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 Facilitation, Training and Leadership Resources
 Secrets of Facilitation reveals the principles and techniques effective facilitators use to produce amazing results through groups. The author identifies 60 secrets that separate great facilitators from good ones. He then puts you right in the room through his case studies and numerous sample dialogues, so you can see and experience the techniques in action! |
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Strategic Planning for a TeenagerBy Michael Wilkinson, CMFWhen my nephew was 15, he came to live with my wife and me. He was a bright kid, but due to circumstances surrounding his life, he often defaulted to being the victim, rather than the victor, and would accept considerably less than what he wanted instead of making an effort to achieve his dreams. By the time he turned 20, he desired full freedom to come and go as he pleased, work when he wanted to work, and stay out all night if that was his desire. I found myself saying those words that I thought I would never say, "As long as you live under our roof you will follow our rules." Over the subsequent weeks, he went from disgruntled to downright ill tempered. I decided I needed to put this strategy stuff to work. I took him to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants. And using the back of a couple napkins, I took him through the strategic planning process. "Let's spend some time talking about where you are today, where you want to be, and some of the things that need to happen to help you get there. Is that okay?" Situation AssessmentWhen he reluctantly agreed, I wasted no time asking, "Let's talk about where you are today, what's good about it, and what's not so good about it. What do you think? Think about your current situation. Consider the things you have that make life easier for you that you would not have if you lived on your own. Let's build the list. What are some of the advantages of your current living situation?" Of course his response was, "There are no advantages." I helped him out a little, reminding him of free rent, free food, access to a number of creature comforts, etc. We ended with a list of four or five strengths. And when it came time to talk about weaknesses, he had no trouble immediately listing several things, including four or five different restrictions. VisioningI said, "Let's talk about where you want to be. If you had your druthers, what would your life look like today?" His focus was completely on his living situation. He was not at all ready to talk about career, college, or other long-term areas of focus. He was clearly living just beyond the end of his nose, not unusual for someone just getting out of his late teens. Strategy FormulationI then walked him through barrier and critical success factor analysis. He quickly understood that a lack of funds was a key barrier. But he got excited when he realized the key success factor was finding a roommate! When we evaluated the alternatives, he saw that if he found a roommate, identified a place that was walking distance or a bicycle ride from his work and could save a little each week toward a down-payment, he could achieve his "dream" of independence within twelve weeks. He became a man on a mission. To learn more about these pitfalls and how to avoid them, consider our Strategic Planning training class or Springboard Online!, our online course. About the AuthorMichael Wilkinson is the Managing Director of Leadership Strategies - The Facilitation Company, and a much sought after trainer, facilitator and speaker. He is a Certified Master Facilitator and a Certified Professional Facilitator. As a past president of the Southeast Association of Facilitators and a board member of the National Institute of Facilitation, Michael is a national leader in the facilitation industry. You can get more tips from either of Michael's books, The Secrets of Facilitation or The Secrets to Masterful Meetings. You can receive a signed copy through our website. |
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