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1.    Three Questions Approach:

•       What have you liked about the session?

•       What would you change about the session?

•       What are you taking away?

2.    Small Groups:

In groups of 2 / 3 discuss the key things that stick in your mind about today’s session.

3.    Message Approach

Post flipchart paper around the room with various headings and ask delegates to write their messages on the flip charts.

Possible headings:

•       A message to the facilitator

•       A message to the other delegates

•       A message to the venue

4.    Action Planning Approach

•       What are the key things you have gained from this session?

•       How will you use those when you get back to work?

5.    Post Its

Give each delegate a pad of post its and ask them to write down three things they have liked about the session and three things they would change and stick them on the wall.

6.    Evaluation Form

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Everything you need to deliver engaging experiential training activities ‘out of the box.

We offer the usage of MTa Kits to borrow for in person team activities.

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Welcome to the Padlet for Learning and Development, created and maintained by Organisational Development and Culture at LTHT.

If you are new to Padlet - Its really a bit like a digital noticeboard. To navigate you can scroll from Left to right and up and down in each of the sections. Each section has a heading with useful information relating to that heading underneath. Please click into the sections to read further and to download information you may require.

Under the Training and Education Heading you have access to modules that are delivered here at LTHT. Please use these module to support your teams and performance accordingly.

We hope you enjoy using this Padlet and find this information useful.

Thanks the OD&C Team.

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What is Facilitation

The word facilitate comes from the Latin which means to ‘make easy’. Facilitation is the art of focusing group energy on a specific goal.

“An individual who enables groups and organisations to work more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy. He or she is a ‘content neutral’ party who by not taking sides or expressing or advocating a point of view during the meeting, can advocate for fair, open, and inclusive procedures to accomplish the group’s work” – Doyle

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When to Use a Facilitator

“An individual who enables groups and organisations to work more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy. He or she is a ‘content neutral’ party who by not taking sides or expressing or advocating a point of view during the meeting, can advocate for fair, open, and inclusive procedures to accomplish the group’s work” – Doyle

There are several situations in which a facilitator may be needed and some of the most common are:

When you want to ensure participation and contribution from everybody in the group. With unfacilitated meetings and workshops, there’s a high risk of uneven participation across the group. The louder, more extroverted group members take over while other voices do not get heard. When it is important to break away from circular discussions and move towards actions or decisions.

When the issue is complex, and the problems are poorly defined. A facilitator can help the group to clarify the issues and develop workable solutions. Where there is bias or mistrust within the group it is important to have a neutral person to manage the process. Where there are rivalries between individuals or teams within the group and there may be some conflict or disagreement. A facilitator can help to mediate between the different factions.

When there is a power imbalance in the group and some people may feel intimidated. A facilitator can create a safe and inclusive space for everyone to contribute.

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3 - PMI - Plus, Minis and Interesting Points

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3 - PMI - Plus, Minis and Interesting Points

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Sailboat Retrospective: How to Make One in 4 Steps | Miro

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What is a sailboat retrospective and how can it help you and your agile team conduct better sprint reviews? Here’s what you need to know about this technique.

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Padlet A free and easy-to-use online virtual bulletin board for individuals to collaborate online. The UI is playful and intuitive for the creative process. You can work with an unlimited number of contributors on your boards. Supports several different languages, such as Chinese, German, and Russian.

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A popular game-based learning platform that provides “kahoots,” user-generated multiple-choice quizzes, which can be accessed via a web browser or the Kahoot app. Allows you to create exciting quizzes on any topic you’d like. It’s easy to engage everyone and put a

personal twist on things.

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Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

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The next step is to design the program and to decide on timings, activities and resources require. This is led by the purpose and outcomes that you have already written.

Program example 1: Research Services Staff Workshop

Mode of delivery – in person

No of participants – 16

Length of session – 3 hours

Purpose: To evaluate the current RSS service and identify how it can be developed further. Outcomes:

·        A list of what is currently working and what isn’t within RSS

·        A vision of what a high performing service would look like

·        A list of possible barriers to achieving the vision and some ideas of how to overcome them

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Programme Example 2: Technical Services Workshop

Mode of delivery – online

No of participants – 8

Length of session – 3 hours

Purpose: To develop a plan for the team for the next 12 months

Outcomes:

·        A list of the factors that will affect our team in the next 12 months

·        An agreed list of the top 6 areas of priority from that environmental scan

·        An action plan to address the most important issues

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A Planning Checklist

Once you have a draft program check the following:

Are there a mix of activities that involve the participants moving round and working with

different people?

Are there both creative and analytical exercises during the session?

Is there flexibility in the design, the timing and the choice of activities?

How many people will be attending? What room layout do I need for the activities in the program?

If the session is online or hybrid how will the exercises be run e.g. virtual whiteboard,

padlets, polls ….?

Are there regular breaks built into the program? For face-to-face sessions every 90 - 120 minutes for online sessions every 60 – 75 minutes.

If the session is a full day is there a participative activity after lunch?

If there are any speakers or other inputs, are they followed by an activity?

How will the group be briefed to ensure that they arrive prepared?

How are the outcomes going to be recorded and what materials are needed?

Does the design consider the participants gender, cultural background, learning styles,

disability status and English language proficiency?

Has assistance been sought from specialists or others with specialist expertise in diversity work?

Are the examples/case studies/handouts free of negative stereotypes or assumptions?

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Before the Session:

·        Practice visualisation – spend time picturing how you would like the session to go. Concentrate on visualising success not failure.

·        Use affirmations – develop some positive statements to repeat repeatedly to yourself e.g. I am ready for this; I do know what I am talking about, or I can do this.

·        Prepare good notes and visual aids to help you keep a clear structure and to refer to if you lose your way.

·        Anticipate and prepare for questions

particularly those that you dread.

·        Script the opening five minutes of the

session and rehearse it.

·        Practice breathing exercises – breathe in through the nose, check for tension in the neck and shoulders, breathe out for a count of 10, then 15 then 20. If you have any spare breath, blow it away before taking your next breath. Be aware of the muscles between the ribs controlling the breath.

·        Arrive early and set up before the group arrives. If possible, greet the participants as they arrive.

·        Have a backup plan if you are using

PowerPoint.

·        Consider co-facilitating as this can help to reduce nerves.

During the Session:

·        Involve the group as early as possible – ask a question or for a show of hands. This will take the focus away from you for a moment.

·        Remember to smile – people will smile back! If you do not smile your nervousness may show on your face and that will make people feel uncomfortable.

·        Have water available – this can help to hydrate your throat but is also a good way to pause for a moment.

·        Shift your focus – think about the people

in the group rather than yourself. Our energy follows our focus.

·        Don’t be afraid of silence.

·        Stay calm - you will need to model a calm and objective presence in the room and part of this is identifying any of your own triggers and having strategies to manage those.

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In the ancient city of Atlantis a monument called a Zin Obelisk was built in honour of the goddess Tina.

The structure (a cuboid) took less than two weeks to complete.

Your task is to determine on which day of the week the monument was completed.

You will need a set of information cards to solve the problem.

For the set, you'll need to print off this Word document or this pdf.

Printable NRICH Roadshow resource.

The original version of this problem appeared in "Improving Work Groups: A Practical Manual for Team Building" by Dave Francis & Don Young.

You may also like

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In the ancient city of Atlantis a solid rectangular object called a Zin was built in honour of the goddess Tina. Your task is to determine on which day of the week the obelisk was completed.

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Gamestorming – A toolkit for innovators, rule-breakers and changemakers

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A good facilitator is sensitive to the mood and the energy levels of the group and there are a number of ways to

re-energise the group if you notice they are flagging:

·        Take a break even if one is not scheduled

·        Pass sweets or fruit around the group

·        If feasible, suggest that people go outside for 10 minutes

·        Split into smaller groups to do a task - this can be done in several ways

o       If you want 4 groups number everyone from 1- 4 and then ask the 1’s to become a group, all the 2’s, all the 3’s and all the 4’s

o       split the group alphabetically

o       split by month of birthday

o       split by function or job role

If you are using breakout rooms, you can use the manually assign option if you want to split the group in a particular way.

·        Use thinking rounds: A Thinking Round is a simple way to give everyone in the group a chance to speak without interruption. You go round the group sequentially and if someone has nothing to contribute, they can pass. It is important to stress that no-one should speak out of turn or interrupt until the round is complete. There are four steps to facilitating a round:

·        Decide first what the question is that people will be addressing in the Round

·        Determine the direction of the Round (clockwise, anti-clockwise)

·        Ask for a volunteer to begin the Round

·        Remind people that no-one speaks until the Round is complete

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In this section we will look at ways to manage individual behaviours and when to intervene in the group process.

When deciding how to deal with individual behaviour there are three key considerations:

·        Will the action I am taking eliminate or minimise the problem behaviour?

·        Will it maintain a climate that is conducive to the group process?

·        Will it maintain the self-esteem of the learner?

Although every situation is different there are some general tips and techniques that you can follow.

Protecting the weak: encouraging the nervous

·        Protecting the person. Sometimes a strong member of the group will attempt to push a weaker member’s contribution aside. It is the facilitator's job to prevent this happening.

·        Do some warm up activities when the group first starts to work together to help people feel more

comfortable.

·        Establish empathy. Nervous diffident people need encouragement. The leader must provide this

by, for example, looking them in the eye, smiling, nodding.

·        Provide help. If a nervous person gets into a tangle the facilitator can help by summarising what has been said. Often this can be phrased in the form of a question: Let me see if I have understood you – are you saying that because….?

·        Nervous participants can be encouraged to speak by circulating the discussion round the group or by breaking into pairs.

Managing the dominant

·        Establish a procedure in which each person contributes one idea to the topic being discussed and must then wait until every group member does the same before contributing again.

·        Turn a dominating person’s questions into statements, thus forcing the person to take responsibility for his or her opinions

·        Break the participants into small groups, which immediately limits a dominating person’s sphere of

influence.

·        Avoid eye contact.

·        Give the person a specific task, such as recording action notes.

Managing conflict

·        Stay neutral and keep cool.

·        Listen to what is being said. Do the parties involved have clearly stated but mutually exclusive positions or have they misunderstood each other? The facilitator has to be very clear about what is happening to the two people involved.

·        Slow the conflict down. The facilitator can take control, insisting that one person states his case

while the other remains silent.

·        Draw on others to avoid a battle: If you find yourself being criticized by a participant or in strong disagreement with what s/he is saying, it is often helpful to invite the comments of the rest of the group before commenting yourself. Remember you must maintain your neutrality which means managing your own opinions.

Encouraging the silent: motivating the uninterested

·        Watch the group. Some people have developed their ability to withdraw physically and mentally to such an extent that you hardly notice they are there, particularly if the group also includes several dominant people. The facilitator must be conscious of everything that is going on in the group.

·        Ask questions.

·        Use silence yourself. Those who facilitate groups should not be afraid of silence. It encourages other people to make contributions and come up with answers.

·        Picking up the problem in private. There will be occasions where all efforts to bring someone out in a group do not work. The facilitator may try to find out what is causing the problem by talking to the individual outside the meeting.

Managing the garblers and ramblers

·        Picking the moment to interrupt. It is sometimes necessary to interrupt people like this in mid- flow however facilitators should try to pick an appropriate moment, for example, if they start on a different tack. This makes the intervention less obvious and lessens the possibility of the person feeling they have been squashed.

·        Re-phrasing and summarising. Just because someone is inarticulate or long-winded does not mean they do not have something important to say. It is the facilitator’s job to extract the important information and present these to the group in a clearer, shorter form.

·        Appealing to the person’s sense of fair play. ‘I’ll have to stop you there Jackie, I can see that a

couple of other people who want to comment on that point’.

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An important part of a facilitator’s role is deciding when and if to intervene in a situation. Interventions are required when the progress of the group is being negatively impacted and take the group off task.

1

Observe the group

Notice any changes in the group or in an individual’s behaviour

2

Analyse and decide

Is that change impacting the work of the group? Is it something that is just annoying me but does

not seem to be affecting anyone else?

3

Describe your observations

If necessary, signal that you would like to share something with the group and describe your observation.

4

Check for accuracy with the group

Ask the group:

‘Would you agree?’ ‘Do I have that right?’

5

Make a recommendation

This can involve asking the group for the best way forward or the facilitator suggesting.

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The Blobs are simple. They deal with deep issues using the primary languages we learn from infancy - feelings and body language. This is why they are used with children as young as 4, all the way through to the elderly.

The Blobs are neither male nor female, young nor old, European nor African, ancient nor modern. They are outside of culture.

Blobs are the best of us and the worst of us. They don't tell us what we ought to do, or what we mustn't do...they merely show us how a variety of people feel.

Without words, the Blobs can be interpreted in a hundred different ways. There is no right and wrong about the Blobs, which is very important. A leader who uses them in a 'one way of reading them only way' will find that the rest of their group become very frustrated in discussions.

Each picture is a means to a conversation, rather than a problem to be solved or a message to be agreed upon. If the people you are working with read the characters in totally opposing ways, that's fine. We each see the world through our own eyes. Allowing others to share their feelings enables group members to understand and appreciate one another.

When we are children our feelings say one thing, sometimes more purely than when we are adults. School is beginning to encourage children to understand their feelings and to master them. For each of us, emotional literacy is a journey of self understanding. We hope the Blobs will contribute a useful tool to that journey, for all ages.

How to use the Blob Tree - There are hundreds of ways to use this one simple image.

The Tree: this is a place, a group or an organisation. It could be your family, a club, a group of friends, a church, a school, an office, a football team, a group that travel by bus, a set of friends on msn, the latest panellists on 'Britain's Got Talent', or even just yourself. By being a tree it doesn't restrict itself to a single place so it can be used in any context. There is a platform and a rope to swing on. What do they symbolise? They might represent safety, leadership, separation, fun or wastefulness? It depends upon how you feel as you look at them, and how you feel that day! Sometimes there is more than one tree, because the way other groups interact with us affects how our group feels.

The Blobs: these are a variety of characters expressing a variety of feelings. It's very important to use the name Blobs, rather than he or she, as they are not white males or females, but genderless and colourless. Ask questions such as, "How do you think this Blob feels?" or "Which Blob do you think is the saddest and why?" This neutral term includes everyone and keeps the Blob tool as open as possible. Members of your group may continue to ascribe gender to the Blobs, but as long as you set the lead, most of the group will adopt your expressions. The Blobs in the Tree are interacting too, as all groups do. They are also interacting with the Tree. They have placed themselves on the Tree, or are trying to get on the Tree. Their places are important to consider. Some people only feel able to select from the Blobs at the bottom of the Tree, whilst others tend to fly straight to the top! The selection of a Blob is a snap-shot of how that person is feeling at that very moment. Some people record a date next to the image to retain that for their work. In talking at a conference of educational psychologists, Ian discovered that many use the Blob Tree sheet as a visual assessment tool, recording their client's responses straight onto the sheet.

The Grass: under the Tree, and away from it, is the grass. It conveys being outside the Tree, a place where you might go after climbing out of the Tree. This isn't necessarily a negative place. After a youth group, a day at work or an evening out with one's family it is nice to retreat and relax away from the group dynamic. So the grass might simply be that - a place of respite. It can also be a place of opposition to what is going on in the Tree. As such, it is worth exploring what people mean when they say, "I want to be on the grass". The proximity to the Tree is worth noting as again it gives clues as to how people are feeling at that moment in time.

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The Blobs are simple. They deal with deep issues using the primary languages we learn from infancy - feelings and body language. This is why they are used with children as young as 4, all the way through to the elderly. The Blobs are neither male nor female, young nor old, European nor African, ancient nor modern.

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In this section you will find various learning bursts and workshops to support team and personal development. 

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In this section you will find various learning bursts and workshops to support team and personal development. 

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Click on to the tile and view the content.

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90 min Learning Burst on Team Resilience.

An interactive session discussing Team Resilience using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Personal Resilience

Team Resilience

Building Team Resilience, managers, colleagues & individuals

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90 min Learning Burst on Communication.

An interactive session discussing effective communication using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Understanding Communication

Mindful Communication

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90 min Learning Burst on Stress Awareness.

An interactive session discussing Stress Awareness using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Recognising Stress

The stress Curve

The Sources of Stress

Resilience

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90 min Learning Burst on The Leeds Way Values.

An interactive session discussing The Leeds Way Values using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Vision, Goals & Values

What are the Leeds Way Values?

What are value-based behaviours and how to encourage those behaviours

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90 min Learning Burst on Emotional Intelligence.

An interactive session discussing Emotional Intelligence using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

What is Emotional Intelligence

Why is it Beneficial

Building Emotional Intelligence

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90 min Learning Burst on Coaching Skills.

An interactive session discussing Coaching Skills using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

What is Coaching

Essential Coaching Tools

Putting Coaching into Practice

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90 min Learning Burst on Managing Honest Conversations

An interactive session discussing Managing Honest. Conversations using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

What is an Honest Conversation

Why we might avoid them

Tips for having Honest Conversations

Managing reactions

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90 min Learning Burst on Team Resilience.

An interactive session discussing Team Resilience using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Personal Resilience

What is Resilience

What Knocks us back

Stress and Emotional Awareness

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90 min Learning Burst on Return to Work Conversations

An interactive session discussing Return to Work Conversations using a range of group & individual activities, focussing on:

Personalised People Management

Effective Conversation

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Workshop on Advanced Communication Skills.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Advanced Communication Skills using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Communication Fundamentals

Communication Principals

Putting Communication into Practice

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Workshop on Creating Positive Team Cultures.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Creating Positive Team Cultures using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Understanding Yourself and Others

Managing Negativity

Creating Your Positive Culture

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Workshop on Manager Essentials.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Manager Essentials using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Management and Leadership

Communication

Behaviour

Resilience

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Workshop on Personal Effectiveness for Managers.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Personal Effectiveness for Managers using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Rapport and Ideal Outcomes

Influences, Delegation and Accountability

Resistance and Conflict

Resilience

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Workshop on Time and Workload Management.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Time and Workload Management using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Setting Priorities

Creating Goals and Plans

Time Management Techniques

Looking After Yourself

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Workshop on Presentation Skills.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Presentation Skills using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

How do you feel about Presenting

Qualities of an effective presenter

Presenting Practice

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Workshop on Managing Unacceptable Behaviour.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Managing Unacceptable Behaviour using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

Understanding Behaviour

The Impact of Behaviour

Understanding Yourself and Others

Mediation Skills, Strong Emotions, Trust Policy

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Workshop on Personal Effectiveness for Staff.

An interactive full day group workshop discussing Personal Effectiveness for Staff using a range of discussion points and activities. The workshop focusses on:

What is Personal Effectiveness and Self-Reflection

Behaviour

Communication

Accountability and Resilience

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for staff working at LTHT

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An introduction to Scope for Growth career conversations

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An introduction to Scope for Growth career conversations

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Career Conversations Video - Scope for Growth

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Career Conversations Video - Scope for Growth

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Management

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Patrick M Lencioni: The Five Dysfunctions

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Patrick M Lencioni: The Five Dysfunctions

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of a Team

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Reflection questions for teams and leaders

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Reflection questions for teams and leaders

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Team Questions

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VAK Learning Styles Self-Assessment Questionnaire 

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VAK Learning Styles Self-Assessment Questionnaire 

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We support groups campaigning for social and environmental justice to thrive and win. Whether you are a community campaign or a national network, we can help you organise in a more strategic, effective and empowering way.

We offer training, meeting facilitation and online resources on collective organising and consensus decision making, developing your strategy, campaign and action skills, setting up groups, running co-ops, and training for trainers.

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We support groups campaigning for social and environmental justice to thrive and win. Whether you are a community campaign or a national network, we can help you organise in a more strategic, effective and empowering way.

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I am an independent systems scientist, action researcher and evaluator, with 30 years of experience in sustainable development and natural resource management. Most of my work takes place in participatory and learning-based contexts, to help stakeholders develop a shared understanding around goals, actions and indicators.

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working with change - working with complexityworking together Learning for Sustainability (LfS) provides a comprehensive knowledge hub highlighting the wide range of skills and processes that are needed to support the constructive collaboration and joined-up action required for addressing complex ... Home Read More "

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The Facilitation Hub - Resources for Facilitators & Coaches

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The Facilitation Hub is the ultimate one-stop shop for the best workshop facilitation resources, worksheets, activities, tools and downloads. Learn about facilitation here.

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The Role of the Facilitator

Facilitators do:

Collaborate with others to agree the purpose and the desired outcomes.

Plan and design the session.

Formulate and agree the ground rules with the group.

Keep the group focused and manage the time.

Remain objective and neutral on the content.

Listen more than they talk, reflect and clarify.

Encourage participation.

Actively support inclusion and ensure gender and cultural sensitivity

Keep the group energised.

Remain alert to what is happening in the group and handle difficult situations.

Stay flexible and offer adaptations to the process, as necessary.

Assess and manage technology and online meeting tools.

Visually record the group’s discussion or plan for the group to capture their ideas.

Ensure actions and outcomes are recorded

Facilitators do not:

State their personal view about content

Do the groups work

Try to be experts