Comfort is physical, mental and emotional. It’s applicable to introverts and extroverts. And it’s something that facilitators should prioritize cultivating. Why? Because a group of comfortable humans is more likely to produce / co-create / unlock their best work yet. Leverage these 6 methods at your next session and see if you observe a difference.

If you find yourself organizing meetings, planning workshops, and project kickoffs, and need a little support outlining who, what, when, where and why, this worksheet is your new best friend. Learn how I use it and download the template for free.

Many of us may already demonstrate facilitator tendencies naturally without even knowing it. Whether you’re looking for a career change, or simply feel curious about cultivating this skillset, these six behaviors might indicate that facilitation is in your DNA.

Workshop methods that can be applied to meetings so we can be more intentional about how the diverse voices in the room are heard and represented.

When each of us thrive, we all thrive, and from this spirit my Sprint For Good program was born. The program is a way to bring deserving organizations and missions a chance to meaningfully move their business, product and/or service forward. That includes the opportunity to participate in full-blown Design Sprints, Strategic Planning Sessions, and more.

I’ve curated a list of 3 principles that will help you nail the facilitation of customer interviews, manage different personalities, and extract the quality feedback you need to move your product or business idea forward. When we share insights with each other, we all benefit! And it all starts with a proven process.

Use these approaches and navigational tools to help eliminate surprises, and align the team so everyone is on a similar page heading into the Design Sprint. Humans are creatures of habit, so taking some of the uncertainty out of this major schedule change help folks show up with positive attitudes ready to work toward an outcome.

Whether you’re leading an hourlong workshop or a five-day Design Sprint, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself from feeling emotionally drained and completely exhausted. My hope in sharing these 3 steps — which are my own learnings that I practice every day— is that they save you from feeling burnt out and get you back to the things you love.

Testing is arguably one of the most critical parts of the Design Sprint process. If you’re running a remote process, here’s a straightforward and streamlined way to stay organized and collect this key feedback from testers.

Jackie believes in service. She has been volunteering for most of her life and has worked with organizations in the Twin Cites such as Amicus (Prisoner mentorship program), Free Arts Minnesota, and as a hospice volunteer. When she started her business, she committed to giving back to help her community thrive. Each year, she offers her services pro bono.

The ways in which we collaborate have changed a lot as a result of the pandemic. More virtual meetings, more screen time, more A/V issues, and way more sneak peeks into our colleagues’ lives. While it’s certainly not a perfect reality, certain aspects of shifting to a remote model have resulted in a lot of positive outcomes for facilitator. Here are 4 examples.

Your job as a facilitator isn’t to show off with your knowledge of the business; it’s to drive people through a process that lands on a desired outcome. A few learnings have completely transformed the way I facilitate today.