Library of facilitation techniques

Canvas for Us (A Silent Reflective Gallery Walk)

Players walk in different ways as prompted by the instructor

Scenario Planning is a structured approach to imagining multiple, plausible futures. Rather than predicting one outcome, it helps groups explore a range of possibilities shaped by uncertainty and change. It’s a powerful tool for preparing strategy, stimulating creative thinking, and stress-testing assumptions

Horizon scanning is a structured method for identifying early signs of change, like emerging issues, trends, and weak signals that could shape the future. It helps participants look beyond the immediate and obvious, scanning across multiple domains to detect what might be coming next.

A speculative prompt-based activity that encourages participants to explore alternative futures by asking bold or unexpected "what if" questions. This method invites imaginative thinking and helps loosen assumptions about how the future has to unfold.

In Social Presencing Theater, the word theater is used in connection to its root meaning – a place where something significant becomes visible, or where a community of people can see a shared experience. 4D mapping makes visible the current reality in a social system, such as a school system, health care system, or government.

In this simple closing activity, participants will share two things: an action they'll take as a result of the meeting and an action they'll take to replenish themselves.

selection of various approaches to messaging

Make the team design their agreed 'cereal box' representing their team identity.

We live and work in turbulent times, juggling never-ending to-do lists, back-to-back meetings, and constant context switching. When people enter a meeting, they often carry mental clutter – unfinished tasks, lingering thoughts, or stress from the previous discussion.

This simple yet effective exercise helps participants mentally transition into the meeting by externalizing their distractions, physically letting them go, and creating a fresh focus for the discussion ahead. I use this whenever I sense a group (whether virtual or in-person) is distracted, overwhelmed, or coming straight from another meeting. It works well when combined with a check-in question that gets everyone speaking.