lessons

Nodding while facilitating and the unexpected consequences

barbara pedersen Belonging, business, collaboration, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Discussion, Diversity, Equity, facilitation, feedback, fierce conversations, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, Indigenous people, intersectionality, lessons, listening, online facilitation, Planning, process, silence, strategic planning, Talking, team building, team work, technology, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation
woman nodding her head and smiling

I nodded while facilitating and learned a lesson I won’t forget. Some time ago, I facilitated a small online focus group to gather community input for a nonprofit initiative. As I listened carefully to each participant, I unconsciously nodded my

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Saying yes or no. Passion, Purpose, Performance, Profit – a balancing act!

barbara pedersen Belonging, business, business planning, collaboration, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, feedback, in-person facilitation, lessons, nonprofit, Planning, strategic planning, team building, team work, Visual facilitation
Saying yes or no. Passion, Purpose, Performance, Profit – a balancing act!

Self-employed facilitators, trainers, and consultants work with great passion and a strong belief in the benefits they can bring to individuals, organizations, and communities. At the same time, we must remember we run businesses and need to make money. Occasionally,

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Everything you want to know (or say) … and are afraid to ask (or say.)

barbara pedersen business, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, feedback, Fun, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, lessons, listening, Planning, process, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, strategic planning, team building, team work, virtual, virtual facilitation
Everything you want to know (or say) … and are afraid to ask (or say.)

I use a simple yet impactful facilitation activity that encourages participants in meetings and sessions to express their concerns, hopes, and fears without worrying about being disregarded, looked down upon, ridiculed, or punished. It’s called “everything I want to know

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Feedback about me.

barbara pedersen Belonging, ChatGPT, collaboration, community, complexity, Conversation, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, Equity, facilitation, feedback, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, intersectionality, lessons, listening, online facilitation, Planning, process, reading, silence, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, team work, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation
Feedback about me.

I rarely ask for feedback or evaluation specifically about me at the end of a session I have facilitated. I refer to sessions where the group determines the outcomes and invites me to facilitate the discussion and decision-making processes. These

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