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In the mid-eighties, when I first started facilitating business workshops, the flip chart was my best friend.
During a facilitation session, I would mount my flip chart and scribble on it the content received from various breakaway or plenary groups. When the workshop was done, I’d roll up the flip chart sheets, dump it in my car’s boot and head for the next session.
At the end of the day I’d lay out the sheets on the floor to try and make sense of the information. Then I’d write a report for my client.
It was a nightmare.
Because delivering quality reports is non-negotiable, compiling one would often happen only after phoning the client a few times. Often, I had to visit the client to clarify information.
Then things changed…
During that time, I attended a demonstration of a group-decision support system that featured audience response technology.
This system allowed group participants to input values through an electronic keypad.
This technology would allow me to speed up my surveying, prioritising and gap analysis processes, with the added benefit of anonymous input from participants.
I wanted to implement the system immediately, but there was one problem: I wasn’t computer literate at the time.
So, I asked a typist friend, who was computer literate, to lend a hand.
The session went well. We used the new system three times.
After the workshop my friend and I discussed the day’s event. She said that she could do much more than running the group-decision support system. She suggested that when the system is not used, that she would type what I write on the flip chart and project it to the group.
That led me to a breakthrough realisation. I said to her, “Don’t type what I write, type what I say!!”
What sprouted from this was nothing short of revolutionary.
I went from scrambling from pillar to post, to delivering a complete report at the end of a workshop facilitation session, every time, without fail!
It totally transformed my workshop facilitation practices forever! Now, after having delivered probably more facilitated workshop deliverables than anyone on the planet I can confidently vouch for the benefits to clients, not to mention the benefits to me as facilitator!
Because of the changes I made in facilitating workshops, here’s how my clients—and you, should you require a professional workshop facilitator—benefit.
Because of my approach of real-time documentation of facilitated content, I can fly through business workshops WITHOUT compromising on quality. I work with the total group, all the time, and avoid letting the group work in breakaway groups while I drink tea!
Because of this practice and other unique technology, such as the Diagknows group-decision support system, I can focus on participants.
Since clients want participants—even introverts—to engage, it’s easier for me to keep a close eye on the audience instead of turning my back to feed a flip chart. I can anticipate when someone wants to contribute.. I can lead processes that allow for inclusive and robust debate in a focused way that encourages participation without alienating participants.
I structure content received from workshop participants in terms of level, remove duplication and deal with overlaps on the fly.
Your results are clean, ready for implementation.
You won’t wait days, weeks or months for a full workshop report.
I step out of the workshop only once I hand you a full report. And that’s at the end of the workshop.
Workshop facilitators that charge an hourly fee, are by design unproductive. They want to spend more hours to achieve less outputs. That might be a reason why facilitators prefer unproductive syndicate work processes.
Because my facilitation processes eliminate time wasting practices, I charge a competitive fixed rate based on the deliverables to be achieved.
And here is my guarantee: You won’t receive an invoice if all agreed upon deliverables are not achieved.
As you can see, saving you time and money is serious business for me.
Are you ready to experience the success of a properly facilitated management workshop?
You need a professional workshop facilitator. Make contact. I look forward to hearing from you.
PROST!
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