Facilitation Skills: The Core Skill of Great Team Leaders from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

1. to gain an understanding of the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders.
2. to practice those behaviors that lead to optimum participation and commitment to action by team members.
3. to learn the critical listening skills that are essential to all personal communications and to team leadership.

4. to understand when and how to use each of three decision-making styles: command, consultative and consensus.
5. to learn how to both give and receive feedback, or “straight-talk”, in a manner that leads of learning and continuous improvement.
6. to learn the critical skills of effective leading virtual teams to effective performance.

1. to gain an understanding of the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders.
2. to practice those behaviors that lead to optimum participation and commitment to action by team members.
3. to learn the critical listening skills that are essential to all personal communications and to team leadership.
4. to understand when and how to use each of three decision-making styles: command, consultative and consensus.
5. to learn how to both give and receive feedback, or “straight-talk”, in a manner that leads of learning and continuous improvement.
6. to learn the critical skills of effective leading virtual teams to effective performance.

Syllabus

Introduction

This lecture is an introduction to this course. I review the purpose, objectives and outline.

Purpose:

The purpose of this course is to enable you to bring out the best from your team; to harvest the collective wisdom of your team members; and to lead team meetings in which all participants feel heard, decision based on the wisdom of the team; and action plans are developed and followed to results.

This lecture is not a comprehensive definition of facilitation (the entire course does that), but it does point to some particularly important attitudes and sensitivities that are at the heart of facilitation.

To Facilitate:

§…is to enable others, all, to make their contribution.

§…is to be aware of one’s own behavior and how it affects the behavior of others.

§…is to be sensitive to the diverse needs of individuals and to value their contribution.

Motivating:

Being “attentive” to the person speaking. Eye contact, nodding your head in approval.
“That’s a very good point.”
“I know this is a difficult topic, but I feel like we have made good progress.”
“Harold, I think you probably have some good insights on this subject.”

Comforting:

Expressing Empathy:
- “I can understand that… (the reason for their concern)….may cause you to feel.(a word like ‘worried’, or ‘upset’)”
- “It must be … (feeling work like “difficult, or painful”)…when … (the circumstance causing the difficulty).
Ask for temperature taking: “How are others feeling about this.” “Jane, are you OK with this discussion?”
Take a break.

Controlling – Playing the “Cop”

Calling “time-out”
Call for gaining perspective
Call for more data
Call for others to participate

Keys to Concluding a topic of meeting:

The Agenda and Time limits
The Skill of Summarizing
Asking for Consensus
Reviewing Decisions and Gaining Agreement
Do Goods – Do Better
Next Meeting Agenda

It is critical that team members know which decisions they make individually, in consultation, and as true consensus decisions. This lecture presents a definition of each style of criteria for choosing which style to use.

•Command

Command decisions are those made by an individual. Speed and expert knowledge are two reasons for command to be the preferred decision style.

•Consultative or Shared

Consultative decisions involve selective involvement by those who know, care, or must act.

•Consensus

Consensus decisions are true team decisions where you turn over the decision to the group.

This lectures gives very concrete steps you can take to improve the engagement of team members when conducting virtual meetings:

1.Bring Energy: Make it purposeful

2.Visualize the agenda

3.Visualize notes and decisions

4.Let them know in advance that you will be asking them questions, asking for their participation and feed back.

5.Give responsibility to another person or group to ask questions following a presentation.

6.Ask questions to someone specifically, rather than “Does anyone…?”

7.Share the facilitator role.

8.If not one responds, call on…after 5sec

9.Summarize and visualize decisions.

10.Do goods-do better

11.Immediately send out minutes and backup material.

Course Summary:

Recommend a coach
How this connects with the other TK courses
1. Motivating yourself and others
2. Problem solving made easy
3. Value-stream mapping and process management
4. Forming to Performing: Bringing a Team to maturity
Team Meeting observation and effectiveness form
Go through the exercise of defining decision styles
Practice listening skills
Take the 11 tips for virtual meetings and introduce them toyour team, evaluate your

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides practical skills that enable learners to lead teams effectively

Can help learners in any domain become more effective team leaders

Develops leadership skills that are critical for anyone working with others

Covers the essential skills for effective team leadership

Taught by an experienced instructor who has a proven track record of success in team leadership

Leverages a variety of learning formats, such as videos, discussions, and hands-on exercises

Reviews summary

Essential skills for effective team facilitation

According to learners, this course provides essential skills for effective team facilitation, covering a wide range of topics from core skills like listening and feedback to leading virtual meetings. Students appreciate the practical approach with assignments designed to help them apply learned techniques in real-world settings. The course structure is seen as well-organized and easy to follow, offering actionable models and strategies like the 'Straight Talk' method for feedback. The instructor's extensive experience is also a noted positive. While the course encourages significant external practice, it is generally viewed as a comprehensive foundation for improving team leadership capabilities.

Assignments necessitate putting learning into practice externally.

"Be prepared to actually practice the skills outside the course environment to get the most out of it."

"Some assignments might require finding opportunities to observe or practice with others."

"Putting the conflict resolution techniques into practice requires real-world situations."

Instructor brings extensive real-world experience.

"It was clear the instructor had a lot of practical experience in corporate settings."

"His insights seemed grounded in many years of working with teams and leaders."

"Learning from someone with forty years in the field adds significant credibility."

Offers specific models and strategies you can use.

"I liked the 'Straight Talk' model provided for structured feedback."

"The 11 tips for virtual facilitation are easy to implement immediately."

"The clear definitions and criteria for choosing decision styles were very useful."

Provides valuable tips for leading remote teams.

"The section on facilitating virtual meetings was very relevant and timely for my work."

"I picked up some concrete and actionable steps for improving engagement in online meetings."

"This part felt very up-to-date and necessary in the current work environment."

Includes assignments for putting learned skills into practice.

"The assignments pushed me to actually try out the techniques discussed in the lectures."

"I found the practice exercises for listening and giving/receiving feedback particularly helpful."

"Having assignments requiring observation and practice makes the learning more concrete."

Covers a wide range of essential facilitation skills.

"I feel like I got a really good overview of all the core facilitation skills needed for a team leader."

"The course covered critical areas like listening, feedback, conflict resolution, and decision-making styles."

"It presents the 'Eight Essential Skills' in a clear and structured way."

"I learned about different decision-making styles and when to use each effectively."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Facilitation Skills: The Core Skill of Great Team Leaders with these activities:

Review 'The Facilitator's Handbook' by Sam Kaner

Show steps

Expand your knowledge and gain insights by reading a comprehensive guide on facilitation best practices.

View FACILITATORS GUIDE TO PARTICIPATORY DECI on Amazon

Show steps

Read through the book, paying attention to key concepts and techniques.
Summarize the main takeaways and apply them to your own facilitation practice.

Review the 8 Essential Facilitation Skills

Show steps

Refresh your understanding of the essential facilitation skills for leading successful team discussions and activities.

Browse courses on Facilitation Skills

Show steps

Read through the lecture notes on the 8 Essential Facilitation Skills.
Reflect on your own facilitation skills and identify areas for improvement.
Practice using the skills in a simulated team meeting or role-playing exercise.

Learn about Team Decision-Making Styles

Show steps

Explore different decision-making styles and their appropriateness for various team situations to enhance your ability to make informed choices.

Browse courses on Decision-Making

Show steps

Watch online tutorials or read articles on decision-making styles, such as command, consultative, and consensus.
Analyze case studies of team decision-making to identify the styles used and their effectiveness.
Attend a workshop or webinar on team decision-making to gain practical insights.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Participate in Peer Review and Feedback Sessions

Show steps

Gain valuable insights and improve your facilitation skills by sharing and receiving feedback from peers.

Browse courses on Peer Review

Show steps

Attend peer review sessions and actively participate by providing constructive feedback to others.
Seek feedback on your own facilitation skills from trusted colleagues or peers.
Incorporate feedback into your facilitation approach to enhance your effectiveness.

Practice Listening Skills

Show steps

Sharpen your active listening skills to improve your ability to understand and respond to team members' perspectives.

Browse courses on Listening Skills

Show steps

Listen attentively to a colleague or friend and summarize their main points.
Practice reflective listening by repeating back what you've heard and asking clarifying questions to ensure understanding.
Identify and challenge any assumptions or biases in your own listening.

Practice Team Conflict Resolution

Show steps

Develop your skills in mediating and resolving team conflicts to foster a positive and productive work environment.

Browse courses on Conflict Resolution

Show steps

Role-play different conflict scenarios and practice using conflict resolution techniques.
Facilitate a team meeting and proactively address potential conflicts or tensions that arise.
Seek feedback from colleagues or a mentor on your conflict resolution approach.

Develop a Team Facilitation Plan

Show steps

Consolidate your learning and apply it to a real-world scenario by creating a detailed plan for facilitating a specific team meeting.

Browse courses on Facilitation

Show steps

Identify the purpose and objectives of a team meeting you will facilitate.
Design the meeting agenda and activities to achieve the desired outcomes.
Create a detailed facilitation plan outlining the roles and responsibilities of participants and the facilitator.
Present your plan to colleagues or a mentor for feedback and suggestions.

Volunteer as a Facilitator

Show steps

Apply your facilitation skills in a practical setting to gain hands-on experience and further develop your abilities.

Browse courses on Facilitation

Show steps

Identify volunteer opportunities where you can facilitate meetings or workshops.
Prepare and deliver facilitation sessions for the volunteer organization or community group.
Reflect on your facilitation experiences and identify areas for growth and improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Facilitation Skills: The Core Skill of Great Team Leaders will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Facilitator

The Facilitation Skills course helps learners to develop skills for building a strong foundation as a facilitator. The course will teach learners how to enable others to make their contribution, be sensitive to the diverse needs of individuals and to value their contribution. Whether leading a meeting or resolving conflicts, the course will help facilitators to conclude a topic effectively. Additionally, the course will help learners to ask open-ended questions, use reflective listening, express empathy, and acknowledge and use silence.

See salaries and explore the career path for Facilitator

Team Facilitator

The Facilitation Skills course discusses the essential skills of creating unity of energy and effort on a team; bringing the team to consensus; and conducting virtual team meetings. The course will help learners to contribute to their success as a manager by becoming a great team facilitator. The course helps learners to enable their team to bring out the best from their team; to harvest the collective wisdom of team members; and to lead team meetings in which all participants feel heard, decision based on the wisdom of the team; and action plans are developed and followed to results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Facilitator

Team Development Specialist

The Facilitation Skills course is a key for success as a team development specialist. Such specialists often facilitate meetings and conversations in order to help teams achieve goals and objectives. The course will provide the skills specialists need to motivate and comfort their teams, as well as control and conclude meetings effectively and to satisfaction. This course will be especially helpful to a team development specialist as it will aid them in resolving conflicts within their teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Development Specialist

Leadership Coach

The Facilitation Skills course is a key for success as a leadership coach. Leadership coaches facilitate conversations in order to help leaders achieve goals and reach their full potential. The course will provide the skills coaches need to motivate and support their clients, as well as help them to set goals and develop action plans. This course will be especially helpful to a leadership coach as it will aid them in resolving conflicts and providing feedback to their clients. Additionally, the course provides the knowledge and skills that will be essential to one's capability as a leader.

See salaries and explore the career path for Leadership Coach

Team Leader

The Facilitation Skills course is a key for success as a team leader. A team leader may facilitate meetings and conversations in order to achieve team goals and objectives. The course will provide the skills leaders need to motivate and comfort their teams, as well as control and conclude meetings effectively and to satisfaction. This course may help team leaders to resolve conflicts within their teams. The course will help leaders to gain insight into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Leader

Organizational Development Manager

The Facilitation Skills course is a key for success as an organizational development manager. These managers facilitate meetings and conversations in order to help teams and organizations achieve goals and objectives. The course will provide the skills managers need to motivate and comfort their teams, as well as control and conclude meetings effectively and to satisfaction. This course will be especially helpful to an organizational development manager as it will aid them in resolving conflicts within their teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Development Manager

Training and Development Manager

The Facilitation Skills course is a key for success as a training and development manager. Training and development managers facilitate learning and development programs for employees. The course will provide the skills managers need to motivate and support learners, as well as help them to set goals and develop action plans. Additionally, the course provides the knowledge and skills that will be essential to one's capability as a leader.

See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Manager

Consultant

The Facilitation Skills course provides the knowledge and skills that will be essential to one's capability as a consultant providing leadership and guidance. The course will help build a foundation for success by providing skills for bringing out the best from a team; harvesting the collective wisdom of team members; and leading team meetings in which all participants feel heard, decision based on the wisdom of the team; and action plans are developed and followed to results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Change Management Consultant

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a change management consultant who needs to lead teams through change initiatives. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders. The course will also help change management consultants to understand when and how to use each of three decision-making styles: command, consultative and consensus.

See salaries and explore the career path for Change Management Consultant

Communication Manager

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a communications manager who needs to lead and facilitate effective team meetings. This course will teach the skills to create unity of energy and effort on a team; bring the team to consensus; and conduct virtual team meetings in which all participants feel heard, decisions based on the wisdom of the team; and action plans are developed and followed to results. Additionally, the course focuses on critical listening skills that are essential to all personal communications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Communication Manager

Instructional Designer

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for an instructional designer who needs to create and deliver effective learning experiences. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders. The course will also help instructional designers to develop skills in listening, communication, and feedback that are critical to their success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Project Manager

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a project manager who needs to lead a team. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders. The course will also help project managers to practice those behaviors that lead to optimum participation and commitment to action by team members.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

HR Business Partner

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a HR business partner who needs to work with teams to improve employee performance and engagement. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders. The course will also help HR business partners to practice those behaviors that lead to optimum participation and commitment to action by team members.

See salaries and explore the career path for HR Business Partner

Human Resources Manager

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a human resources manager who needs to build strong teams within their organization. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders; and practice those behaviors that lead to optimum participation and commitment to action by team members. Additionally, the course provides the knowledge and skills that will be essential to one's capability as a leader.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Business Analyst

The Facilitation Skills course may be useful for a business analyst who needs to work with teams to understand and improve business processes. The course can help one to gain insights into the essential skills and behavior of effective team leaders. The course will also help business analysts to develop skills in listening and communication that are critical to their success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst