Facilitating high-impact meetings
This programme provides a challenging insight into the dynamics meetings in a business context and how to facilitate engaging and productive meetings with confidence.
Level
Programme is appropriate for learners at entry, intermediate and advanced levels.
Objectives
- To identify the potential for high impact meetings
- To clarify how to organise and structure meetings
- To develop skills in facilitating effective meetings
- To build confidence through demonstrations and practice
Process
Experiential Exercise – Working in small groups, learners to run a meeting on a selected subject. Feedback and discussion – what worked / did not work.
High Impact Meetings – Typical experiences. Benchmarking – effectiveness / efficiency. Clarifying purpose / objectives. Agreeing outcomes. Dialogue – key to success. Different types of meetings. Need for action orientation.
Getting Organised – Value of structure. Key roles – leader, facilitator, note-taker, timekeeper and scribe. Meeting agenda. Minutes and note taking.
Meeting Process – Steps in the meeting process – tuning-in, setting the scene, dialogue, wrap-up and follow-up. Agreeing the process.
Meeting Facilitation – Leading dialogue in high impact meetings. Role of the facilitator. Facilitation competencies – structuring, listening, questioning, summarising, informing, supporting, challenging, observing, setting the tone, reflection of feeling, building and holding silence.
Facilitator’s Attitude – Facilitator as independent catalyst. Being objective – building trust and credibility. Playing a dual role of facilitator and participant.
Personal Impact – Enhancing facilitator’s impact. 3Vs – verbal, vocal and visual. Observing and responding to the needs of others. Keeping the meeting relevant.
Demonstration – Facilitator to demonstrate how to facilitate a high impact meeting. Fun, interactive exercise in ‘spotting’ facilitation competencies.
Feedback and discussion – consolidate facilitation competencies.
Practice Sessions – Learners to have turns facilitating business meetings of their choice. Feedback on performance – facilitation competencies. Identifying strengths and areas for development.
Tools & Techniques – STOP-IT problem solving, effort vs. impact analysis, decision-making, SMART objectives, mind-mapping, stop-start-continue, creative thinking, future visioning, scenario planning, circles of influence & concern, etc.
Emotional Intelligence – Facilitating meetings with high tension / conflict. Understanding emotional intelligence. Mean by emotions. Their effect on self and others. Managing emotional states. Creating an appropriate emotional climate for the meeting. Releasing blocked / frustrated emotions. Emotional contracting – preventative measures.
Awkward Situations – Typical breakdowns. Maintaining independence. Three-fold response – self-management, situation management, group management.
Practice Sessions – Learners to have turns facilitating business meetings of their choice. Feedback on performance – facilitation competencies. Identifying strengths and areas for development.
Options
Programme can be adapted as a 1 day workshop, with 8 – 10 learners.