Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to act and work differently, creating new ways forward that are authentic and put people first (rather than profits). But doing so can be extremely challenging in environments where being heart centered isn’t easy. Here are 4 steps for cultivating this in your own life and work.

The ability to be an active listener is pretty much a non-negotiable for facilitators, but that doesn’t mean the skill comes naturally to everyone. If you want a little support honing your active listening skills, here are 5 actionable tips you can start folding into your facilitation practice to make your sessions a more positive experience for everyone.

Doing some backgrounding is a standard part of a facilitator’s prep process, but finding success is actually more about learning to discern between too much, not enough, and just the right amount of intel. So, what does “just right” look like? That’s exactly what I’m breaking down to help you better focus your energy and let go of expectations that you need to have all the answers.

Want to cultivate a more dynamic, engaged, and successful organization? Who doesn’t! One of the most impactful ways to achieve this goal is to take a more intentional approach to innovation. Learn the benefits of doing so, and three different workshops formats that will jumpstart the process for you team.

Guiding groups successfully requires responsiveness. Whether you facilitate workshops regularly, or frequently find yourself in the role of meeting leader, this necessary skill can often be the difference between a stellar session, or one that misses the mark. Here’s why it matters, and what the power to pivot says about your facilitation style.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at 6 “secrets” I’ve cultivated over the past 7 years working for myself as a facilitator and strategic workshop leader. They’ll help you manage your day-to-day life in a way that’s organized, enjoyable and sustainable.

Hard-to-handle participants are par for the course if you frequently facilitate meetings and workshops. While it’s stressful when these things happen, it doesn’t need to be the thing that keeps you up at night. Here are 4 tips for managing the checked-out or disengaged attendees in your meeting.

If you’re looking for a more meaningful and actionable way to wrap up meetings, take a look at these 5 options for closing your next session. They’re organized based on the scenarios meeting leaders and facilitators often find themselves in, with practical advice for each.

Have you ever edited an email or text message before hitting “send” in an effort to trim down your exclamation point use? Most of us have. Where did our obsession with exclamation-point censorship come from, and why are we wasting precious headspace on editing the emotion out of out of our emails? I think it’s time to rewrite the script.

If data shows that having fun is critical to our health and wellbeing – and it does – why do we often relegate it to weekends, special occasions and sporadic occurrences Maybe it’s because play time is in constant competition with productivity? It’s time to flip the script on having fun. Here’s why you should make more time for play, along with three easy steps for putting intention into action. I promise the benefits will ripple across the different areas of your personal and professional life.

Are you committed to constant discovery? Do you like learning about yourself and the world around you? Is curiosity something hardwired within you, or something you aim to cultivate more of? If so, I’ve got a few amazing resources to share that will speak to anyone who loves to reimagine what it means to live and thrive in this world.

What helps start a hard meeting on a positive note? How do you encourage team members to think bigger? The answer: icebreakers. I thought I’d share a few more scenarios in which they’re particularly helpful. Feel free to copy and paste them into your next session!

Did you know there’s actual science behind the power of self-affirmations? Also called mantras, the practice of repeating an affirming word, sound or phrase is enough to help us feel more positive, cope with perceived threats, and become happier. I think this concept can sometimes feel silly or self-indulgent, but the truth is that it's effective! When we believe in ourselves we do better work, and that’s particularly important if you regularly guide groups who depend on your energy, direction and knowhow.

Considering leaning in and doing more facilitation? Maybe you’re already leading groups in some capacity and want to do more of it, or perhaps you’re just curious about taking the leap from your current role into a new field. I put together my favorite resources, how-to guides and references that I think will be most helpful for those of you who are just getting started.

Facilitators are present in many industries and professions, from business leaders to yoga instructors. If you regularly find yourself at the helm steering people through experiences, these five behaviors are something you’ll want to pay attention to as you hone your facilitation skills.

Constraint is critical to making sure ideas come to fruition. When we stop perceiving it as a barrier to success and instead embrace it as a necessary component to innovation, only then can teams tap into their best creative ideas — the ones that move the needle for the business, and provide deep value to the customer. Here are three ways to lean in.

Most workshops follow a common arc from beginning to end, with five very distinct chapters along the way. Understanding these chapters and the goals for each can be helpful in narrowing down or honing in on the right activities to use to help achieve the desired outcomes for your workshop. Take a look at the chapters and a few example methods to make the planning part of your job a lot more straightforward.

Women aren’t taught to pat ourselves on the back or celebrate our wins, and that goes hand-in-hand with feeling confident at our jobs. It’s time to retire this mode of thinking! These are my 8 tips for developing a confidence-building practice in your own life.

With the return of more in-person work comes the return of more in-person workshops, and that means that we facilitators need to be prepared with the right toolkit for live gatherings. Here’s a list of the items that you might want to keep in you facilitation “go-bag” at all times.

Did you know that most people agree de-titled introductions are preferred when kicking off workshops and meetings? Here’s why it’s so powerful, and the benefits it brings to the workshop space.