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Master
Facilitator Journal | Issue #0295, March 27, 2007 ....
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Dear
friends,
This issue
is about process. Now of course, that's what facilitation is all about
anyway. Right? It's about creating and maintaining healthy group process.
But today, I'm talking about your process, or more accurately, you as
process, and how this impacts your effectiveness as a facilitator. As
always, I'd love to hear from you. So please email me your stories,
comments, suggestions, and ideas.
Have a great week!
Steve
Davis
Publisher and Founder of FacilitatorU.com
You
are a Process. Honor it.
At times it's useful to let our inner being do the "work."
Effective facilitators spend a lot of time preparing material and frameworks
for setting up and running effective group processes. We put resources
together relevant to the focus of our group, and we may even try to anticipate
some of the problems, concerns, and challenges that might present themselves
so that we'll have "ammunition" or "responses" to
some of our anticipated challenges. How do I know this? Well, because
I find myself doing it all the time! And I'm not saying there's anything
wrong with it. But, here's another perspective.
We
encourage our clients to "trust in the process" that we facilitate
in their behalf. What about our own internal process as the catalyst of
group process? What if we were to trust completely in the richness of
the moment to moment experience? What if every challenge or problem came
pre-packaged with its own solution or right action? What if our awareness
of this solution or right action were only apparent when we empty our
minds of what we think we know? What if you were to serve as a reflector
for your group, an empty conduit through which group energy is marshaled
and focused? What if this required you to forget and surrender everything
you've ever known? What are the answers to these questions? Ahhh, nice
try. But sorry. No answers. I'm merely a mirror!
Now if I'm to be real with you. I must sit down here and write this example
with nothing in particular in mind. I'll simply sit here, in front of
my monitor, with the intention of providing you with a juicy and relevant
example to the aforementioned point. I will sit here now without expectation,
with only a clear intention, and a willingness to trust my creative process.
And from this place I write:
Imagine
yourself in a room full of clients who have entrusted you with the management
of a process by which they will take the next major step as a business
organization. A step on which possibly the future of their company rests.
A step with huge potential risks and payoffs. You are being paid very
well for this. A lot is expected of you. You are serving as the catalyst
for a new tomorrow for this group of humble compatriots.
The
group is stuck. Their hopes are dimming. They doubt their abilities, their
future, and at a time like this, so do you. But you know that the work
to be done is not yours. If you chose to make it yours, it wouldn't be
theirs and the sustainability of their dream would be in question. You
challenge them to hold their vision clearly, to trust that it will show
them the next step, that the struggle they're up against is the birthing
pain of their vision. You challenge them. You are silent. And while fully
present, you wait...
What could
you do this week to more fully trust your process as a facilitator or
as a human being? I'd love to hear what you have to say about this. Just
reply to this email.
Presence
: An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations, and Society,
by Peter M. Senge, C. Otto Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski, Betty Sue Flowers
This is not a typical business book. Mainly theoretical, it does not offer specific tips that organizational managers or directors can apply immediately; rather, it offers powerful tools and ideas for changing the mindset of leaders and unlocking the latent potential to "develop awareness commensurate with our impact, wisdom in balance with our power." --Shawn Carkone
We grow by recommendation only when you find our material of use! If you enjoyed this issue, we'd love it if you'd spread the word. Click here to use our interactive form to tell your friends about MFJ, and as a thank you, you will receive our f$ree Facilitator's Self Assessment.
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5-day Teleclass Skills and attitudes for the new facilitator or group member who wants to get their group into serious motion. |
25
Actions You Can Take to Empower Any Group
This class will meet for five consecutive weekdays
April 16-20, 2007 to cover 25+ facilitative
actions you can take to empower and move groups
forward. This course is for beginning facilitators
or group members that simply want to know more
about facilitation so that they can make the groups
they are a part of more effective.
How
the 5-Day Format/Training works...
1. You dial into your class every day for 5 days
(Mon-Fri) for a 60-minute focused training segment
using a conferencing bridge.
2. You work a 25-point checklist during the 5
days (about an hour a day of study and field work)
which you complete by Friday afternoon, or sooner
if you wish.
3. During the week, you may access the instructor
via email for help or situational questions.
5-Day
Random Acts of Facilitation Training Agenda...
Here's what you'll be learning and doing during
the 5-Day course...
Monday
Introduction to the
Facilitation and Self Facilitation Skills.
1. Create the Ambience.
2. Share the Dream.
3. Get Facilitation
4. Juggling.
5. Me First.
Tuesday
Relating with compassion
and understanding.
6. Be Ignorant.
7. Make Smiles Happen.
8. Hold 'em High.
9. Acknowledge the Elephant.
10. Turn on Your Crap-Detector.
Wednesday
Group
Dynamics and Facilitation
11. Build the Container.
12. Build trust.
13. Mine the Unexpected.
14. Evolve Your Team.
15. Honor the Process.
16. Facilitate Full Participation
Thursday
Organizing and Presenting
yourself confidently, professionally, and authentically.
17. Prepare for Success.
18. Get Real.
19. Make Experiences, Not Speeches
20. Watch the Body Talk.
21. Be your message
Friday
Intervening to shift
group energy
22. Tame the Tormentors.
23. CareFront.
24. Use the Struggle.
25. Break through barriers.
26. Facilitate from Within.
27. Embrace Facilitation as a Master's Path
Benefits
to you of participating from the 5-Day Random
Acts of Facilitation Training...
1. Get a great introduction to the concept and
practice of facilitation skills if you are contemplating
becoming a facilitator, team leader, board member,
manager, mediator, etc.
2. Never waste another minute in an ineffective
meeting again.
3. Learn how to challenge and empower every group
you come in contact with.
4. Learn skills to help groups make quantum leaps
in their effectiveness.
5. Be a catalyst for positive change in your community.
Also included
with your training...
In addition to the 5-Day training described above,
you also receive:
1. Access to the participant-only website (lots
of resources, forms, etc.).
2. Access to the RealAudio version of the 5-Day
training.
3. F$ree copy of the Portable Article Bank ($29
value).
Pricing
and Dates...
The full cost of training/access is only $89,
which includes a free copy of the Portable Article
Bank ($29 value). Everything you read about above
is included. And, we offer a 100%-satisfaction-guaranteed
guarantee. Class meets at 1:00-2:00pm EST daily,
April 16-20, 2007.
Registration...
Please
click
here and you'll be taken to the
teleclass registration page. Register there and
you'll see your discount computed and applied
as you check out. Immediately upon completion
of your registration, you will receive an email
with instructions to access the course and free
article bank.
This course is limited to 20 individuals, first
come, first served.
About
the satisfaction guarantee
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with
this package, simply email us with a request to
refund/credit your credit card in the full amount
and we will do so immediately. It's our policy
to do this and we honor this in every single case.
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