The Effective Facilitator
Master Proven Techniques to Lead Engaging, Productive Group Sessions with Confidence
Unlock the skills of an effective facilitator and transform every group session into a high-impact experience with the best facilitation training available. The Effective Facilitator course is designed for professionals who want to lead meetings, workshops, and teams with confidence, clarity, and results. Whether you’re a manager, consultant, trainer, or team leader, our facilitation training equips you with proven tools and techniques used by the world’s most successful facilitators.
In this industry-leading program, you’ll master:
- The 6 Ps of preparation—ensuring you’re always ready to guide any group to success
- Engaging opening techniques that immediately capture attention and foster participation
- Three essential tools for managing challenging group dynamics and keeping discussions on track
- Strategies to prevent dysfunction—and practical interventions when issues arise
- The three core reasons behind disagreements and how to resolve each with skill and empathy
- Energizing methods to keep participants focused and interactive, whether you’re facilitating in-person or virtually
What sets this facilitation training apart? You won’t just learn theory—you’ll practice your new skills in six hands-on sessions, gaining real experience and the confidence to apply what you’ve learned immediately. Our approach is practical, dynamic, and interactive, with more than 95% of attendees rating it as the best facilitation training they’ve ever taken.
Join The Effective Facilitator and become the leader who brings out the best in every group. Discover why organizations across industries trust us for the best facilitation training—and how you can become an effective facilitator who drives engagement, alignment, and results.
Virtual Edition
The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition
This online, instructor-led version of our flagship course consists of 4 days of virtual training. The class covers the 10 principles of facilitation, more than 100 techniques, and includes 6 exercises with instruction on how to apply the skills in virtual environments.
Gain the tools and techniques to: create a vision that motivates people to action, engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results. Participants will learn a comprehensive approach top facilitators use to prepare for success, get a session started, focus the group, understand the power of the pen, gather information, manage dysfunction, build consensus, maintain high energy, close the session, and construct customized agendas.
Learn How To:
- Get groups to develop and agree upon workable, realistic plans or solutions to issues.
- Create a vision that motivates people to action.
- Engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results.
- Utilize a comprehensive approach used by top facilitators– from getting a session started, to focusing the group, to managing dysfunction, to closing the session.
- Includes insights throughout for virtual sessions
- And much more!
In Person Edition
The Effective Facilitator: In Person Edition
This traditional version of our flagship course consists of 4 days of in-person training. The class covers the 10 principles of facilitation, more than 100 techniques, and includes 6 exercises culminating a recorded practice session.
Gain the tools and techniques to: create a vision that motivates people to action, engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results. Participants will learn a comprehensive approach top facilitators use to prepare for success, get a session started, focus the group, understand the power of the pen, gather information, manage dysfunction, build consensus, maintain high energy, close the session, and construct customized agendas.
Learn How To:
- Get groups to develop and agree upon workable, realistic plans or solutions to issues.
- Create a vision that motivates people to action.
- Engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results.
- Utilize a comprehensive approach used by top facilitators– from getting a session started, to focusing the group, to managing dysfunction, to closing the session.
- And much more!
The 6 Reasons to take the Effective Facilitator:
Reason #6: The Wealth of Resources
Reason #5: The Interactive Instruction
Reason #4: Our Amazing Facilitators
Reason #3: The Comprehensive Content
Reason #2: The Extensive Practice
Reason #1: The Impact You Will Have
Who will benefit from this course?
Ideal For:
- Managers
- Facilitators
- Executives
- Trainers
- Consultants
- Sales Professionals
- Analysts
Needing To:
- Lead a team
- Run better meetings
- Establish a strategic direction
- Establish performance objectives
- Work through conflict/internal strife
- Get a business process operating effectively
- Improve workplace culture
Why it Works
Unlike other facilitation courses, The Effective Facilitator devotes 80% of its curriculum to learning and practicing the group techniques that separate great facilitators from good ones. Our proprietary approach to training ( Practical, Dynamic, Interactive) ensures you get the results you’re looking for: Practical techniques that can be immediately applied; Dynamic, high energy instructors; and Interactive exercises and practice sessions. To date, more than 95% of attendees rate this course as the BEST or ONE OF THE BEST courses they’ve ever taken!
Objectives
Duration
4 Days*
*A 3-day streamlined version of this course is also available. The powerful, videotaped exercise is excluded.
Available Formats
Additional Information
No Facilitation Training Course Offers You More!
You get ALL of this when you take The Effective Facilitator:
- Participant workbook covering 10 principles and over 100 techniques
- 10 detailed agenda models
- 6 practice sessions (accompanied with a exercise packet containing sample case studies)
- Recording of you facilitating a practice session*
- The Monthly Touch (now included at no additional cost) – online monthly course to keep you refreshed on the course material
- Spring Forward – a 60-day check-in to confirm your progress and how you’re implementing your learning
- The Maximizer – a communication covering one of the course techniques each month
Why Our Facilitation Training Course Works
Unlike other facilitation training courses, The Effective Facilitator devotes 80% of its curriculum to learning and practicing the group techniques that separate great facilitators from good ones. We focus on critical skills such as consensus building, keeping the group focused, generating energy, managing dysfunction and gaining agreement.
Our branded approach to training, The PDI Difference, ensures results through: Practical techniques, Dynamic, high energy instructors, and Interactive exercises and practice sessions. To date, over 95% of attendees have rated this course as THE BEST or ONE OF THE BEST courses they’ve ever taken!
Want a sneak peek at this class? View the “Introduction to Facilitating Groups” webinar now!
Training for
4 Days $2,895
Private classes are fully customizable, taught at your location, and provide the best value for groups of 10 or more. Contact us for more information about scheduling a private class.
*If you have fewer than 10 people, but still desire a personalized, private learning experience, consider collaborating with other departments in your organization or other organizations near you.
Find a class date & location.
Please note both live and virtual classes are available.
2025
The Effective Facilitator – 4 Days (In-Person)
Jul 21 – Jul 24 – Washington, D.C.
Aug 11 – Aug 14 – Atlanta, GA
Aug 18 – Aug 21 – Washington, D.C.
Aug 11 – Aug 14 – Denver, CO
Sep 15 – Sep 18 – Atlanta, GA
Sep 22 – Sep 25 – Seattle, WA
Sep 29 – Oct 2 – Washington, D.C.
Oct 13 – Oct 16 – Las Vegas, NV
Oct 20 – Oct 23 – Atlanta, GA
Oct 27 – Oct 30 – Washington, D.C.
Nov 11 – Nov 14 – Chicago, IL
Nov 18 – Nov 21 – Washington, D.C.
Dec 1 – Dec 4 – Atlanta, GA
The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition – 4 Days (Eastern)
Aug 25 – Aug 28 – Virtual
Nov 4 – Nov 7 – Virtual
Dec 8 – Dec 11 – Virtual
The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition – 4 Days – Central
Jul 28 – Jul 31 – Virtual
Oct 6 – Oct 9 – Virtual
