Our world is virtual. So, what does this mean for learning and development — and, specifically, for facilitators?
Virtual development programs have opened the door to different audiences and geographies, while simultaneously saving time and the expense of traveling to events. However, virtual programs come with unique and very real challenges. As a facilitator, you rely on a well-formed set of skills to engage and motivate your audiences. In a virtual environment, you do not have the same information about your audience (body language cues and peer-to-peer side conversations indicating understanding and engagement) and are more limited in your interactions with them (limited use of kinesthetic learning approaches and personal interactions). You are having to shift.
Here are three essential components, the “three P’s” that will help ensure a successful program, no matter where or how it is conducted.
1. Preparation:
Preparation in the age of virtual is both simpler and more complex. On the one hand, you no longer need to worry about the logistics of arriving in person, setting up a classroom space, and getting connected to the Wi-Fi on-location. On the other, there is far less time to connect with your audience, and every second counts. Not only do you want your programs to flow seamlessly, but in virtual environments a technical glitch can cost precious time, diminish audience engagement, or even be a complete showstopper. While some issues cannot be avoided, you can — and should — have a contingency plan. Thinking through the possible pitfalls and mishaps that might occur in a virtual environment can help you avoid them altogether.
Technical back-up
In the virtual world, time is one of the scarcest commodities. In fact, logging on for a meeting at the appointed time actually means you’re late. There is little room for forgiveness, especially if you are facilitating. To ensure time is with participants is maximized during a program be sure to have:
- Completed or paused all computer updates. Speaking from recent experience, it does still happen that an update will shut down your computer without warning.
- Secured a back-up source of internet in case you get disconnected. A telephone hotspot will work.
- Tested the virtual platform link and any software being used for the program. If you are sharing videos or using content from other sites, test those links as well.
- Practiced first, especially when planning to facilitate using multiple screens. Make sure you know how to share the correct screen and are familiar with how to access different aspects of the virtual software when using multiple screens. One of our expert facilitators has practiced, and now mastered, using three monitors: one to share his presentation; a second to keep track of notes and time; and a third to see participants.
2. A Plan:
You’ve always had a plan for programs — but maybe left in a little room for improvisation. If something wasn’t clear to participants, you could intervene on the spot, provide guidance, or maybe even bring the entire room back together for clarification. Participants had the opportunity to call you over to quietly ask questions or voice concern. In a virtual environment, these individual interactions are much more difficult. When there is a question or a problem, all eyes are on you, literally. You can eliminate many of these questions with a solid plan and strong communication.
- Pre-program communications are essential. Your audience needs to know exactly how to get to the meeting; what you’ll be covering; and, even in some cases, who will be attending. This can help them prepare and get into the right state of mind for a successful program.
- Clear, concise directions for activities should be communicated both verbally and in writing. This can be done on a slide, in a chat, and even via email. Not only are you likely presenting to larger audiences than you did in person, but they may be attending from all over the world. Asking clients about industry and organizational-specific language ahead of time can avoid confusion and connect you further with your audience.
- A timed agenda will keep you on track to cover all the important aspects of the program, while still staying within your (likely very tight) timeframe. Be flexible, when needed, to give participants the time to teach and learn from one another — but use the agenda to pace yourself.
- Build in planned interactions. Our Insight Experience virtual expert Kristin Leydig Bryant explains that keeping participants engaged in a virtual setting requires having them do something every six minutes. This practice not only keeps your audience attentive; it also gives facilitators critical feedback about how they are receiving the experience. Here are a few easy ways to engage:
- Use the annotate function to have the audience respond to a personal or professional question.
- Use a “chat waterfall” to get reactions from participants. (A chat waterfall is when facilitators ask participants to react in the chat to a question or statement — but not to submit that reaction until the facilitator says so. This encourages participation, as participants feel they are contributing to a group activity rather than calling attention to themselves.)
- Ask participants to turn off cameras and then turn them back on when a question or statement is true for them.
3. A Partner:
Even if you are presenting internally to your own team, you should consider who can help, if necessary. If you are planning to divide people into smaller groups, or even asking people to answers questions in a chat, having someone who can help manage these pieces, while you continue to host the meeting, can help your event run seamlessly and keep you focused. This partner can also help keep things moving if you need a break or have to address any issues.
Whether you are thrilled or a bit anxious about virtual facilitation, adding these three P’s to your facilitation tool kit helps keep the focus of the event where it should be: on the learning and development. At Insight Experience, we’ve used virtual facilitation to reach larger, more diverse and dispersed audiences and to train thousands of leaders around the world. Head here for more on our expert virtual facilitators and programs.
