Blog
#41 From Flight Surgeon to Direct Care Family Doctor
Rachel Langley served in the Air Force for over a decade, most recently as a flight surgeon on a base in Germany. She is also one of my oldest friends. We talk about her path to becoming a doctor, the challenge of separating from the military and her new work in a...
#40 Dan of Elevate Nepal is Back With Exciting Updates
Since October 2017, we have been following Elevate Nepal’s progress as they try to rebuild in Nepal. In this update with co-founder, Dan Maurer, we hear about the completion of Sarsyu Primary School, plans for the 3rd annual Big Lebowski-themed bowling fundraiser, and...
#39 Growing a Successful Cafe that Gives Back
Local restaurants can be important community assets, creating space for people to gather, food donations for local nonprofits, great first jobs for young people, etc. Cecily Maniaci has created all that and more with Toasted Owl. We talk about why she got into the...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a Mechanic
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a Race Car Driver
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
#38 Teaching Healthy Relationships to Teens
Sydney Tolchinsky works in sexual health education, teaching teens about what healthy relationships look like. She grew up learning about nonprofits and advocacy from her mom and one of her first jobs was working at Planned Parenthood. When asked about what it means...
Being Inclusive of All Genders at Your Meeting
Recently I listened to an episode of a favorite podcast of mine, Gather Geeks, called How to Accommodate All Gender Identities at Events. I thought the interview brought up a few great points related to planning events that also apply when you are hosting meetings at...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a Trip Leader
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a Nurse
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a Designer
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from an Improv Comedian
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
Stop Counting Off: 6 Better Ways to Create Groups:
Whether you are leading a training workshop or getting into small groups at a meeting, it matters how you as the leader or facilitator divide people into small groups. But first, Why Small Groups? “Small groups are the unit of transformation.” Peter Block When...
Empathy Toy
As a professional facilitator, I am always looking for new tools to create experiences for the groups I work with. Whether it is training, team building, or strategic planning, I find that groups are able to reach new insights when they have a meaningful experience...
Case Study – Process Facilitation Coaching
The Client and the Problem Megan Gray had recently been hired as the Coordinator for Development and Alumni Engagement at Northern Arizona University (NAU). NAU is a public university serving over 30,000 students in Flagstaff, Arizona. Megan was directed to lead the...
Meeting Design Template
Are you tired of meetings that feel like a waste of time? Just five minutes of pre-planning will help you change that. I have created this template for you to use to plan your next meeting. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or would like additional...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a rugby referee
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Rugby Referee. In this post I want to...
What type of facilitation are you talking about?
Facilitation has become a buzz word. Suddenly, I am seeing requests for facilitators all over the place and people are asking me to train them in facilitation. However, what I have realized is that not everyone means the same thing when they say facilitation. Many...
What a meeting facilitator can learn from a party host
There are many roles to play as a process facilitator or as the leader of a meeting. I have a framework of eight roles that I teach: Party Host, Race Car Driver, Mechanic, Nurse, Trip Leader, Improv Comedian, Designer, and Soccer Referee. In this post I want to...
Using Aerial Arts at a Team Retreat
My mind was spinning with ideas when Dan told me that he was really interested in exploring the concept of balance with his team. I always look for inspiration in unusual places and am excited when I can also bring in talented local businesses or artists to create a...
What introverts need at an employee retreat
“We’re having a team retreat!” This statement is often an introvert’s worst nightmare. Forced interaction with all of their coworkers at once? Team building games? A whole day, or worse, two days, spent in the company of your company? Maybe now is the time to...