it's something I'd massively benefit from, and would love an opportunity to see a facilitator in action in order to tie things together visually. I'd love thoughts from experienced facilitators who pivoted into facilitation from another industry/career path.

I think that I've heard AJ&S folks talk about a library of Miro templates we can use. I apologize if this has been asked before -- I have done a couple of searches here and in the Facilitation Fundamentals course, but I haven't found them. Would you point me in the right direction?

I purchased these about a year ago. Anyone else use these to map out their workshops? If so, what do you think of them?

Hello facilitators! I'm looking for recommendations on improving speaking and communication skills, which I believe are essential to any job and especially to facilitation. In particular, I'm interested in learning: - How to make interventions concise and clear - How to engage the audience and make a lasting impression - How to discern the appropriate timing for interventions particularly in meeting/workshop settings. Any tips or resources you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone. I've just signed up for Workshopper and I'm really looking forward to being part of this community! I have a content marketing business [3.5 years in after being in the agency world for nearly 20 years] and I think Facilitation will help me develop a programme that helps employers create authentic and affordable content that helps them attract and retain talent.

Recently I've been reflecting on how much time we spend setting the scene for a workshop. Most facilitators are very intentional about making sure everyone is on the same page about why they are there, and we work hard to ensure people feel safe and comfortable to engage. However, when it comes to the end of the workshop, it often wraps up in a hurry. There might be an action list created, perhaps a quick whip-around to see how people are feeling, but I'm not convinced that the wrap-up is always given the time (and energy) it really needs to be done well. (And for the record...I'm reflecting on my own practice here...maybe I should replace 'we' with 'me'.) I'm keen to hear how others wrap-up their sessions. Are there specific exercises you use to bring things to a close and encourage next steps are actually taken? I've got a few tried and true methods I use, but I'm keen to give it more focus.

When everyone is on the same page about a way forward, it's easy to think we've done our job as a facilitator. That's certainly the end result we're looking for, after all. The problem is, if we get there too quickly, there's every chance there's been things left unsaid--or unexplored. 💭 Group-think may make finding consensus easy, but it doesn’t necessarily bring the best ideas or solutions. If you’re working with a group that is ALWAYS in agreement, try posing this question: “𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲?” 💥 Forcing a different argument is a great way to unearth new possibilities.

Hi everyone! Just thought to see if there are any coaches in this group - I think it'd be nice to feel connected! As someone who's passionate in both coaching and facilitation, I see a lot of link between the two skills - especially listening, partnering, asking questions and reflecting back. Does anyone else find the two skills linked? A bit about me: I did my coach training with Damian Goldvarg and I'm on my way to get accredited as Associate Certified Coach by ICF this year. Would love to connect with other coaches here!

Hey guys, "may the force be with you 🖖" As AI is embedded or in progress in all areas today, can you suggest if there are any AI tools that can be leveraged for effective workshop facilitation? Not looking for an AI takeover 😀 but more like an assistant. I know there are a few tools in the market for quick prototyping like https://uizard.io/design-assistant/. Adobe is doing major updates with Firefly etc. Thoughts?

Sometimes when people hear the word 'icebreaker' they cringe or might feel super anxious about taking part in one. Yes, icebreakers can make you feel a bit awkward initially, but they are proven to help enhance relationships and encourage creativity. 'Icebreakers can help increase team bonds, boost performance and creativity'—Harvard Business School study Integrating icebreakers into your workshops or meetings is a great way to get everyone relaxed and ready to participate. But how do you choose the right ones so that you avoid those dreaded awkward silences? Here are my Top 2 Icebreakers that are easy to implement (in-person or online): 1. My First Job Ask everyone in the group to write down their name, their first job, and what they learned from that job. Then go round the group and have everybody read theirs out. 2. Pointless Questions Prepare a few fun questions ahead of the workshop, then go round the room and have everybody take turns answering the questions. It’s as simple as that—you don’t even need to write anything down! Here are some question suggestions to get you started: - If you could invite a celebrity over for dinner, who would it be and why? - What is your most prized possession and why? - You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life. What do you choose? Here are some more icebreakers for you to explore! What's another great icebreaker that I can add to my list?

What are some of the best certification courses (internationally accredited) for Facilitators ? I see there are lot of International Coaching related, but specifically to be recognised as facilitator what do you recommend? Also, mention the benefits if you really feel it's mandatory to take it up for persuing full time career or bring you great credibility.

Hi All, I am going through the material and I'm wondering if there are any opportunities to shadow or sit in on a real workshop so I can observe and learn first hand? I find that that is the best way for me to learn and contextualize all of the information. Thanks!

Hi everyone 🤝 👋! My name is Donatella, I have transitioned from a previous expat career as a Public Relations director in multinational companies to full time certified facilitator on the topic of community design, helping teams in organisations and citizens transform into communities that face change together. I am super excited to be there, AJ&Smart training and school when I first started were essential for getting a new profession out in the world, and do it with confidence and fun 🔥. When this community was born it was like they read my mind! I am really excited to exchange practices, connect and collaborate together with you. I am convinced facilitating is what the world needs right now, and I am determined to not make it a solitary pursuit anymore. Looking forward !

Hello Folks! Wonder if you have an suggesttions. 50 teens. Approx 20 mins. Exercise to illustrate our resistance to change! Any suggestions? I look forward to hearing from you......

Hey all! Very excited to be here in the Facilitators Club. Makes me happy to see already so many people from the Workshopper Master Community but also a lot of new faces who are interested in facilitation! I have a background in architecture and am located in Belgium. Interested in anything that has to do with facilitation, architecture, our behavior in buildings, workplaces and how that affects our mental health, productivity, collaboration and so on. Currently doing more research about it so if you know any podcasts, articles, books, people, ANYTHING 😂 please let me know! PS: I'm also a beauty and the beast fan and I can sing every word to 'Be Our Guest', but only in Dutch (with facial expressions). Working on the English version at the moment. Take care and I'll see you around!

I have started the Design Sprint Master Class. So far so good. However, the company I facilitate for and will NEVER go for a 4 or 5 day Sprint. What is your approach for putting together a one day workshop, say that is 7 or 8 hours long?

Hello everyone! My name is Jason and I am an expat 🇺🇸 living and working in Beijing, China. I work in a private school, but also 'moonlight' as a workshop facilitator 🕝. I have organized and run a few 'design sprints' 🏃‍♂️ within the context of senior leadership in schools. Most of the time our topics are about 'community optics' or 'curriculum'. However, as a 'design' educator I use sprints with students as well. Cannot wait to connect and collaborate! 🤝 I also created and host a podcast all about the 'design' of education if anyone is interested then please give me a shout! And happy year of the rabbit!

I have recently started facilitating "Project Charter" sessions for our project teams. This group consists of internal and external members of the team. We provide that team with a finished "document" about a week after the session to show them what we have captured and agreed on. Is anyone else doing this? Also, would anyone be interested in a peer review of this document and offer feedback?

Hi everyone, I saw that a lot of you are not only Facilitators but also Trainers and was looking for an exercise recommendation. I am looking for workshop exercises for a hands-on practice session for a (sales) team to practice asking a set of pre-defined questions. For context: - We ran a workshop on "what are the right questions to ask" during a qualification (similar to BANT in case someone is familiar) - We compiled a list of questions (not a word-by-word script) based on that workshop (with dot voting) - We would now like to practice asking these suggested questions (no strict order, no fixed script) , so the team feels more comfortable with them - We are looking for exercises that go beyond the usual roleplay or analyzing a call recording. It can be experimental and out of the box -  4-8 participants per group around 45 mins I understand this is not a pure facilitation question. But I feel a creative facilitator mindset could help with coming up with something fun and engaging. What would you suggest to do?

Hi everybody, it is a great pleasure to be part of this community. I have no much practical experience in workshopping. Yesterday, I had a chat with customer of mine that shared he has a lot of ideas in his head but lack of structure and needs help with that issue. How would you recommend me to start and what kind of workshop to propose to him, what exercises would be best to include?

Hello! I am excited to be a part of the community of Facilitators. Just joined today!

Love this! I'm based in Amsterdam and would love to connect and collaborate with other facilitators interested in cultural impact and societal development. Looking forward 🚀

Hi everybody, Stephan here from The Netherlands!🎈 Short introduction: I'am Stephan and as a CCO responsible for introducing Splandid (www.splandid.nl) on the Dutch market. Splandid is a new Field Service Management tool for SME companies. It is unique through the combination of ERP, CRM and planning software.

Hey guys I wanted to ask you : what’s your key(s)to growth personally or professionally ? Can’t wait for your answers 😁

Just wanted to say hello and say that I am grateful to be a part of this community!

Hi all! My name is Caterina a.k.a. Cat (pronouns: she/her) and really excited to connect with fellow facilitators! I just joined AJ&Smart's Workshopper Master program and am already blown away by how this is going to amplify my skills and offerings. And I'm excited to continue sharing with and learning from you all in this community as well. In my full-time role, I'm a national program director and facilitator for anti-bias and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) education programs across the US. I'll soon be shifting roles to lead change management. In my side hustle that I'm launching this year, I'm a DEI facilitator, consultant & speaker that focuses on shifting org culture through systems work, strategic planning & mapping, and change management. I've been facilitating for a few years now and absolutely love it, so I'm excited to have found this community. I'm originally from Dominican Republic and currently based out of Orlando, FL in USA with my partner and two Golden Retrievers. Big foodie and cook over here, so I'm always happy to talk food and recipes. Excited to get to know folks here, and happy to connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caterinamrodriguez/