First Time Facilitator

FTF233: Inside three facilitators minds: What goes on (and why we love models!) with John Norcross and Tricia Conyers

Oct 2, 2023

Join Leanne Hughes as she chats with John Norcross and Tricia Conyers from the 'Every Little Model' podcast. They explore the journey of becoming a facilitator, the multifaceted roles in a workshop, key facilitation models like Leanne's 'SPARK Framework' and Tricia's 'Nine Dimensions of Engagement', the art of balancing structure and flexibility, and the impact of setting up a room in a full circle arrangement for authentic dialogue.

48:54

Episode guests

John Norcross

Tricia Conyers

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Frameworks and models provide structure, confidence, and creative options for facilitators in designing engaging workshop experiences.

Intuition and presence play a crucial role in effective facilitation, allowing facilitators to adapt to group needs and make informed decisions.

Consciously manipulating engagement dimensions, such as group size and energy level, can deepen conversation and foster participant engagement during workshops.

Deep dives

The power of frameworks and models in facilitation

The podcast episode delves into the significance of using frameworks and models in facilitation. The hosts, Leanne Hughes, John Norcross, and Tricia Conyers, discuss their favorite models and how they leverage them to create engaging workshop experiences. Leanne shares her SPARK framework for workshop design, emphasizing the importance of focusing on activities rather than content. Tricia introduces the nine dimensions of engagement, a model she uses to assess and enhance participant engagement during a session. John highlights the value of using two by two matrices to clarify and address complex challenges. The conversation underscores the role of frameworks in providing structure, confidence, and creative options for facilitators.

Introduction

4min

The Importance of Facilitation as a Discipline

16min

Models and Frameworks for Facilitating Workshops

12min

The Power of Two by Two Matrices and Reflecting on Pivotal Facilitation Experiences

4min

Challenges in Facilitating a Leadership Workshop and Addressing Resistance

2min

Creating a Circle Experience

11min

Send Leanne a message

Join host Leanne Hughes as she delves deep into the mind of a facilitator with guests John Norcross and Tricia Conyers from the "Every Little Model" podcast, this episode offers a genuine conversation exploring the intricacies of facilitation, sharing personal experiences, challenges, and models that guide their work.

Watch the conversation on YouTube.

What You Will Learn:

The journey of becoming a facilitator: How John and Tricia began leading group conversations and meetings.
The multifaceted roles in a workshop: From mindfulness to handling logistical aspects like air conditioning and room design.
Key facilitation models:
- Leanne's "SPARK Framework" from The Two-Hour Workshop Blueprint
- Tricia's "Nine Dimensions of Engagement" emphasising the power of contrast in facilitation activities and debriefs.
The art of balancing: How to juggle structure and flexibility in facilitation.
John's experience emphasizing the importance of adapting to group needs rather than rigidly sticking to a process.

About Our Guests:
John Norcross

John is a change leadership professional who works at the intersection of human centered design, organizational effectiveness, strategy, and implementation. His 25+ years in consulting have taken him from Canada, to the UK, South America, the Caribbean, and to the US working across a range of industries, from energy and chemicals to life sciences and the public sector.

John spent over a decade with Evolve Partners, an implementation consultancy, as a geography leader and as SVP for Accounts. He also co-founded a boutique change agency, BridgeOne LLC. Over the last couple of years, he has volunteered as a community change agent in Wisconsin, focused on advocating for public schools as well as diversity and inclusion efforts. He is also the co-host of the Every Little Model podcast, which focuses on exploring the models and frameworks we use to make sense of our organization and our world.

Connect with John Norcross on LinkedIn

Tricia Conyers

Tricia Conyers is a leadership coach, facilitator, trainer, and podcaster. She helps individuals and teams to unlock their full potential and achieve breakthrough results.

Through a combination of individual coaching, hybrid professional development programs, facilitated in-person experiential events, and her Every Little Model podcast, she helps leaders to think differently, recognize and leverage leadership moments, and develop the confidence and capabilities they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced business world.

Learn more about Tricia’s work here https://islandinspirations.co/
Connect with Tricia on LinkedIn
Check out her online program: Engagement Matters

To continue the conversation, join over 2,200 global facilitators in the free Facebook group, "The Flip Chart".

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