Group Facilitation Methods
Technology of Participation (ToP)

In a Nutshell

All organisations, teams, groups both large and small (plus many individuals) are challenged by complex factors in communicating, planning and making decisions, managing projects and moving forward together.

The facilitative leader is becoming an increasingly valuable resource:

v      For helping people explore issues which confront an organisation or group

v      For tapping the breadth of ideas and the depth of understandings

v      For building greater shared awareness, purpose and understanding

With effective design and leadership, people can actually look forward to having a meeting or workshop. They can indeed be more willing and able to prepare, contribute, participate and follow through.

Who is it for?

v      It is for anyone wishing to improve the effectiveness of their communication and interaction with others

v      With application from one-on one contact to large group processes, for any conversation that matters

v      Not just people who stand up in front of a group as the obvious leader of a discussion or workshop, but also those who are happy to help a group from within the group

v      Not only in big rooms with white boards, but also over coffee tables and on telephones

v      Not just dealing with events as they are happening, but also designing interactions to maximise the chances of successful outcomes

Learning Outcomes

New capacities

v      New insights and perspectives on communications and the underlying dynamics of human processes

v      New skills and tools to explore awareness

v      Understand, tap into creativity, build cooperative relationships, and development agreements and commitment

Practical applications

v      The ability to apply new learning, as a leader/facilitator of process, or as a participant in process, from one-to-one interactions to larger groups

v      A plan for real-life application of key methods and understandings, and for continued coaching or mentoring

Strengthened engagement & relationships

v      Enhanced confidence to engage with diverse parties and complex situations to build towards creative and constructive outcomes

v      Strengthened relationships with peers, colleagues and others through sharing of

practical experience and engagement in exercises which assist participants to become a resource to each other

Participants’ Feedback

v      Opportunity to learn locally

v      Opportunity to learn skills which will be constantly called upon for any community or organisational meeting.

v      Skills learned that can be applied straight away.

v      Skills that are not in the community at present.

v      Instils confidence in the participants.

v      Facilitation methods that work in practice

v      Enables and empowers skills to elicit peoples’ wisdom in many different situations.

v      Thinking and communicating skills to enhance decision making in groups.

v      ToP visuals: High impact, as well as usefulness of the sticky wall.

Day 1	Day 2
Focused Conversation  Method	Workshop Method
The learning experience includes: v     demonstration and unpacking of skills and techniques v     individual and team/group practice and reflection v     giving and receiving feedback v     working to an individual learning contract v     coaching and mentoring of individual facilitation in practice (action learning)
Experiential and adult learning principles support the learning and application of tools and techniques by grounding these in actual work projects of participants. This format builds competence and confidence in the continued use of facilitation methods and deepens understanding of the profound role of facilitation in leading change. At the end of the training each participant will have a statement of attendance, a comprehensive set of course notes, worked examples , and proposals for