This page is for the organizers of group sessions.
BEFORE THE SESSION
Engaging participants
It is important to establish a connection between facilitator and participants ahead of the session. This creates a feeling of warmth and safety, encouraging attendees to share, ask questions and make the most of the session.
Best practices:
- Send out the session webpage when you announce the event and include it in the calendar invite.
- You can copy the facilitator in the reminder email, inviting participants to reach out with any questions
- Facilitator to invite the participants to connect on LinkedIn ahead of the day – participants always tell us they feel special when we do that!
Logistics & tech
In-person sessions:
- Print the workbooks for the group, or ask people to print themselves
- Bring some extra pens
- Set up chairs in a semicircle, theatre style, ideally without tables
- Plan a coffee break immediately after the session to allow for people to ask questions not suitable for the larger group
- Bring a laptop connected to the projector and a clicker; also strong internet connection
- Arrange for visitor pass / parking
Online sessions:
- Send the workbook to participants
- Ensure the zoom details are in the calendar invite
- Send a remidner email with the zoom details on the day of the session
DURING THE SESSION
Intro
A senior leader opens the session by briefly liking it to the organizational context:
- if the organization is going through change or struggling, encourage participants to leverage the session to better navigate
- if the organization is doing well, invite participants to build resilience and strengthen their capacity to handle future challenges
AFTER THE SESSION
Following up with participants
Send a follow up email to all invitees (including those who could not attend) with:
- key takeaways from the session
- next steps / call to action
- contact details of facilitator, in case they want to connect on LinkedIn or have further questions