Library of facilitation techniques

Roses, buds, and thorns is a quick and simple team exercise that can be performed at the start of a group meeting. The idea is to evaluate a project, team task, or even your day by having each team member come up with a Rose (positive highlight), Thorn (struggle or challenge), and Bud (opportunity for improvement). The goal of this activity is to open up discussion among team members and acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of others. This can allow you to put measures in place to do more of what's going well, and fix what needs fixing. As well, this activity inspires creativity and debate within teams. Discussing Buds can encourage new, creative ideas to come to the fore. Finally, the activity allows you to gain insight from all members of the team as communication and honesty are important for every group!

This technique helps to create a historical timeline for your organization with the collective work of your group members.

This activity can be a stand alone workshop or part of a planning workshop.

Even though Three Questions takes just a few minutes, it provokes the participants into reflecting for a long time.

In pairs, each person gives a "magical" gift to their partner that relates to what their partner has shared with them. 

A fun activity that helps participants working together as a team while teaching the importance of communication, strategy and trust.

In most meetings, 20% of participants do 80% of the talking. Unfortunately, remote meetings amplify this lousy behavior.

Some people like to talk to think, while others need to think before they talk. Some people are shy and quiet, while others are more vocal and outspoken.

This activity helps assess participation style and adjust behaviors.

A major purpose of an opening activity is to help participants get acquainted with each other. Here's an opener that identifies and rewards participants who would make good politicians.

Sometimes a number of people are silent and there is not necessarily a dominant person in the group. This often happens in cultures where being assertive is not valued.

Used as a post-session follow up or multiple session activity, participants share their action plan or project success. Results can be posted and discussed on a shared network or brought to a later live session (such as a review session or informal group catch up). 

Vivid way to structure a discussion for a complex topic.

Find new opportunities by testing the limit of what's possible? Sometimes getting unstuck means zooming out and then dreaming big. Here's your opportunity to get fantastical. Don't worry about viability or resources, worry about saving the world.