Cyndi Maxey

Kevin O'Connor

This book will help the reader plan every meeting with AUDIENCE MINDSET top of mind, begin every meeting with an IMMEDIATELY INVOLVING ACTIVITY or discussion that unifies the group, locate the KEY POINTS in the meeting to FACILITATE and INVOLVE, rather than lecture and present information, USE EASY-TO-IMPLEMENT facilitative techniques with ANY TYPE OF PARTICIPANT (job roles, levels, backgrounds, gender, culture, attitude, and FOLLOW UP to every intervention with clarity and speed. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. HEARD ON THE STREETS (and from their seats) Why todays meetings are so bad and what to do about it. Why involve? Why ask? Who cares? The psychology and group-ology of involvement; the benefits of skilled facilitation for todays meeting and for todays leader. II. ORGANIC FACILITATION How to be comfortable with this new skill, how to make it look easy, and how to be useful to the audience. Like organic food, its less known, healthier, and takes time to perfect, but it is the result that makes it most valuable. III. THE FOURTH WALL To borrow from a theatrical term, allowing the fourth wall (that invisible wall that separates the audience from the actors). This wall also exists between presenters and their audiences unless it is opened up through dialogue, doing so early and often, and setting up the entire meeting for success. IV. HAVE FUN ONE BY ONE AND ONE HUNDREDUsing the experts and the expertise among you to achieve more than before. Include and connect and you will engage memory and action for results unheard of in ordinary meetings. V. DIALOGUE NOT MONOLOGUE (or worse, DUALOGUE) The accent is on how conversation and facilitation skills intertwine, how to keep our largely introverted professional population involved in the conversation of the meeting purpose, and, of course, what to do when they do talk, contribute, and even argue. VI. THE SET UP How to set up discussion topics and activities gently, so people really do them instead of complaining or going silent! What groups of 6 and 600 have in common when it comes to getting involved with you. Every member of your audience and team is a value interpreter and as such they are the sole experts on your meeting skills and are the ones to take the message and do something with itor not! VII. LISTEN LIVE - How to borrow from the best talk show hosts to really listen one on one and among the group with or without a microphone and with or without being seen. VIII. GO WITH IT - As the improvisation artist learns, go with the flow what they give you in the form of response and feedback; how not to over-think your answers; the power of the facilitators listening skills; the mindset of the facilitative leader with results in mind. IX. ITS ABOUT THE AUDIENCE, ALWAYS! What a 91 year old nursing home resident knows about audience needs, and in fact what we all know from our audience seat. Its just that we forget it all when we step to the front of the room. How to operate from a mindset of experience not content, how to keep the falicy of perfection from infecting a great meeting, and how to avoid death by committee when planning a meaningful experience. X. YIKES! A WHOLE ROOM FULL OF Special strategies for audiences of one type: volunteers, one gender, culture, job role, age group, and professional introverts! TWO SPECIAL SECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK: 1. THE COACH COMMENTS. Throughout the book a personalized coach helps the reader with answers to common questions, specific scenarios, and nightmare experiences from the past. The coach is accustomed to these Ya, but type questions and helps to clarify the text, calm the fear, and allow the reader to take the next right step. The coach will guide, reassure, help, and detail. 2. INTERVIEWS WITH FEARLESS FACILITATORS.Peppered throughout the book are real interviews with masters of the craft who are just like the readers of this book - leaders in their fields who have come to the other side of meetings, presentations, and teaching: they know what works and they aren't going back! Their wisdom is a crucial part of the reading and the learning. APPENDICES: SURE THINGS - 8 ACTIVITIES THAT NEVER FAIL. To be truly fearless you'll need some specialized tools on your belt that work every time with every audience guaranteed! TEN TIPS FOR SUCCESS 10 simple recaps of each chapter for a quick review so the book becomes a workbook for use as well as a book to read. FOUR KEYS TO MAKING IT EASIER More on the mindset, the approach, the skill and the follow up that makes skilled facilitators more impactful and more memorable than slide deck presenters only. MOMENTUM MAGIC How to keep things going especially when they are going very well, and knowing when to stop just in the knick of time before too much is too much. OOPS: WHEN MEETINGS DON'T GO SO WELL 10 STRATEGIES AS TO HOW TO RECOVER QUICKLY AND COMPLETELY

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