065 - How to stay on track while going off script with Rebecca Sutherns

A workshop that goes exactly to plan is a workshop that exists in our dreams.

The unexpected isn’t something we should be afraid of – fantastic ideas and outcomes can come from the moments we don’t see coming (and can never plan for) – but being prepared to adjust to the whim of the room is a vital skill for effective facilitation.

But what do we need to learn – and unlearn – if we want to become adaptive, Nimble Facilitators?

Rebecca Sutherns is the author of Nimble: A Coaching Guide for Responsive Facilitation and she joins me in this episode of workshops work to share the secrets of holding onto our plans a little more loosely. 

Find out about:

• Why being Nimble is proving to be just as essential in virtual spaces as it is in on-site settings

• What the sweet spot of preparation looks like and how to find yours

• Why inner work is the foundation of growth, change, and progress

• How to balance the needs and requirements of your client, your group, and yourself

• How to strengthen your decision-making muscles

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Questions and Answers

[01:11] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?

[05:43] What is the story behind Nimble Facilitation and why did you write this book?

[07:51] What is the core skill for Nimble Facilitation?

[13:55] How do you manage clients who require a lot of detail and structure?

[19:55] How do you close sessions to synchronise everyone’s takeaways?

[25:34] Have you found it is harder to be Nimble in virtual workshops?

[31:40] How will what we’ve learned from virtual workshops influence our future on-site workshops?

[41:02] What makes a workshop fail, and is the answer different for virtual workshops?

[47:14] What’s your favourite exercise?

[49:55] Is there anything you wanted to mention that we haven’t touched upon yet?

[55:36] What is the one thing you want listeners to take away from this show?

Links

· Nimble: A Coaching Guide for Responsive Facilitation

· Collaborative Planning to Make Wiser Decisions Faster (Video) 

Connect to Rebecca

· Rebecca’s website

· Rebecca’s Twitter

· Rebecca’s LinkedIn