Friday Facilitation Labs

April 24, 10–11:30 AM PST‍ / 1–2:30 PM EST

Every facilitator has encountered participants that drive them crazy—the disengaged attendee, the dominating voice, the endless rambler, the quiet observer who won’t contribute, the multitasker glued to their phone, or the passionate debater who derails the agenda.

These moments can feel frustrating and exhausting.
But what if they weren’t problems to manage…
What if they were signals to understand?

What if each “meeting monster” was actually revealing something important—about how people want to contribute, what they need to feel engaged, or what’s happening beneath the surface?

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A Different Way to Facilitate

In this highly interactive and creative workshop, you’ll explore a fresh, human-centered approach to navigating challenging participant dynamics. You’ll also examine your own instincts as a facilitator—when do you resist, and when can you learn to dance with what’s happening in the room?

Through hands-on activities, small group collaboration, and guided reflection, you’ll transform familiar frustrations into powerful facilitation opportunities. Instead of shutting down difficult behaviors, you’ll learn how to work with them—unlocking deeper participation, insight, and connection.

May 8, 10–11:30 AM PST‍ / 1–2:30 PM EST

Bring focus, fun, and results to your next session

Gamification isn’t about turning your meeting into a kindergarten classroom. It’s about unlocking energy, focus, and creativity.

In this session, you’ll discover:

• Energizers that feel professional and purposeful

• Icebreakers that don’t make people groan

• How to use free online tools like Kahoot, Mentimeter, Slido, and Mural for meaningful interaction

• Ways to design playful moments that lead to real outcomes

You’ll walk away with a bank of go-to activities that make your sessions more engaging — without sacrificing credibility.

June 5, 10–11:30 AM PST‍ / 1–2:30 PM EST

Every team wrestles with tensions that don’t go away:

• Trust and accountability

• Speed and inclusion

• Centralization and empowerment

• Results and human experience

If you’ve ever watched a meeting get stuck in a debate where both sides are right, you’ve experienced a polarity.

In this highly interactive session, you’ll learn how to use polarity mapping — a practical, visual tool that helps you shift from either/or thinking to both/and leadership. You’ll discover how to:

• Surface the upsides and downsides of competing approaches

• Reduce defensiveness and “us vs. them” dynamics

• Guide teams toward smarter, more sustainable decisions

• Turn tension into forward movement

This is not a lecture. You’ll practice in breakout groups, apply the tool to real challenges you’re facing, and design a plan you can use immediately in your next meeting.

You’ll leave with:

• A concrete facilitation tool

• Greater confidence navigating complex dynamics

• A simple way to move stuck conversations forward

Because complexity isn’t the problem. Not knowing how to hold it is.

July 10, 10–11:30 AM PST‍ / 1–2:30 PM EST

People don’t just respond to your agenda. They respond to you.

And let’s be honest — leading a virtual meeting isn’t always easy.
Especially when:

• There are senior leaders in the room

• Strong personalities dominate the air time

• You’re thinking, “Who am I to lead this conversation?”

• Imposter syndrome quietly taps you on the shoulder

In this warm, highly interactive session, we’ll focus on both the internal and external elements of your presence as a meeting leader — so you can feel steady on the inside and strong on the outside.

You’ll explore:

• How to ground yourself before a session (so nerves don’t run the meeting)

• How to transform imposter syndrome into grounded confidence

• How to lead confidently — even when participants are more senior than you

• Strengthening your facilitator voice through practice and peer feedback

• Speaking with warmth and authority

• Camera setup, visual presence, and pacing in virtual settings

This is not about becoming louder or more performative.
It’s about becoming more centered, clear, and credible.

You’ll leave feeling:

• More grounded before you start

• More confident in high-stakes rooms

• More comfortable holding authority

• And more like yourself

Because calm authority isn’t about pretending.
It’s about showing up fully — and leading from there.

Sept 4, 10–11:30 AM PST‍ / 1–2:30 PM EST

Because no meeting ever goes exactly as planned.

No matter how thoughtful your agenda is, something will shift:

• Energy drops

• A stakeholder pushes back

• A key voice goes quiet

• Alignment you assumed was there… isn’t

Great facilitators don’t just follow agendas. They anticipate dynamics.

In this highly interactive session, you’ll learn how to design meetings with uncertainty in mind — so you feel prepared and steady, even when the room surprises you.

You’ll explore how to:

• Identify the critical uncertainties that most influence success (engagement, alignment, decision clarity, trust)

• Think through multiple scenarios before you walk in

• Build simple “if this, then that” pathways

• Reduce anxiety by planning for flexibility

• Adapt in real time without losing authority

In breakout groups, you’ll analyze real scenarios, design flexible plans, and practice responding to curveballs in a supportive environment.

You’ll leave with:

• A practical planning framework you can use immediately

• A repeatable way to stress-test your meeting design

• Greater confidence in unpredictable rooms

You’ll move from “I hope this works” to “I’m ready for whatever happens.”