Tony Toto’s Post

The '24-'25 Leadership Kenosha group started off the year in an uplifting way. Congratulations on being the first LK group to conquer the 12' wall! Exciting!! All of you are going to have a successful year as leaders in Kenosha. #facilitation #leadership #retreat #Kenosha #teambuilding #professionalism #projectmanagement

Day 8 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 8. Wrap-Up Effectively - Summarize daily: Recap the key takeaways at the end of each day and link them to the next session’s activities. With the connection established for the following day, the group will reconvene in the next session with forward momentum. - Plan next steps: Before concluding, clarify the next steps, ownership of tasks, and deadlines to keep the momentum going after the workshop. After each session and after completion of the entire event, the group will be able to effectively move in the right direction when roles and tasks are optimally established. #facilitation #meetings #projects #products #ideation #ideas

Day 7 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 7. Encourage Prototyping and Action - Focus on rapid prototyping: Encourage participants to quickly sketch or model their ideas, even if rough, to get tangible outcomes. This is a vital step when facilitating a product ideation workshop or a Design Sprint. People learn and convey information differently and sketching provides an opportunity for participants to show the group what they're are thinking. - Set milestones: Break down tasks so the team works towards developing a concept or prototype by the end of the workshop. As a group is working on their tasks, allow for cross-communication among individuals and groups so everyone can work optimally towards the the final prototype. Share and ask for feedback during the process. #facilitation #product #ideation #designsprints #modeling #creativity

Day 6 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 6. Prepare for Technical Challenges - Test technology: Ensure all tech (video conferencing, collaborative platforms, etc.) works well beforehand, especially for remote participants. Be sure to have all templates on Miro or Mural set up and functioning properly. Check Zoom settings for optimal performance. - Have a backup plan: Be prepared to quickly troubleshoot tech issues or switch to alternatives if a tool fails. As facilitators, we need to be adaptable and flexible. This should be non-negotiable with yourself. If you're in person, capture the event (flipcharts, sticky notes, etc.) with photos in case there are complications with video. #facilitation #technology #meetings #remotework #video

Day 5 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 5. Facilitate Collaboration and Communication - Small group work: Break into smaller, cross-functional groups to encourage deeper collaboration and discussion. Cross-functional groups provide an opportunity for different perspectives to be seen and heard. Example: With new product development, it allows for the development, marketing, engineering, teams etc. to provide what they need for creation and advertising. - Use breakout rooms: If virtual, use breakout rooms for focused discussions, and have in-office participants do similar group work. When the breakout rooms converge back to the group as a whole, each breakout session can provide the team with highlights of their smaller discussion and hone in on themes. - Moderate discussions: Facilitate balanced participation by managing the flow of conversations and ensuring no one dominates. There are different ways to accomplish this in an effective manner. The facilitator can stack the participants, he/she can use an item and announce only the person with the item can speak, and/or the simple raise your hand (can stack). #facilitation #collaboration #meetings #communication #event #gathering

Day 4 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 4. Keep Energy and Momentum - Frequent breaks: Schedule short breaks, especially for remote participants, to maintain focus and avoid screen fatigue. Breaks are important. Everyone needs to stretch, eat & drink and go to the bathroom. Provide a break ever 60-90 minutes. - Vary the activities: Alternate between brainstorming, discussions, and hands-on activities to keep engagement high. This is key to avoid repetitiveness that could cause mental fatigue. If you see a collective fatigue across the group, take a quick break followed up with an energizer activity. - Capture progress visually: Use virtual boards or flipcharts to display progress in real-time and keep participants motivated. When capturing ideas visually, this gives a group the opportunity to see all thoughts that have emerged. The team can start to capture themes and similar ideas that will lead to convergence. #facilitation #event #gathering #meeting #mental #energy

Day 3 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 3. Create an Inclusive Atmosphere - Encourage contributions: Ensure everyone, regardless of their location or role, has equal opportunities to contribute ideas. Be a proponent and encourage everyone to speak. A quiet person in the group may have the one idea that could be a breakthrough. - Use icebreakers: Start with quick icebreakers that involve everyone, helping break down silos across teams (engineering, design, product management). Ice breakers are key to dissolving initial barriers among team members and there are many available to facilitate. - Recognize diverse expertise: Validate ideas from various roles to ensure cross-functional collaboration thrives. When a team comes together they are bringing a wealth of experience. Tap into this knowledge for maximum opportunity. #facilitation #fcilitator #communication #meetings #leadership

Day 2 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 2. Engage Both In-Person and Remote Participants - Use collaborative tools: Platforms like Miro, MURAL, or Google Workspace can help bridge the gap between remote and in-office participants. - Check-in regularly: Make sure to engage remote participants by checking in with them directly and facilitating turn-taking during discussions. - Assign roles: Consider assigning a co-facilitator to focus on remote participants’ needs to ensure they're equally involved. I know it can be a challenge sometimes to lose site of remote workers, especially if there is only one facilitator. If you're facilitating alone in a hybrid session, establish a system beforehand. #facilitation #hybrid #facilitator #remote #meetings

Day 1 of 8 - 8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 1. Set Clear Objectives - Define outcomes: Ensure everyone understands the goals of the workshop, such as idea generation, collaboration, and prototype development. As a facilitator it's vital that you and the main contact understand the purpose, goals and outcomes to ensure an effective activity set. - Agenda structure: Share the agenda in advance, outlining activities, timing, and goals for each session. It's important to share the agenda with the main contact and convey areas where the group has to stay on time and where there is room for extra work/conversations. - Be sure to review your agenda throughout the gathering based on how the group is doing. Activities may have to change or be reorganized during the session. #outcomes #agendas #facilitation #meetings #goals #purpose

8 Tips and tricks for facilitating a successful event. 1. Set Clear Objectives 2. Engage Participants Throughout the Event 3. Create an Inclusive Atmosphere 4. Keep Energy and Momentum 5. Facilitate Collaboration and Communication 6. Prepare for Technical Challenges 7. Encourage Prototyping and Action 8. Wrap-Up Effectively Starting tomorrow and the 7 days after, I'll cover each tip more in depth. #facilitation #facilitator #leadership #meetings #gatherings #professionalgrowth