You may be new to facilitating groups or ready for a refresh. As a leader, as a facilitator, you want to create a space that allows for participants to bring their sense of possibility. This starts with your own preparation. Ideally, begin preparing for a workshop or meeting several weeks in advance. This gives you time to read through the workshop materials, practice, and prepare materials and supplies. Here are some key tips to get you on track.

1. Prepare the materials. Define the broad goal of the workshop, figure out what materials you need, create handouts, and get familiar with all of the parts.

2. Reflect on past experience. Consider what your relationship is/has been with the theme of the workshop. If you are co-facilitating, talk to your co-facilitator about how you feel about facilitating it and what issues or difficulties you have with the topic. This is absolutely essential because it provides a space for two facilitators to work out ideas, issues, and feelings about a theme that might be challenging for one or both of you. Have a rough idea about where you both want the workshop to go. Also, take time to reflect and identify personal examples or stories you can add to illustrate different aspects of the workshop.

3. Divide facilitation roles for the workshop. If co-facilitating, choose roles. A common mistake made when choosing roles is thinking that once we have finished facilitating our part in a workshop, we don’t need to participate in our partner’s section. Wrong--delegating who runs each section is a way to designate who takes the lead with a part of the workshop, but you both are always facilitating together. As co-facilitator, pay attention to the group dynamic, provide support questions, and make sure that you are reading body language and dynamics that the lead facilitator might not be seeing. Be alive and engage with the collective spirit and energy.

4. Practice. Facilitating is part performance art and part magic. In any performance, if you don’t practice (meaning being present, engaged, and alive) your participants won’t be present either. It is important to walk through each section of the workshop and practice what you might say, stories, examples, or additional instructions you may add. Imagine the responses participants will have to each question you ask and work through potential scenarios in your head—what might participants say? How might you respond?

5. Improve. Make sure to meet with your co-facilitator after the workshop or take time to reflect. If you facilitated the session yourself, go over your original plan and make notes on what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to change for the future.

Want to open yourself to what’s possible in your work? We’ve got your back. ❤️

5 Ways to Prepare for Workshops or Meetings Filled with Possibility