Facilitative Leadership

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Facilitative Leadership* dates announced for 2025!

Have you already completed the Facilitative Leadership* course? Click here to learn more about the Advanced Facilitative Leadership workshop.

Our mission is “to deliver innovative educational programming that strengthens leadership capacity, assists strategic decision-making processes and engages Michigan citizens in collaborative and sustainable efforts to achieve goals related to economic development, ecological health and social well-being.”

The three-day Facilitative Leadership* workshop helps build the capacity of groups or organizations to use the collective talents of its members to coordinate actions, strengthen relationships, and enable the group to meet its goals.

*This course should not be confused with Facilitative Leadership® – Tapping the Power of Collaborative Action – which is owned by Interaction Associates, Inc. and which deals with seven practices of a facilitative leader.

It is designed to build and strengthen the skills and personal confidence necessary to lead and facilitate productive meetings. MSU Extension offers the program twice each year, in spring and fall. The goal of Facilitative Leadership* is to provide participants with a practical hands-on experience using group facilitation tools and techniques in order to work more effectively with business work teams and community organizations. During this all-inclusive retreat, participants will practice leadership strategies, using the tools, techniques and verbal skills necessary to lead group discussions, reach consensus, set outcome-based goals, and use flip charts and other recording tools. Process tools for brainstorming, analyzing ideas, decision-making, and planning will be shared. Each participant will plan and lead 45-minute, small group facilitation and receive broad suggestions for improvement from workshop instructors and colleagues.

Facilitative Leadership* Online

Short informational videos called "Facilitative Leadership Online" are available to assist people transitioning to online facilitation, check out the videos below to learn how tools we teach can be adapted for online meetings. Effective Online Meeting Web Recordings are also available to assist presenters in planning, leading and teambuilding during online meetings.

Testimonials

Attendees report that the workshop has been incredibly effective in improving their leadership skills:

“This was truly one of, if not THE best, professional development opportunities I have participated in.”

“The way this training was presented was incredible…the format was perfectly balanced. I heard many positive things about it prior, but didn’t believe the hype. I am so impressed! I’m amazed by the things I learned in this short time!”

“I have learned style techniques that will be ‘life changing’ in my facilitating ... I will USE what I’ve learned in my programs, meetings, and everyday life!”