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!

Hi! I have quite an unusual question. I noticed that you used background music in the lesson 'Activity 4 - Prioritization' of the Fundamental course. I'm really curious how you decided to choose this melody. I'll tell you later why it grabbed my attention. Thanks!

Hi all, I thought i'd share an interesting workshop I ran recently - hopefully it's helpful for someone else who has a similar challenge or brief! The client is a large charity and this was their brief: Produce a short vision statement for our future digital fundraising and engagement and the required transformation over our strategy period (they obviously shared context of their org strategy etc). I split this up into two stages: 1) Vision & 2) Required Transformation. Here are the exercises I ran: 1️⃣ Vision ➡️ Lightning Demos (this helped us focus on the market and the team created some really great How Might Wes). We clustered these to use as stimulus for the next exercise. ➡️ Vision Statement Drawing. People drew their vision statement and presented back to the group. I was mindful that if we asked people to write them they would get caught up in the language rather than the overall concepts. We asked them to share their vision and gathered the main themes. 2️⃣ Required Transformation ➡️ We then essentially did a Lightning Decision Jam which I don't need to explain! This was a fun one to run but I was very worried about timings, we did get everything done on time though which was a relief! I was constantly talking about pace and how it's going to feel like everything is going WAY too fast before and during the workshop and I think that helped a lot! They just could not get people together for longer but all worked out ok! I've had some really positive feedback from the client and recently ran a training session for them too so hoping to run more sessions with them next year 😁 Shout if you have any questions! 😀

Project Lessons Learned - How To Reflect and Learn In An One Hour Session You run a project and at one moment in time, you figure out you could have learned from some situations and act differently next time. How about doing a "Lessons Learned" session either in the middle of the project or at the end? It was last year when I was asked to come up with a short session where one team could reflect upon their learnings during their project. The request was to be able to run in ONE HOUR. Wow, I said, this is really hard! I usually need sessions of a minimum of 1,5 hours to be able to run a session similar to a retrospective. And now one hour? I was thinking of having some kind of Mentimeter word cloud, to ‘read the room’ fast so I created one in Miro or with sticky notes in person. Then I went through the reflection part, decided, and committed. It went super cool in one hour and the participants were so amazed at how much they could do in this time. Afterwards, I was iterating on it in person, online and this initial version was the best one. This is why I decided to share it after trying it out with other teams as well. Here you can find the exact steps in Miroverse: https://miro.com/miroverse/project-lessons-learned-template/ I used the amazing learning cards from Strategyzer which work smoothly every time with the participants and have a great impact! If you like it, give it some love in Miroverse please :) ❤️ Let me know if you use it and how it works for you :)

Hi everyone! Do you use landing pages to sell your facilitation services? Would you be so kind and share them with us? What are your main selling points? Thank you in advance!

Hello, I've been asked to come up with and facilitate a systems mapping workshop at work. I usually do user journey mapping and am just starting to learn the differences. Asking you lovely people for anything that you have on a systems mapping workshop! Workshop outlines, pointers, references... you name it I will appreciate it :) 🙏

Hi everyone! I am totally new to workshopping, just finished the Facilitation Fundamentals program (which I loved!) and looking to trying it out on my salesteam. We are spending a few day away from the office and we must deliver a solid sales strategy for 2024. It’s a team of 4 + me and we have our manager visiting for the input phase. What would be your advise in designing workshop(s) for this challenge? Thank you so much! 🍀💫🤗 P.s. I also have pipdecks workshop tactics, but don’t know how to start 🥴

Hello facilitators, I was asked by a friend to help out with the above theme. What is the best way to approach this if you have done this before ? I need ideas on exercises and how to plan … Thank you

After 20 years in the nonprofit world, I just started consulting and facilitating a couple months ago and I'm slowly ramping up. I'm hoping to launch more facilitation services in 2024. What's the best way you found for getting workshop clients and letting folks know you're available?

Looking to expand my toolbox. What are your favorite tools for running survey forms? +bonus points+ a friend is looking for one that can run semantic differential questions

In case you missed the community call today, Jon dropped some GREAT books that can inspire us as we navigate our facilitation journey! Check them out here 👇 - Traffic Secrets by Russell Brunson - Cashvertising by Drew Eric Whitman - Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath If you've read any of them, feel free to share your knowledge and insights with us!! Happy Reading 📚🥳

Hey there! 😃 A client have asked me to deliver a Design Thinking workshop for a group of 6 leaders that work in a company related to environment and sustainability. They what to use the Design Thinking workshop to define solutions on how to create team cohesion through all the different teams they have in the company. In total they are 6 leaders + 20 employees. I was wondering if the workshop could be delivered in 4 sessions of 4 hours each? What do you think? 👉 Update: This will be an ONLINE workshop

Hey folks 👋 I recently shared a playful article on Medium that sparked a fantastic idea for icebreakers in our workshops. Imagine attendees discovering the unique sounds hidden within their own names, just like I did with mine! ❓ What? Here's a quick recap of my Medium post: 'Ö': Pronounce it like the 'ea' in 'early.' Regardless of your accent, this sound is universal. Think of 'early,' focus on 'ea,' and you're halfway there! 'mür': This one's a breeze if you've ever said 'mural.' Picture yourself admiring a beautiful wall painting, saying 'mur-al,' and you've almost got it. Combine and Conquer: Put 'ea' and 'mur' together, say it quickly, and you've got my name — Ömür! It's like a mini tongue twister, but mastering it is worth it. Why Does It Matter?: Correctly pronouncing names is a nod to heritage and cultural diversity. It's a small gesture that makes a big difference. Challenge: Can you guess the meaning of 'Ömür' with the hint from the image? No cheating with translators! 💡 How might we turn this into an exercise? Here's a possible structured flow for the exercise: 1️⃣ Introduction (2 minutes): - Welcome attendees and explain the purpose of the exercise. - Set a positive and inclusive tone for the activity. 2️⃣ Name Placement (2 minutes): - Provide prepared places (cards, sticky notes, or a digital platform) for everyone to write their names. - Ensure each participant has a clear space to work with. 3️⃣ Analyzing Names (5-10 minutes): - Instruct participants to split their names into sounds (e.g., Ö-mür). - For each sound, they’ll find sample English words that resemble the pronunciation (e.g., 'Ö': (ea)rly). - Encourage participants to use example words as a guide. - Display these on a shared board or screen for reference. 4️⃣ Image Hint (3 minutes): - Participants will provide an image hint related to their name’s meaning. - Ensure everyone can see the images clearly.

Hi everyone! 😀I’m looking for some activity ideas for a team workshop which promotes becoming “lean”. Does anyone have any experiences in holding “lean activities/games”?

Hi, it's a great pleasure to be enrolled in this wonderful community and I would start my journey of participating by raising a brainstorm: what do you think are the three must-have elements for a good and great facilitation? And what are the three nice-to-have factors? This inspiration came from an interesting online session in which I and 3 other facilitators enjoyed ourselves a lot, along with two observers helping us to explore more not only about facilitations but about ourselves as well. One thing unique about this session is that we needed to be facilitators and facilitatees at the same time without given rules and instructions; hence we needed to navigate the 'best way' to co-pilot this session towards the ideal outcome. In case that context intro might have bored you, I would just share my opinions on my questions so as to attract more brilliant ones from you guys and I highly appreciate your comments below. My answers are: Good Facilitation Must-haves: Clear Objectives, Process complete according to plan, Unforgettable Closing Nice-to-haves: Expectation Management, Formative Assessment, Emotional Flow Tracking Great Facilitation Must-haves: Total Experience Design. Aha Moments, Co-created Projects Nice-to-haves: Learning Circles (about the topic, the process and the people), Flexibility (with a certain degree of autonomy given to audience so that they could be the director of some part of the session), and Inspiration Pool (so that the audiences could continue their communication after the workshop, and it is where their learning continues as well)

Hey Workshoppers! The official online course of the NY Times Bestselling "Sprint" book is now on sale! Here's the direct link to the sale. For the next 30 hours, you can get the Design Sprint Masterclass + 2 amazing free gifts for just €597! It's the best course and resources for running a successful Design Sprint that you can find anywhere, If you're ready to join over 6000 other Workshoppers in taking the Design Sprint Masterclass, this is as good a time as ever! That link one more time: here! Cheers, Jonathan P.S. If you purchased Facilitation Fundamentals in our Black Friday sale last week, reach out directly to support@ajsmart.com if you'd like a special extra discount on the Design Sprint Masterclass!

I am currently working with a client to create some ways up to 60 participants can connect with each other BEFORE they join a 10-day virtual leadership training. Here are some ideas I am thinking about, but more importantly: I am super curious if you have experienced or applied a cool idea that you're willing to share i the comments 🙏 🙂 1. Miro Profile Wall Set up a digital whiteboard where all participants can add their profile and browse who else is attending. I am envisioning adding a photo (or an avatar), their social links and answering a few questions about themselves. If you have examples of something like this or similar, please post them below. 2. Onboarding Bingo Create 12 challenges that need to be completed before the first session on a Bingo card. Challenges like: create your profile in the community, comment on someone else's post, send a message to someone, add the sessions to your calendar etc. I have done this several times, but extended the challenges throughout the whole cohort, so we announced winners at the very end. 3. Collective Art Piece I am not exactly sure what technology I would use for this, but I an thinking of a mosaic of individual drawings that create something larger. If this reminds you of something, please let me know. What other ideas do you have?

Hi everyone. Does anyone have a FUN icebreaker to kick off a 2-day HR offsite with the entire team? I have 30 minutes. If possible, I’d like to tie in themes around collaboration. Thank you in advance for your ideas. Jennie

As I’m launching my sustainable fashion brand I’m trying to explain what’s slow fashion and why we need it 🤗 Rooted in conscious consumption and ethical production, this movement is emerging as a beacon of sustainability. In stark contrast to the rapid production of mass-produced clothing, slow fashion takes a considered approach to clothing design, favoring quality over quantity and adopting timeless designs that transcend fleeting trends. Imagine a world where fashion is in harmony with nature, where clothes are meticulously made from sustainable materials, where workers are treated with dignity, and where the environment is preserved. Slow fashion embodies this vision, empowering conscious consumers to make a positive impact on the planet. A Journey into Ethical Production Embarking on a slow fashion journey means discovering a world of ethical production practices. From growing organic cotton to using eco-friendly dyes, slow fashion prioritizes sustainability at every stage of the supply chain. The artisans at the heart of slow fashion are valued for their expertise and know-how, and their skills are passed down from generation to generation. Quality over quantity Avoiding the disposable nature of fast fashion, slow fashion prioritizes quality and longevity. Clothes are meticulously crafted from the finest materials and designed to stand the test of time and trends. The result is a wardrobe of timeless pieces that avoid short-lived trends. Conscious Consumption Slow Fashion advocates conscious consumption, encouraging everyone to make informed decisions about their purchases. It's about understanding the true cost of clothes, considering their impact on the environment, and valuing the work that goes into making them. A collective movement for a sustainable future Slow Fashion is a collective movement, a community of individuals united by a shared vision of a sustainable fashion industry. It's about being conscious consumers, supporting ethical brands and appreciating the true value of clothing.

Dear friends, I would like to hear about your thoughts, learnings and tips around this topic. I'm in Germany, since a few years I feel deeply that Germany is not my market. I operate well here, but it doesn't energize me. And the mindset... in a lot of ways fear-based and sadly fixed. At the moment I do have international clients, but they found more in an accidental moment :-) I would like to attract international clients regularly and on purpose. Especially for my offer to design and facilitate off-sites and retreats in Portugal. I'm curious about your thoughts and ideas.

Would you buy it? [Upbeat, slightly over-the-top jingle plays in the background] Narrator: [Cheerful, overly enthusiastic tone] "Are you tired of the long, tedious process of building trust the old-fashioned way? 📜 Well, worry no more!" [Sound effect: Record scratch, as the tone shifts to an overly exaggerated, infomercial style] Narrator: "Introducing... ✨Instant Trust Tricks!✨ The lightning-fast solution to all your trust-building needs!" [Background sound: A crowd gasping in mock amazement] Narrator: "With our revolutionary and questionably effective methods, you'll be able to establish trust in no time at all. ⏰ How quick, you ask? So quick, it's almost like it never happened!" [Sound effect: A comical, rapid whoosh] Narrator: "Forget about genuine connection or understanding! With Instant Trust Tricks, who needs depth when you can have instant, superficial rapport!" [Background sound: Laughter and clapping, slightly off-beat] Narrator: "Our tricks include the “Soul-Baring Speed Round" ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Participants are encouraged to share their deepest fears or secrets with the group within the first few minutes of the meeting. It's like diving into the deep end without checking if there's water in the pool.” [Sound effect: Deafening silence while one person is chuckling awkwardly] Narrator: "Or try the “Intimacy Overload Icebreaker" ⚠️⚠️⚠️ This activity involves staring deeply into a partner's eyes and sharing what you believe their life story might be, based on your intuition. It's uncomfortably close and personal – a surefire way to jump past boundaries in record time.” [Sound effect: The crowd swoons with “Oohs” and “Ahhs”] Narrator: "And who can forget the classic “Synchronized Trust Squats" 💪💪💪 A rapid, high-intensity 'workout' where participants are paired up to perform synchronized trust falls and back-to-back storytelling while doing squats. Watch the trust 'build' right before your very eyes!” [Sound effect: Magical swoosh]

Hi everyone! We want to learn from people who do their own marketing. Are you a solo professional? A freelancer? Maybe you're a consultant? Perhaps you are a solo entrepreneur, or a startup team member? If you do your own marketing, we want to hear what you have to say. We’re doing a quick survey, as part of a new customer experience project. This short questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes of your time. Here’s the link to the survey. I hope you’re interested in helping us learn more about you. Feel free to leave a comment here or send me a DM, if you have any questions. Thanks!! 👍🏻✨

Hey Workshoppers! It's Black Friday, and until midnight tonight, we're offering 80% off the most fun Facilitation and Workshop Design course on the planet! Here's a direct link to the deal if you just wanna jump right to it! We're also throwing in 2 amazing Free Gifts that you can only get in this sale! Here's what you get in today's Black Friday deal: _________ ⭐️Facilitation Fundamentals Program⭐️ 🏷️ Everyday price €2997, discounted to €597! 80% off! It includes: 🎥 Our 4.5-hour, action-packed Facilitation Fundamentals video course 📒 Our 165-page Facilitation Workbook as the perfect companion to the course 🔖 Certification of completion signed by me It also comes with 2 Free Gifts: 🎁 The Ultimate Workshop Exercise Encyclopedia: The ultimate compendium of workshop exercises. A "secret weapon" for Facilitators, and an invaluable resource for everyone who wants to design their own workshops! (165 pages!) 🎁 Building a Workshop from Scratch, a 4-part video series: Watch Jonathan and Dee as they design a Product Feature Workshop from scratch, in real-time. This is a lesson from our high-level Workshopper Master Program – and your only chance to get it for free! ________________________________ Here's that link again to the deal ---------------------------------------------------- So if you were ever curious/interested in learning Facilitation and Workshop Design directly from AJ&Smart, today's the best deal you're going to see for a VERY long time. It's been amazing to see so many of you jumping in on this already and I wish you all a great weekend! Cheers, Jonathan P.S. For those of you who already purchased in this sale before we added in the free gifts, just reach out to support@ajsmart.com and we'll send them right to you :D

hey everyone! I will facilitate a two day workshop with a leadership team (9 people) where they will decide on - The 3 year goal for the organisation - What initiatives to invest in that are aligned with the goal? - How to best structure the org in order to deliver these initiatives? The size of the engineering organization is around 140 engineers. The third bullet point above will include questions such as: - Does the current team structure still make sense - Should we merge currently separate teams (i.e. operations) with the engineering teams - Do the teams have the right skills needed for the new initiatives or do we need to move team members around I'm thinking about using the meddlers game from management 3.0 in order to guide the reorg discussion and visualize the potential new team structure. I've never done this before, so I'm open to any other suggestions from the community. Does anyone of you have experience in facilitating a reorg discussion? Any cool activities you would suggest? Thanks! Toby

Hi there! Thank you so much for all the inspiration I get from this page! Really helpful. I’ve got a question from a client of mine: he loved my workshop with excersizes but he also said: I can not invite you for every meeting we have. Do you have tips / quick wins to have more productive hands on meetings with better results? Now they are too boring and just a few people participate I have some ideas but not good enough in my opinion. So very curious how you would approach it. Thank you so much

***PRESALE OFFER HAS ENDED - NEW OFFER NOW AVAILABLE (SEE PINNED POST)** Hey Workshoppers! Even though our official Black Friday sale starts this Wednesday, we're launching our "VIP Pre Sale" for everyone here in Facilitator Club and in our Newsletter. It starts RIGHT NOW with an extra 10% off the Black Friday price! To put it simply, on Wednesday, it'll be 10% more expensive for everyone else. If you've ever wanted to jump in on our Facilitation Course at its lowest price ever, here's the link. I made a little video down below explaining the deal.... that's all! Cheers, Jonathan P.S. I said it's only an extra 2% off in the Loom video... because I'm an idiot :)

If you’ve been wanting to introduce your team to workshopping but have been struggling to get the ball rolling, I have just the thing for you.. give this a watch and let me know what you think.

Hi every one,🙂I want to share what I took away from yesterday's meeting, with @Jonathan Courtney and @Aj Smart team. During the meeting one of the participants, I can't remenber now, her name correctly, I apologize for this, but she was from Finland! 😍, and shared she use facilitation techniques to train groups in Mindfulness and other disiplins of mind, soul and body connection. What demostrates, that facilitation could be an endless and useful tool. Including these very personal practices. As I commented here a month ago, I had recently deliver my Thesis about Constructivism and Education, because I need the degree that allows me to teach Desing Thinking, Sprints and Visual Thinking, for kids and teenagers. I did my paper about "Heterogeneous Classrooms". You knwow, in the '80s educators, belive heterogeneous classrooms where classes were only students with difficulty understanding or developing skills, were the ones who attended these classes. My work was about demostrating that classrooms, will always be heterogeneous and even more so, in these times. We are all different (and that's great!) with greater or lesser abilities for different subjets. And what I want to share here, is that although I used knowledge that I obtained during the course of the degree, all the main propolsal was done with what I have learned here in @Aj Smart , during the last 4 years. With the Worshopper Playbook, The Facilitation Guidebook and all the stuff you share in videos, classes and meetings. The methodology of facilitation we learn and use here, is much more fun for the students in a class, (children,teenagers or adults) than the traditional ways of teaching. I'm having visible results and teachers told me, they all participate more and have a great time in searching different issues, inside the old school subjects, from a different point of view. Maybe this could be useful for other members of the Facilitators Club, in similar situations. 🤓

Hello fellow facilitators! 🙏 Nine months ago, I took the Design Sprint Masterclass, and I'm incredibly grateful for the knowledge and insights I gained from Jonathan Courtney and Dee. Thanks to the course, I secured a new sr. consultant job within two months, along with a salary increase of 1,500 euros per month. Now, I'm considering another AJ&Smart course. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions?