133 Part 2 - The How of Facilitation with Meg Bolger

Meg Bolger is a perfect example of facilitation for good, founding and leading multiple organisations focused on promoting DEI and LGBTQ justice, awareness, and allyship.  On top of their incredible work towards facilitating a fairer, kinder world, Meg also has plenty of entrepreneurial spark, being the brains behind the wildly successful and much-loved Facilitator Cards.  Our conversation basically became a survival guide for new facilitators and a booster shot for more experienced facilitators. Unmissable.  This episode is part 2 of 3, divided as such because our conversation was simply so expansive and interesting that we spoke for far longer than a normal episode of the show.  In this section, we explore the tools of our trade, the story of Facilitator Cards, and recommended exercises and ‘DIY’ solutions to common scenarios in workshops. We discuss what failed workshops have in common (and the different levels of failure we can witness), the tips and tools that Meg comes back to time and time again, and why it’s so important to hold our hopes for transformative experiences a little less tightly. Find out about: ●       The merits and shortcomings of qualifications and certifications in facilitation ●       What the common causes of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ facilitation are ●       Why a ‘failed’ workshop isn’t always a universal failure ●       Meg’s favourite exercises, tools, and DIY fixes to common problems ●       How to debrief yourself at the end of a workshop  ●       How and why to shape your workshops according to the energy levels in the room  Don’t miss part 3 of the show:  Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary.  Thanks to our sponsor Deckhive. Click here to find out more about the new platform for using card decks in online facilitation. Use the code workshopswork to get the first month for free. Questions and Answers [00:54] What makes a bad workshop? Or what makes a workshop fail? [04:02] What’s a bad workshop from the perspective of a participant? [06:41] What did you learn from that participant saying you didn’t advertise a workshop appropriately? [10:38] When you prepare a workshop, where do you look for inspiration and what is your process? [18:41] Do you have a favourite exercise? [21:51] What would you tell your younger self about facilitation? [29:58] This reminds me of the issue whereby facilitators get too attached to a particular outcome and refuse to see others as a valid possibility. Can you speak to that? [32:50] If everyone leaves a workshop with the same opinions they started with, has it really been that successful?Special Discount for WorkshopsWork listenersGet the 3-pack of wet-erase markers that pair with the cards on us with the code WORKSHOPSWORK when purchasing tSupport the Show.**Click here to navigate through all episodes via this interactive podcast map.**If you're inspired by our podcast and crave similar conversations, consider joining Dr Myriam Hadnes' NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Community. **If you're keen to master the art of facilitation, discover our expert-led live, online Facilitation Courses at the NDB Academy. **If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.