Something You Should Know Before Coming to a Dinner Party at My House

How Facilitation Really Works

You might already know that I’m developing my Innovation Facilitation practice. One of my ideas for attracting new customers is to organize public events where I demonstrate, in just 30 minutes, how effective facilitation works—especially for those who have never experienced good facilitation before.

But first…

What Is Good Facilitation?

Good facilitation isn’t just about keeping meetings on track. It’s about designing and leading a sequence of activites for a team to get to clarity and alignment around their goals, generating better solution options, and fostering commitment. My love for facilitation deepened when I experienced a thoughtfully designed workshop where the facilitator focused solely on guiding the team—without having to juggle multiple roles. That’s the kind of experience I want to recreate and share.

So I wondered: can I contrast what does collaboration look like in a regular meeting vs in a workshop? In 30 minutes? How can I test it out?

The Experiment: A Dinner Party with a Twist

Naturally, I decided to turn a regular dinner party into a facilitation experiment. It was June, and we were hosting friends to celebrate the end of the academic year. With seven guests—all connected to academia and open to experimentation—I had my perfect test group!

The Setup

We needed a subject to explore, so I handed out a survey when everyone arrived. The topics included:

1. How can we reach our next real estate milestone faster?

2. How can we become better at writing?

3. How can we have the most fun this summer?

Not surprisingly, “how to have the most fun this summer” won.

The Traditional Meeting

I then asked the group to discuss this topic as they would in a well-organized meeting. With a 15-minute agenda, they aimed to come up with ways to have the most fun this summer. The group engaged actively, though side conversations occasionally derailed them. Ultimately, they produced these recommendations:

1. Plan actual vacations ahead of time.

2. Create a budget for these activities.

3. See more friends.

The Mini-Workshop

Next came the workshopping part. Good workshops often follow the design thinking double-diamond model: first, you diverge and converge on identifying challenges, then you do the same with solutions.

We began by identifying what had helped us have the most fun in past summers and what challenges got in the way. The biggest challenge? High expectations to work too hard.

The group then brainstormed solutions to tackle this challenge, from expedited hiring to managing expectations. While we didn’t align on a single initiative—after all, we weren’t a real team working toward a common goal—the depth and meaning of the ideas we generated were undeniable.

The Takeaway

Facilitation helps you gain a deeper understanding of your problem space and develop more meaningful solutions. Plus, being part of the solution creation process naturally boosts commitment to the chosen plan.

It may take longer to run a workshop than to hold a traditional meeting, but in the end, the team walks away with a clear plan and a sense of commitment.

Another takeaway: Feed your guests if you need them to work! Ours were quite hungry by the time we finally served dinner.

Want To Test Out Solving a Problem with a Workshop (Not a Dinner Party)?

Get in touch! We can start small. No challenge can stand in the way of a well-crafted and well-facilitated workshop.

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Weekly Recommendations

Breathwork:
Psychological Sigh – This is the fastest way to reduce stress: two short, powerful inhales through the nose, followed by an exhale through the mouth. Watch the video here and try it before your meetings!

Music for Focus:
Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music
This album’s rhythm will inspire your best ideas. Listen on Spotify.