Facilitating on Purpose
How do you create workshops and courses that people really want to attend, where they're highly engaged and actually learn something? The answer is through facilitation.
Facilitators exist wherever learning happens. And great facilitation involves getting clear on what you’re doing with your groups, why you’re doing it, and how to do it with purpose and intention. Tap into this podcast, "Facilitating on Purpose", as your go-to resource to becoming and being a better facilitator, wherever you work.
Join facilitator and learning designer Beth Cougler Blom and her guests to explore ideas about designing and facilitating learning. You’ll gain insights such as how to plan more effectively, build connection with participants, and include meaningful activities.
Level up your facilitation skills at http://facilitatingonpurpose.com/.
Latest episodes
May 8, 2024 • 59min
Facilitate Like an Anthropologist with Dr. Monty Badami - EP 37
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Dr. Monty Badami about how we can use an anthropological lens in facilitation to engage in collective sense-making. If we can think like anthropologists, we will have access to the most valuable resource in understanding complex experiences and diverse groups...and that resource is our humanity. Beth and Monty also talk about: creating safety for participants reading the room and seeing patterns what it means to be human reflexivity and ethnography using narrative arcs and other frameworks friction points, self-kindness and learning from failure Engage with Dr. Monty Badami Website: Habitus.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sumant-monty-badami/ Instagram: @habituslifehacks Other Links from the Episode Gillian Tett Anthro-Vision book Joseph Campbell's and the Hero's Journey Jack Mezirow's Transformative Learning theory Habitus's Narrative Arc [image] Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Apr 24, 2024 • 1h 1min
The State of Facilitation 2024 Report with Deborah Rim Moiso - EP 36
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Deborah Rim Moiso, the editor of SessionLab's State of Facilitation 2024 Report, about data and insights gleaned from the report and what it might mean for facilitators worldwide. Engage with Deborah Rim Moiso and SessionLab: The State of Facilitation 2024 Report from SessionLab Use this link to sign up to SessionLab for a 30-day free trial of the Pro features Deborah Rim Moiso on LinkedIn Other Links from the Episode: International Association of Facilitators (IAF) Myriam Hadnes workshops.work Kirsty Lewis School of Facilitation website | Facilitating on Purpose podcast Episode 17 Filip Kis, Co-Founder and CTO at SessionLab Mentimeter Leanne Hughes Marie Dubost Jan Keck website | Facilitating on Purpose podcast Episode 10 Priya Parker's Art of Gathering book Brett Macdonald website | Facilitating on Purpose podcast Episode 20 Hector Villareal Lozoya Climate-KIC Canva Padlet Miro Mural Chat GPT Barbara Pedersen website | Facilitating on Purpose podcast Episode 34 Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Apr 10, 2024 • 36min
Think Like a Facilitator with Beth Cougler Blom - EP 35
In this solo episode, Beth Cougler Blom gives listeners a peek into the thought process behind effective facilitation. She discusses some of the key decisions and questions that guide her in managing time, scope, participant involvement, and her own engagement during sessions. Beth also addresses how she maintains focus and clarity, shedding light on the critical, but often invisible, aspects of being a facilitator. Links from the Episode EP 31: Perfecting Timing Design to Engage: How to Create and Facilitate a Great Learning Experience For Any Group (Beth’s book) Lesson plan template (scroll to Free Downloads section) Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Mar 27, 2024 • 1h
A Career in Facilitation with Barbara Pedersen - EP 34
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with facilitator Barbara Pedersen about her 30-year career (so far!) and what she's learned along the way. Beth and Barbara also talk about: the phases and cycles of a facilitation career confidence, humility, and fear challenging ourselves how to get training in facilitation learning foundational facilitation frameworks 'bread and butter' work and keeping work flowing transitioning into 'rewirement' Engage with Barbara Pedersen Website: http://www.barbpedersen.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpedersen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbpedersen/ Links From the Episode NeverDoneBefore 4-H Youth Clubs Even Eagles Need a Push, by David McNally ICA International ICA Associates The ORID framework is mentioned in The Art of Focused Conversation book Roger Schwarz, The Skilled Facilitator book The Circle Way Eight important things to know about The Experiential Learning Cycle, by Dr. Alice Kolb and Professor David Kolb [PDF] Appreciative Inquiry | David Cooperrider What, So What, Now What? Liberating Structures Ladder of Inference (Chris Argyris on Wikipedia) How I Built This podcast Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Mar 13, 2024 • 53min
The True Cost of Holding Non-Participatory Events with Mansi Jasuja - EP 33
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Mansi Jasuja about the many impacts of hosting events which exclude individuals from participating, including social, environmental, psychological, and economic considerations, and how groups can be more intentional to foster inclusivity and invite participation. Beth and Mansi also talk about: the psychological safety needed to engage groups matching the diversity outside the room inside the room cultivating emergent wisdom why Q&As are problematic key considerations around harvesting and followup Engage with Mansi Jasuja LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansijasuja/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mansijasuja/ Other Links From the Episode See the True Cost of Holding Non-Participatory Events updated image See Mansi's original post and image on LinkedIn Art of Hosting and Conversations That Matter Eight breaths of architecture / design Chaordic stepping stones Radical Acts book by Lee Ryan and Viv McWaters Dr. Vandana Shiva: https://www.navdanya.org/ and https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/ Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Feb 28, 2024 • 50min
Creating and Communicating Value with Matthew Rempel - EP 32
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Matthew Rempel about how entrepreneurs who own facilitation-related businesses can create and communicate the value we bring to our clients in various ways. Beth and Matthew also talk about: finding our ideal clients dealing with fear around saying no to potential clients rethinking the purpose of "the funnel" becoming a source of influence rather than an influencer creating value via social media Engage with Matthew Rempel Website: https://strategymadesimple.ca/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdGJ6-z9ji5PSJJerJs2JLA Links from the Episode Liberating Structures Nine Whys Seth Godin Amanda Natividad on X Rand Fishkin on X Rand Fishkin's blog post: Influence Maps–The Best Marketing Framework You've Never Heard Of Session Lab's State of Facilitation 2024 Report Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Feb 14, 2024 • 38min
Perfecting Timing with Beth Cougler Blom - EP 31
In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom talks about timing considerations when planning and facilitating workshops. Beth explores: Cultural considerations related to time Using a lesson plan template to help with timing How learning outcomes help us make decisions about timing Timekeeping while facilitating Tracking and reflecting on timing-related issues Additional considerations for the virtual and e-learning modes of learning Links From the Episode Design to Engage: How to Create and Facilitate a Great Learning Experience For Any Group (Beth's book) Lesson plan template (scroll to Free Downloads section) EP 19: Choosing Activities 1-2-4-All from Liberating Structures Liberating Structures Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Jan 24, 2024 • 43min
Game-Based Learning for Teams with Alexandra Suchman - EP 30
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Alexandra Suchman about game-based experiential learning and how games can be leveraged to support teams. Beth and Alexandra also talk about: what game-based experiential learning is the levels of depth we can accomplish through games choosing games to meet desired outcomes including reflective elements in games getting confident in facilitating games with groups Engage with Alexandra Suchman Website: https://www.barometerxp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrasuchman Other Links From the Episode Alex and Beth's episode on the Women Talking About Learning podcast: The Expectation One EP 13: Experimenting with Experiential Learning with Romy Alexandra on this podcast Barometer XP's iceberg analogy for the depths of play Barometer XP's Pressure Matrix with the 9 dimensions of culture Barometer XP's certification program for facilitators who want to learn to use games in their work Barnga: A Simulation Game on Cultural Clashes Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Jan 10, 2024 • 53min
Expressing Ourselves Through Photography with Michele Mateus - EP 29
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Michele Mateus about owning who we are, putting ourselves 'out there', and expressing ourselves fully through portrait photography – whether we're facilitators of learning or anyone else who needs or wants to show up in photos. Beth and Michele also talk about: the vulnerability of having our photo taken the importance of evoking emotions through photography smashing beauty standards and saying no to creating 'cookie cutter' photos shifting our relationship with ourselves and our bodies the impact of great photography Engage with Michele Mateus Website: www.mateusstudios.com Instagram: @mateusstudios and @mateuscoaching Other Links from the Episode Emily Carr University of Art and Design Curious George Royal Roads University Brené Brown Art of Hosting Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
Nov 22, 2023 • 54min
Navigating Conflict with a Generous Approach with Meg Bolger - EP 28
In this episode, Beth Cougler Blom talks with Meg Bolger about how facilitators can respond effectively to participants when they say something that could or does cause conflict in the group. Beth and Meg also talk about: Giving more space and agency to people to participate Not avoiding conflict when it happens Bringing a curious mindset Noticing and responding to participants' underlying needs Using a three-stepped approach to respond to potentially problematic statements Engage with Meg Bolger Website: http://facilitator.cards/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/facilitatorcards/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/facilitatorcards LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbolger/ Other Links from the Episode Katherine Schulz's "On Being Wrong" TED talk Quick Overview of Glasser's Choice Theory (Five Needs) Bear Hébert on Instagram Trainings by Meg and Facilitator Cards (including Holding Space workshop) Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast: Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom: Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at hello@bcblearning.com Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
