2-Day Workshops

Essential Skills of Project Management

Analytical Skills for Project Management

Group Facilitation and Problem-Solving Skills for Project Management

Leadership, Influence and Team-Building Skills for Project Management

Execution, Integration and Closing Skills for Project Management

The AIM Workshop:
Anticipate, Innovate, Motivate

PMP® Exam Preparation Workshop

Group Facilitation and Problem-Solving Skills for Project Management

SUMMARY

Some project management tasks need to be done by a group of people. Teams may want to conduct stakeholder analysis, risk identification and communication planning, not to mention the regular interaction required to execute a project. To accomplish these tasks, project managers must help groups develop ideas, make decisions and create plans.

To be an effective facilitator, one must refine many skills, such as ways to keep a group on topic, reach consensus, evaluate ideas without offending people, handle disruptive behavior, clarify responsibilities and so forth. This workshop teaches specific approaches and allows ample time to practice these skills.

OBJECTIVES

• Assess primary responsibilities of a facilitator
• Practice using various media beneficial to group planning
• Identify the most important items to prepare for a meeting
• Apply methods of keeping groups on task
• Compare ways of intervening when problems arise during a meeting
• Practice techniques for generating the most ideas in the least time
• Assist the decision-making process in order to secure a decision and commitment

COURSE OUTLINE: 2-DAY WORKSHOP

I. Role of the Facilitator
   A. Tasks and responsibilities
   B. Planning and administration
   C. Objectivity and fairness
   D. Protection and enforcement
   E. Productivity and efficiency

II. Tools of the Trade
   A. Flip charts, poster board and overheads
   B. The multi-purpose sticky note
   C. Three-by-five cards
   D. PowerPoint and the LCD projector
   E. Room arrangements

III. Preparing for a Meeting
   A. Determining objectives for agenda items
   B. Recognizing the effects of group size on the agenda
   C. Matching methods with various breakout possibilities
   D. Estimating time allocation
   E. Identifying priorities
   F. Overcoming restrictive meeting assumptions

IV. Running a Meeting
   A. Using icebreakers
   B. Establishing group rules
   C. Staying on topic
   D. Escalating ten levels of intervention
   E. Handling hindering behavior
   F. Reducing conflict by enforcing "I" statements

V. Initiation and Investigation Techniques
   A. Writing a mission statement
   B. Conducting a force field analysis
   C. Developing a fishbone (cause and effect) diagram
   D. Listing steps (flowcharting) in a group setting

VI. Idea Generation Techniques
   A. Recognizing four sources of action
   B. Avoiding four barriers to creativity
   C. Facilitating six communication channels
   D. Applying four creative-thinking skills
   E. Applying four creative group techniques

VII. Decision-Making Techniques
   A. Multi-voting
   B. Rating, ranking and weighting
   C. Matrices
   D. The nine-box grid
   E. Nominal group (Delphi) technique
   F. Consensus

VIII. Moving Through Phases
   A. Small-group reporting and closure
   B. Running a debriefing

IX. Capturing Output and Closing a Meeting
   A. Meeting records -- the action plan
   B. Improving future meetings -- a meeting evaluation checklist

X. Facilitation and Feedback Finale (videotape for private review is optional)
   A. Preparing for the objective
   B. Opening a meeting
   C. Handling hindering behavior
   D. Generating ideas
   E. Building consensus

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Ideal participants would include anyone involved in a project who will be expected to lead meetings and group planning events. This may include project managers, upper level managers, task managers, functional managers, business analysts, systems analysts and people wanting Professional Development Units (PDUs).

This group facilitation workshop is designed for a project environment. Because of this, deliverables for the practice sessions include outputs such as stakeholder analysis, risk response plan, work breakdown structure and communications plan. For on-site workshops, outputs can be modified to fit your organization's needs, as necessary.

PMLEADER
A Division of Innovators International, Inc.
9700 Valdez Drive
Des Moines, IA 50322-1325

Phone: 515-276-5914 or 800-829-5550
Fax: 515-334-0914
Email: lee@pmleader.com

© 2003 Innovators International, Inc.