A well-trained facilitator is a critical ingredient to success in any learning or group process. And, with the proliferation of virtual meetings and workshops it is becoming increasingly important for facilitators to know how to facilitate in a remote setting. To be able to effectively facilitate remote settings, it takes patience and careful consideration of the unique issues that participants confront. This article examines the main considerations and best practice for effective virtual facilitation.
One of the biggest problems for participants who are virtual is that they are unable to discern body language or observe how others are responding to the discussion. This can cause some people to feel unheard or their opinions brushed aside, which can negatively impact the outcome of a meeting. Qualitative facilitation techniques help ensure that everyone is engaged and that all voices are heard.
In addition, a lack of physical resources can make it challenging to run the similar exercises and tasks that would be performed in live workshops. In a live workshop, whiteboards, flip charts, post-it notes, and other visual aids are efficient. However, this can be a challenge for online workshops. Adding a mix of different activities, such as breakout sessions and games that are experiential and more traditional elements like questioning and sharing of information can help to keep an online session fresh and enjoyable.
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