Duration: 3-hour workshop (includes a little networking time)
About the workshop:
For the final session in this MAFN workshop cycle, we’ll be doing some real hands-on work on networking, icebreakers, and trust-builders – while also making sure participants get to network with each other. It’s learn-by-doing!
For both facilitators and participants alike, “icebreakers” are a dirty word, often met with exasperated groans and eye rolls. And it’s much the same with networking and trust-building activities. This reaction is often merited as they are frequently silly and nonsensical, not advancing a gathering’s objectives and not building trust and connection. However, icebreakers and networking activities play an important role in meetings; they help set a tone, bond a group, and apply a social lubricant that pays dividends throughout the rest of the meeting.
We’ll be using some real scenarios that should resonate with the facilitation work you do – both online and in-person. Participants will work to apply best practices of meeting design and audience engagement while applying their own facilitation knowledge and style to solve some real-world icebreaker scenarios. Our goal is to help everyone see new and different ways to approach a meeting and quickly create trust and connection among the participants.
You’ll be working in small groups and have a chance to interact with and learn from your facilitator peers. You’ll get a chance to laugh, think, share – and avoid those exasperated sighs!
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
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Understand the application of a social risk ladder when using icebreakers and networking activities.
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Learn three techniques to improve your meetings with appropriate icebreakers, networking activities and trust-builders.
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Simulate how to adapt icebreakers and networking activities to online or in-person events.
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Meet 4-6 facilitation colleagues, learning from their own expertise and approaches.
This is a 3-hour online workshop. It will take place from 12:00pm to 3pm EST.
Speaker:
Lee Gimpel
Lee Gimpel is the founder ofBetter Meetings, a meeting facilitation, training and design firm in Washington, DC. He's an expert on improving meetings by making them more productive, engaging – and fun. Better Meetings works on meetings and conferences for associations, companies and government agencies. He also created the Conference Organizers Summit for event producers. Formerly, as Director of Development for LifeWise Strategies, he spent a decade overseeing the training/education company’s products that helped organizations develop better programs, more authentic client connections, and dynamic classes. There, he worked with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and the USMC. Previously, he worked in the training/knowledgebase department at Capital One and started his career as a software product manager. His work blends facilitation, audience engagement, and human-centered design. He co-leads the Washington, DC community of practice for Liberating Structures facilitators.
Dawn Rhine, CPF™, CVF™, MBTI® Certified
Dawn Rhine, founder of Synergy Forces, is an IAF-Certified Professional Facilitator™ with commitment to helping groups reach their best outcomes through focused collaboration—both in person and online. Dawn is trained and proficient in group dynamics and group process facilitation, serving associations, government, educational institutions, and corporate clients. After 20 years prior experience as a management executive, Dawn launched Synergy Forces in 2005, helping clients achieve their purpose for such objectives as strategic planning, scenario planning, partnering, action planning, and team communication. This typically incorporates insightful quantitative and qualitative research to include survey administration, interviewing, intercepts, or focus group moderation. Successfully facilitating/co-facilitating hundreds of engagements, Dawn utilizes a unique blend of methodologies, thoroughness, and adaptability. This results in more cooperative, efficient, and effective results. Also, Dawn has been a MAFN member since 2005 and served as a MAFN Board member from 2009-2013.
ONLINE WORKSHOP REMINDERS
- No refunds or credits for registration cancellations.
- Registration closes at midnight the day before the workshop.
- Registered participants will receive instructions for joining the live session and any additional details 1 day in advance and the morning of the event. Please be sure to look for the link in your email.
- Workshops begin promptly at 12:00PM EST. Please log on at least 15 minutes in advance to ensure your internet connections, audio and other settings are functioning properly.
- MAFN Members have access to all online workshop recordings via the MAFN website.
- For registration or membership questions contact info@mafn.org.
