8 Steps to Brainstorming – The Art of Generating Ideas

By Michael Wilkinson on May 13, 2013

Generating ideas and gathering facts are probably the most common functions performed by groups in facilitated sessions. In many sessions, the generating of ideas is crucial to arriving at creative solutions to the issue the team is tackling. We commonly use Brainstorming as the technique for generating ideas.

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The Power of the Pen – 2 ways to use it, not abuse it

By Michael Wilkinson on April 17, 2013

ew facilitators truly understand the power of the pen. When facilitators don’t record what participants say or when facilitators record their own words and not the words of the participants, we are abusing the power of the pen. Abuse of the pen can very easily lead to participants dropping out, participants arguing with the facilitator, and participants not buying into the overall result.

How does the facilitator prevent abuse of the power of the pen? Here are two ways:

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Knowing What to Record – Because Minutes are Not Minute

By Michael Wilkinson on April 4, 2013

How perfect is your memory? When you leave a group meeting, do you walk away remembering everything discussed and decided? If not, keep that pen and pad with you. And, if you’re the one facilitating meetings, it’s especially important for you to record the results of the meeting to keep the group’s commitment and follow-through. Meeting notes are more important than you think, and in fact, looking beyond just meeting minutes, facilitators need to be responsible for the meeting documentation. The documentation from a facilitated session serves as the official record of the results of the meeting. So, how do you know what to record?

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Group Warm-Ups: Ways to Avoid the Demoralizing Silence

By Michael Wilkinson on March 19, 2013

In a meeting or facilitated session, it is typical for participants to be initially reserved and very willing to allow others to speak first. As a result, it is not unusual for the first question that the facilitator asks to be met with complete and utter silence! This can be demoralizing for a facilitator, especially when it occurs at the beginning of a session – that time when you are hoping for high energy and great interaction. A great technique for maintaining focus within a group – in addition to the checkpoint you read about in my earlier blog – is warming up the group.

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Why is a checkpoint necessary?

By Michael Wilkinson on March 7, 2013

Ever feel a meeting start to drift? Not sure if your participants retained what was being said? Or, have you ever been unsure of how to (gracefully) transition to the next agenda topic?

That’s where checkpoints come in handy…

Use a checkpoint at the beginning of a new agenda item or facilitated process to review, preview and big view.

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“Let’s set some ground rules.”

By Michael Wilkinson on February 19, 2013

“Let’s set some ground rules.”

How often have you heard this at the start of meetings? Hopefully often! When starting a facilitated session or meeting, the establishment and adoption of ground rules is key.

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The Secret to a Strong Opening

By Michael Wilkinson on February 5, 2013

How you start a facilitated session is critical to the overall success of the session. Conventional wisdom states that a good meeting should start with the agenda. The reason typically given is that the agenda answers the question, “What are we going to do.” However, Smart Facilitators know that participants in a facilitated session need answers to several questions before the agenda is discussed.

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Why are we doing this?

By Michael Wilkinson on January 16, 2013

My loyal blog readers have read my post on the 5 Ps of Preparation – Purpose, Product, People, Probable Issues, and Process. While all are important, which “P” is the most essential when preparing for a meeting?

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Don’t know where to start?

By Michael Wilkinson on January 3, 2013

If you don’t know where to begin in a meeting, let this secret be your starting point – Secret #8: The Secret of Standard Agendas. After all, it is the New Year and all about beginnings. Agenda setting will not only steer the course of your meeting – it will provide your beginning.

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The Secret to Preparing for Virtual Meetings

By Michael Wilkinson on December 4, 2012

In today ’s business world many meetings take place virtually using a variety of media, including the Internet, videoconferencing, the telephone, and other technology vehicles that allow participants to be in different geographical areas. Although these virtual media can reduce the cost of meetings, they can also present significant challenges to the facilitator. For despite [...]

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