Conquering Group Facilitation-Transforming Meetings into Results-Driven Success.pptx

Learning Objective: Explore facilitation skills and techniques to enhance the effectiveness of group meetings

In a fast-paced, team-driven workplace,  effective meetings are crucial for organizational success. This seminar is designed to elevate your meeting facilitation skills and ensure that your group sessions produce tangible results.

This course delves into key facilitation techniques and strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your meetings. You will learn how to harness the energy of various teams, manage team dynamics, and navigate conflicting viewpoints to foster productive collaboration. The seminar covers essential skills such as setting clear objectives, guiding discussions, and employing tools that enhance engagement and decision-making.

Our panel will explore how to transition smoothly from disagreement to cooperation and develop actionable plans that drive successful outcomes. Whether you are leading brainstorming sessions or strategic discussions, you will gain valuable techniques to transform meetings from routine gatherings into powerful platforms for achieving results.

By the end of the seminar, you will be equipped with the skills and confidence to lead meetings that not only address key issues but also deliver concrete, results-oriented success.

At the end of the seminar, attendees will:
1.    Explore and apply key facilitation skills to manage and guide group discussions effectively. 
2.    Understand strategies to harness the energy of various teams and navigate complex team dynamics. 
3.    Learn techniques to transition from disagreement to cooperation, ensuring that all viewpoints are acknowledged and integrated into actionable plans. 
4.    Employ methods that improve decision-making processes during meetings. 
5.    Develop strategies to transform routine meetings into impactful sessions that deliver concrete, results-oriented outcomes. 

1. Conquering Group Facilitation Transforming Meetings into Results-Driven Success

2. Todd Frech Epic Aura Integration Senior Project Manager Kerron Duncan Senior Director Khensani Carter Senior Director, Business Process Improvement Speaker / Moderator Panelists

3. Khensani Carter is a seasoned Senior Director of Business Process Improvement with over two decades of experience in transforming operational challenges into streamlined solutions. At Tenable, a leading cybersecurity firm, she spearheads a global team tackling complex, end-to-end initiatives sponsored by the C-suite. Khensani holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her expertise and dedication were recognized in 2022 when she received the Technology All-Star award at the Women of Color STEM conference. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Khensani has co-led the Black@Tenable employee resource group and currently co-leads Women@Tenable , fostering a culture of belonging and professional growth. Her commitment to advancing representation in tech was highlighted at the Women in Cybersecurity Conference, where she presented strategies for navigating the challenges of working in cybersecurity within a hybrid work environment. Khensani's extensive experience includes leading a variety of strategy sessions, brainstorming activities, and process improvement workshops. She has successfully engaged groups ranging from five to thirty participants in diverse formats, including in-person, remote, and hybrid settings. Her expertise in facilitation, process optimization, strategic planning and problem solving drives transformative outcomes in global operations.

4. Kerron Duncan is a transformational leader, innovative strategist, and accomplished technologist, serving as the Senior Director of Next Generation Technologies within the Chief Information Office at Northrop Grumman Corporation. With over 24 years of experience in engineering, information technology and disruptive tech, Kerron has built a reputation for driving enterprise-wide transformation, fostering innovation, and delivering mission critical solutions that shape the future of business. As a visionary leader, Kerron has led teams of thousands of employees and managed budgets exceeding $100M, demonstrating his ability to align large-scale operations with strategic goals. Currently, he oversees a $90M+ annual portfolio and leads a team of more than 400 software developers, technologists, business analysts, and senior leaders. Under his direction, the organization has transformed its approach to technology delivery by integrating advanced capabilities in automation, mobile development, classified software services and full-stack software solutions. Kerron also manages enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow, Workday, and Salesforce, ensuring these tools drive operational efficiency, scalability, and workforce empowerment. Recognized as a pioneering innovator, Kerron leverages his technical expertise to deliver impactful solutions that redefine what’s possible. He champions crowdsourced innovation, fostering employee engagement to generate and implement transformative ideas that drive business growth and operational excellence. By forging strategic partnerships and enterprise agreements, he introduces cutting-edge capabilities that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and position organizations at the forefront of engineering and disruptive technologies. Kerron’s leadership consistently delivers measurable value, driving business goals and maximizing profitability.

5. With over four and a half decades of experience in the health informatics field, I have designed and delivered innovative products and services to healthcare systems, clinical laboratories, and pharmaceutical companies. Currently, I work with a biotechnology company to develop and implement integrations between healthcare organizations and a laboratory that offers a next-generation sequencing (NGS) laboratory test for hematologic malignancies. In addition to my professional responsibilities, I enjoy coaching, teaching, and mentoring individuals. I also work with amputees who are learning to adapt to life with a limb difference and veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

6. What is facilitation? The process of guiding a group to work together to achieve a goal. It’s p art science, part art. What is the role of a facilitator? Neutral g uide, motivator, questioner, peace-maker, taskmaster What types of meetings can benefit from facilitation? Creative problem solving, consensus building, complex discussions/decisions In-person, Virtual, Hybrid 1 hour meeting, ½ day session, 3-day off-site Facilitation

7. Prepare b efore the meeting Think about the Content and the Process Why are we having this meeting? To solve a problem What are we trying to accomplish in the meeting? Come up with options and d ecide on a solution What type of meeting is it? How long do we have? In person, ½ day How do we get there? Discussion, brainstorming Who needs to be in the meeting ? Cross-functional department leads. What is their role? Decision makers What might go wrong? Silence, disagreements, off topic discussions, e-distractions . How do we plan to mitigate issues? Rules of the room, 10 minute break, tactical toys How do we prepare the room/space to run the meeting? White boards, sticky notes

8. Prepare b efore the meeting Goal Define a problem, id solutions, select a solution Objectives Well defined problem List of solution ideas Selected solution & justification Process to get there Get started What is the problem? What is the solution criteria? What are some solution ideas? Strengths/weakness of solution ideas Which solution should we select? Review & next steps Close Sample Rules of the Room Equal voice Headline first 2 minutes then park it E-manners Add more during the meeting

9. Start the meeting with structure & energy Get the team excited about the meeting. “Good morning, it’s great to be here today!” Use your agenda to give them confidence that you have a plan to get them through the meeting Explain everyone’s role , starting with yours Have them share what they want to get out of the session (optional) Review the Rules of the Room and get agreement Walk them through your “room”

10. Guide and Manage the discussion Build an image when asking questions “Think about the last time you encountered this issue. Try to remember some of the things you tried. What worked well? What did you think of trying but didn’t get a chance to?” Manage uncertainty - “let me restate what you said to make sure I go it…does that sound right”? Guide the team to stay on track - “that's a good point. Let’s add it to the parking lot so we don’t forget” Keep the conversation going - “We covered a, b, c what else comes to mind…?” Use applause to keep the energy going  

11. Anticipate & Adapt to the unexpected Unexpected In person Hybrid Virtual Silence or lack of engagement Have participants discuss in pairs before sharing Assign a virtual advocate Start discussions with chat responses One or more people dominate the discussion Use a talking token Call on virtual attendees first, then in-person Limit responses with a visible timer Technology failure Use printed copies or whiteboard summaries Keep a dial-in option available Assign a tech co-host to troubleshoot and assist Off-topic tangents Use a parking lot Summarize and redirect Leverage a shared document Running out of time Set a visible timer Assign a timekeeper Set limits for each discussion point Low Engagement/Energy Drop Use movement – have them go to the white board Take a poll for real time feedback Use gamification techniques (quizzes or challenges) Interact with opinion leaders in advance Review rules of the room and get agreement Add tactical/fidget toys on the table (in person)

12. Close with clear & actionable next steps Go back through your agenda and summarize what the team accomplished Recap decisions and next steps Confirm action items and owners Send meeting minutes immediately (leverage AI appropriately)

13. Panel Discussion What’s the most common mistake people make when facilitating a group discussion, and how do you overcome it? How do you approach facilitation differently for cross-functional teams versus teams with similar expertise? What’s one tool, framework, or methodology you recommend for ensuring meetings drive actionable results? How do you handle situations where a dominant voice takes over or when there’s silence from the group? Can you share a story of a facilitation challenge you faced and how you turned it into a success?

14. Q & A