Facilitation Magic: How True Fun Transforms Team Strategy

Hey facilitation fans! Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on my fall facilitation cohort and sharing the juicy details you've been asking for. But before we dive in, I want to share something personal that made this experience truly special.At the beginning of last year, I set a major intention to create more "true fun" in my life. Little did I know that designing and facilitating this program would become the embodiment of that intention. As Catherine Price, author of "The Power of Fun," so aptly puts it, true fun is "True Fun is the feeling of being fully present and engaged, free from self-criticism and judgment. It is the thrill of losing ourselves in what we're doing and not caring about the outcome" That's exactly what I experienced while running this cohort, and it's what I aimed to instill in the participants.Why They JoinedWhen I opened applications for the cohort, I asked a key question: "Why are you interested, and what impact will this have on you and the company?" The answers were diverse and fascinating:* Some were already skilled facilitators for specific meeting types and wanted to expand their expertise.* Others aimed to transition into more strategic roles involving cross-departmental collaboration.* And some simply loved facilitating but struggled with the complexities of managing diverse perspectives in large meetings.Results and ImpactDid the cohort deliver? Absolutely! Participants rated their facilitation skills before and after the program, and the average score jumped from 3.13 to 4.29 – a significant improvement!Beyond the numbers, participants raved about the hands-on activities, the practice opportunities, and the chance to collaborate with colleagues from different departments. Some even called it the most enjoyable learning experience they'd ever had. This feedback reinforced my belief that when we prioritize true fun in our work, we unlock new levels of creativity, engagement, and impact.The CurriculumDesigning the curriculum was a labor of love, drawing on 20 years of experience and research. I wanted to address the all-too-common issues that lead to unproductive meetings and empower participants to create engaging and effective workshops.The program focused on equipping participants with practical skills for designing and facilitating both meetings and workshops. They learned the distinctions between the two, practiced workshop leadership, and even dissected my own GUIDE framework for meeting and workshop design.The Joy of Watching Them Sprint - Deep DiveOne of the highlights was witnessing participants put their learning into action. They facilitated four of the seven sessions, each a two-hour strategy sprint using the GUIDE framework.We used a playful Scooby-Doo theme to revitalize the franchise. I have bulleted summaries below but am also creating a fun gif for you to watch!* Kristian kicked us off with a Lightning Research Review, where everyone presented key insights about Scooby-Doo's audience and potential growth areas.* Greg led the group in defining a Long-Term Goal: "In 2 years, Scooby-Doo will become a household staple by bridging generational gaps."* Melissa facilitated the discussion around Primary Measures, focusing on viewership by age group and other key metrics.* Ellis sparked creativity with a Lightning Demos session, where participants shared inspiring strategies from other franchises.* Amandeep's team brainstormed Strategy Concepts for revitalizing Scooby-Doo, while Kevin's team created Solution Sketches.* Christina led the group in reviewing and voting on the ideas, ultimately choosing Kevin's "Scooby Doo's Family Mystery Machine App" concept.* Surbhi guided the final Action Steps and Milestones session, where the group mapped out a plan to bring the app to life.Now Imagine if This Was YOUR TeamImagine your team achieving amazing results like this in a fun and engaging strategy sprint. You can! Here's how:* Join my free training on January 31st: "Your Meetings Don’t Have to Suck.”* Join the waitlist for my next cohort.* Book a free discovery call with my team.Their Words, Not MineDon't just take my word for it. Here's what participants had to say:* "Engaging, Supportive, Creative, and Fun! I loved the rotation of facilitators and the Scooby-Doo theme made it enjoyable."* "Valuable Facilitation Strategies and Understanding the Power of Facilitation - The highlight for me was understanding the impact and power of well-facilitated meetings. I discovered techniques for effective facilitation."* "Hands-On and Interactive - Practicing new skills by doing, rather than just watching course material, was valuable. The workshops required full attention and the interactivity greatly impacted engagement."* "More Than Just Meetings - It's an engaging process that goes beyond taking notes on Google Docs in an awkward roundtable, driving real requirements, action items, and goals for investment projects."* "Supportive and Creative Environment - You'll work with a variety of people in a supportive and creative environment, learning how to shepherd people through strategic decision-making."What They Plan to DoI'm excited to see how these talented individuals apply their new facilitation skills in workshops, retrospectives, team sessions, and even client engagements. Be on the lookout for a follow-up post as they share their success stories!Keep on Facilitating!Remember, facilitation can be both fun and impactful. By embracing the concept of true fun in our facilitation practices, we can create transformative experiences for ourselves and our teams. If you're ready to upskill yourself or your team and discover the power of fun in facilitation, check out the links below. Until next time, keep on facilitating – and having true fun while doing it!* Join my free training on January 31st: "Your Meetings Don’t Have to Suck.”* Join the waitlist for my next cohort.* Book a free discovery call with my team. Get full access to Confessions of a Creative Leader at creativeleaderconfessions.substack.com/subscribe