Are you a professional looking to lead more engaging virtual calls - webinars, virtual team meetings, or virtual group coaching sessions? A quick reminder that the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program will be starting next week - Monday June 3rd and will run for five sessions. We'll be meeting on Mondays from 1:30 - 2:45 pm Eastern on June 3, 10, 17, 24, and July 8 (no call week of July 1).

This program is a live, hands-on learning experience in the area of virtual facilitation. A blend of modelling and content, we take a deeper dive into the practices and approaches which take virtual conversations from the mutli-tasking "death by conference call" to one that is engaging and memorable. 

Over the course of the five weeks we explore SKILLS, Techniques, and Designing for Engagement. TIn addition to robust module notes, and weekly 1-1s (15 minute laser calls) with lead facilitator, coach and Effective Virtual Conversations author Jennifer, the program includes five modules as follows: 

Week 1 – Virtual Facilitation Foundations

• Four Essential ingredients for virtual facilitation
• The range of virtual facilitation options
• Core Skills for Virtual Facilitation -and how yours stack up

Week 2 – Approaches and Engagement Strategies for Effective Virtual Learning

• Different virtual design options
• Foundations of engagement – practical approaches for engagement
• Core elements for Effective, and Engaging, Virtual Events

Week 3 – Building your Facilitation Toolkit
Whether you are leading meetings, webinars or other virtual events, having a robust toolkit to draw up upon is key. This session introduces you to more than 12 virtual facilitation approaches – from openers, to closers to goal setting and accountability in the virtual space.

Week 4 – Exploring the Technologies

• Exploring breakouts and technology issues
• Core logistical issues to consider
• Different roles in a virtual event
• Evaluating virtual events

 
Week 5 - Tricky Issues and open space for additional topics
In week five we explore common tricky issues around technology, design and participant issues, along with how to mitigate against them.

This program is approved for 8.5 CCES with the ICF, including 5.5 hours of core competencies.

Cost for the program : $450 US

I hope that you will join us!

To learn more and register, please visit: https://www.groupcoachingessentials.ca/vfe.html 

Warm regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
​Author of Effective Virtual Conversations 

Whether it's a virtual team meeting or an interactive webinar, connecting people early in your virtual events can make a big difference, signalling that something  "out of the ordinary" might lay ahead. This is key given the default "Death by Conference Call" mode many virtual listeners slip into as the calls sarts.

Here are 10 quick warm-up ideas to get your next virtual session moving a little differently.

#1 - Get people to locate on a map where they are calling in from.

#2 - Create a word puzzle for people to engage with

#3  - Show some trivia and have people guess the answer (or the source)

#4 - Create a video about the topic you are speaking about. This month at the Learning Lab and Design Studio (an annual program I run for learning professionals of all kinds - facilitators, coaches, and leaders) we're exploring video based learning, and group members are actually going to create their own videos in our next call.

 #5 - Create a quiz

#6 - Show a brain twister or spot the difference

#7 - Have a question or prompt on the screen which people can engage with or reflect on

#8 -  Get people to mindmap all their ideas about the topic

#9 - Share a photo related to the topic

#10 - Have a quick list of books, podcast or videos on the topic

What will help you start your next call off a little differently so that people know that it's not going to be "Death by Conference call".

Please share your ideas in the comments below.

Enjoy!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Author of several books including: PlanDoTrack (2019), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), Effective Group Coaching (2010)
Potentials Realized  - Specializing in support to virtual and remote teams, leaders and entrepreneurs
Award-winning Coaching Skills Training
Connect with us by Phone: (416)996-8326

Are you a subscriber to my new monthly newsletter on all things virtual? I sent out our September Virtual newsletter last week and have enjoyed hearing from many readers.

This month's newsletter includes:

1. A new article - this one on five ways to use annotation
   
2. Upcoming program announcements - The Virtual Facilitation Essentials program starts Monday October 2nd, and the next Mentor Coaching Group for ICF credentialing starts Monday September 25th
3. Links to articles and resources I have published elsewhere including this summer's article on 6 Core Skills you need for Virtual Group Coaching Conversations in the Coaching Tools Newsletter

If you are not a subscriber I hope that you will join us on the list as it will include special items - discounts, templates and other resources - which are offered first through the newsletter. Join us on the list here.

Enjoy your week! The next Community Call is Monday September 25th at 11:05 am Eastern/New York when I cover six virtual activities - learn more at the Community Calls page. Hope that you will join us!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

​You can grab a copy of my new book, Effective Virtual Conversations, at Amazon. You can also purchase a copy direct from our site, signed by me!