I work in a closed society. My colleagues do as well. In fact, we are all from the country in which we work and are passionate about what we do.
What to Do When Life Happens: A Facilitator’s Challenge
I intentionally design to maximize learning. I conduct a needs assessment, asking select questions of participants and stakeholders, studying websites and key documents, and observing events and meetings of the client and small groups. I check my assumptions and work...
GLP’s Feedback Culture: Tending the Garden
For years, GLP’s core course (currently “Foundations of Dialogue Education”) included a set of guidelines around receiving and offering feedback as well as a carefully sequenced feedback model.
Working with “The What”— Exploring the Contours of Content
I’ve been working with the principles and practices of Dialogue Education for more than a decade. I’ve come to feel as if too little has been said about the content of our courses, workshops, and classes — how we find content, how we shape it, how we select it, and...
Receiving and Offering Feedback: An Organizational Culture Worth Building
Download as PDF Download Feedback Process + Tool Cultivating a culture of healthy feedback – receiving and offering it – takes time and intentional work in multiple areas. It can begin during onboarding and run through to the exit interview. Leaders can model healthy...
Embodied Design and Facilitation
Have you participated in a meeting or event lately where, instead of starting with an overview of the agenda, you started by taking breaths together? If you haven’t yet, you might soon.
It’s Time to Come Back Together, In-Person
We call each other ‘family’. So, you can imagine how happy we were to reconnect after three long years of the Covid pandemic! We are staff and partners of Episcopal Relief & Development. On February 7-11, 35 of us gathered in Accra, Ghana from seven countries...
I Like, I Wish, I Wonder – A Technique
For many of us, wondering aloud can take tremendous courage. This is especially true if it is not invited. The technique “I like, I wish, I wonder” offers a multi-layered process for hearing and collecting input or reflections that are nuanced, fresh, and exciting.
Speed Dating – A Technique
A well-selected technique can deepen dialogue, increase engagement, generate meaningful ideas, and make work easier. Speed dating is one I love using.
Making Room for Magic: A Revolutionary Act in a Busy World
A colleague from Kansas recently told me that she had received some pressure to “cover more material” in order to “make the most” of the professional development investment. “Yikes!” I said, “That is so contrary to all we know about how humans learn.” “Don’t give into...
Own the Space: Tips for In-Person Room Setup
Download the Tip Sheet Just as many of us got used to meeting and facilitating sessions online, we are back in-person. You may be asking yourself: Do I still remember how to do that well? What have I learned in this virtual space that can be applied to the in-person...
Tips for Facilitating Groups with Low Literacy
Most groups will have a range of literacy represented. When you are working with a group that has low literacy, consider the tips below to make sure everyone feels included and able to learn. Use language that is familiar to the group. In general, everyday language is...