
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

Dec 7, 2022 • 51min
Learning How to Learn with Taruna Goel - EP 7
In this episode, Beth talks with guest Taruna Goel about the facilitator's role in helping participants become expert learners, and how facilitators can strive to become expert learners themselves. Beth and Taruna also explore: Being strategic and taking more active roles as facilitators What it means to be an expert learner How we can use the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines to make learning inclusive and transformative for everyone Investing in our own personal learning, including formal and informal learning Expecting and designing for learner variability Engage with Taruna Goel: Twitter: https://twitter.com/write2tg LinkedIn Blog: Designed for Learning! Becoming an Expert Learner Other Resources and Links from the Episode: Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice - book by Anne Meyer, David H. Rose and David Gordon CAST - Universal Design for Learning Guidelines 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 23, 2022 • 30min
Learning From Our Mistakes with Beth Cougler Blom - EP 6
In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares some mistakes that she has made recently in her facilitation practice and talks about what she's doing about them to keep learning in her work. Beth also explores the following: showing our humanity as facilitators using inclusive language finding the words to speak up against racism the vulnerability and bravery involved in revealing our mistakes Other Links From the Episode: Liberating Structures Brave video by Sara Bareilles Facilitating on Purpose Episode 3: Inclusive Facilitation with Susana Guardado Priya Parker's repost of Brad Montague's "fail-a-bration" post Brad Montague on Instagram Teaching in Higher Ed podcast - Ep 427 with Dave Cormier 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 9, 2022 • 42min
The Business Side of Facilitation with Tara Jaskowiak - EP 5
In this episode, Beth chats with guest Tara Jaskowiak from Groundwork about the business side of facilitation, focusing on planning and communications strategies that facilitators can use to support their success. This look behind the scenes will be valuable for either people who own a facilitation-related business or who do facilitation work inside an organization. Beth and Tara also explore: Tara’s five elements of communication Using storytelling skills to make connections with others Reflecting on and replicating strategies for success Getting clear on and communicating boundaries Using values to drive business/organizational decision-making Engage with Tara Jaskowiak, Groundwork: Groundwork Instagram: @the.groundwork 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

Oct 26, 2022 • 39min
Facilitation is the New Coaching with Moe Poirier - EP 4
In this episode, Beth chats with Moe Poirier of Shift Facilitation about the importance of leaders learning facilitation skills and how the fields of coaching and facilitation are a lot alike. Beth and Moe also explore: the core mindsets and skillsets of facilitators how to deal with their 'fraud voice' as facilitators how organizations can use facilitation skills to support their success Engage with Moe Poirier, Shift Facilitation: shiftfacilitation.com fivepersonas.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moepoirier/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SHIFT_Canada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftfacilitation/ Other Links from the Episode: Chad Littlefield's book, How to Make Virtual Engagement Easy Chase Jeffels, Actor, Creator, Comedian. https://www.chasejeffels.com/ Liberating Structures: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/ Rebecca Sutherns: https://rebeccasutherns.com/ 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

Oct 12, 2022 • 39min
Inclusive Facilitation with Susana Guardado - EP 3
In this episode, Beth and guest Susana Guardado of Bright Light Ideas talk about how facilitators can create inclusive learning spaces and experiences in which people feel valued, respected, and accepted. They also explore: Listening to learners to be able to meaningfully engage them Learning from feedback to continue to grow as facilitators Designing learner-centred sessions Using techniques of visual thinking and visual facilitation to support people's experiences and learning Engage with Susana Guardado: brightlightideas.ca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-guardado Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sus.guardado.5 Other Links from the Episode: Facilitative Equity course with Nakia, LiLi Kathleen, Derek, and Anna BCcampus 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

4 snips
Sep 28, 2022 • 19min
What Does It Mean to Facilitate on Purpose? with Beth Cougler Blom - EP 2
In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares why she chose the name of the podcast, Facilitating on Purpose. She talks about what that means and why we might want to facilitate learning with our groups on purpose, as well as some initial ideas of how to do that. Listen in to learn more about: bringing intentionality to designing and facilitating learning experiences what it looks like to not be intentional and how to overcome that how time management is intricately interwined with the learning design process how being learner-centred and paying attention to learning outcomes supports the design and facilitation of effective learning experiences, and why making time for learning how to elevate your facilitation practice as professional development can be a really good thing 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

Sep 14, 2022 • 13min
The Somewhat Accidental Facilitator with Beth Cougler Blom - EP 1
In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares a little about who she is, why she started the Facilitating on Purpose podcast, who it's for, and what you can expect from it. Listen in to learn more about: How Beth became somewhat of an accidental facilitator How falling into training and facilitation is often very common for others too (especially if they were trained in another field first) Why its beneficial to turn to communities of practice as a facilitator How this podcast is for people who are very new to facilitating learning as well as those who've been doing it for a long time 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

Aug 23, 2022 • 2min
Trailer
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/.