Earlier this week I helped facilitate remote participation for a week-long course running face-to-face for the first time since March 2020. We didn’t actually need to action the plans we had prepared, but given many of us are preparing to offer hybrid events I thought it might be helpful to share our learning from the preparation we did.
I’m not an expert on the kit or technology involved, so these are going to be the reflections of a facilitator. Many of us are on a steep learning curve with the technological options and how to make them work well both in terms of hardware (microphones, cameras, devices) and software (Zoom, Mentimeter, Miro, Google Jam Boards etc etc). What I do know is having access to technical expertise is crucial, as is testing whatever equipment and software you plan to use so you feel confident about how it works and what it can (and can’t) do. So I did spend a slightly surreal hour or so sitting in a service kitchen pretending to be a remote participant so we could test microphones and Zoom configurations for the various scenarios we wanted to prepare for (as you can see in the picture above).
So what did we learn about facilitating hybrid events?
Prepare well but expect glitches. Not everything can be rehearsed and not everything will work first time so it’s likely you might feel a bit nervous. Nerves don’t help, and so better we all accept things are unlikely to be perfect at the start. We invited the group to embrace this ethos and remember we were doing our best but this was new and we might not get it right first time.
Test what it is possible to test. Practice and testing in situ was useful for building our confidence and ironing out glitches. Until we were in the space it was really hard to envisage exactly how we would do things. So making time to rehearse in the space we were using with the actual AV set up was critical for flushing out issues (like sound quality or microphone feedback).
Check remote and access options integrate. If you have transcription services or induction loops etc in the session then it’s important to think through and test that these integrate with the remote technology and set up.
Be clear what any contributors have planned. Will they need a Q&A section, do they want people to work in small groups and report back, are there are activities involving visuals or movement? Ideally ask your contributors for a schedule in advance that clearly indicates the format for their contribution. Hybrid events are probably new for them too and they might welcome some guidance (and support in real time) from facilitators about structuring their sessions to work well in a hybrid space. For those presenting online with an IRL audience they also need the facilitators to be their ‘eyes and ears’ in the room, so you need to communicate well.
Plan for different potential scenarios and formats. We developed a table of possible scenarios and facilitation formats; e.g. 1) Q&Q with presenter remote, participants present; 2) several participants remote for small-group exercise. I expect we will refine and add to this resource as our experience develops.
Have a back-up plan in case things don’t work. Sometimes there is an ideal solution (eg each remote participant joins a different break out group). But sometimes a simpler, less ideal, solution might be needed as a back up, for example all remote participants work in a small group together. Personally if I’ve not tried something before I like to have a trusted low-tech back up plan in my back pocket just in case…
Keep it flexible and focus on one section at a time. For a multiday event we had a draft plan for the week but didn’t spend time preparing the whole week in detail. We took it a day at a time as we knew things would likely change at the last moment. Allowing time in the programme to adapt the set up if needed was helpful too. This did mean some very long days though…. so…
Bring in extra capacity.My client brought me in as a dedicated remote facilitator, to work alongside the core facilitator team, and also invested in dedicated technical expertise to set up and operate the cameras and microphones. Chatting to my fellow facilitators we reckoned that once we’d run it through once in future a two-person facilitation team could absorb online and IRL facilitation between them. But having an extra pair of hands (and head to think the options through) made life a lot less stressful for a first-time running a hybrid event.
Having been a bit unclear initially about how well hybrid events could work now I’ve actually set one up and worked through the options for real it now feels much more possible.
However to do it well will cost more in the short-term, (in terms of technical set up and support) and is a new skillset for a facilitator to acquire; just as we’ve had to learn how to work online over the past 18 months.
Can’t wait to be back in the room with others at conferences and training events? Or are you hoping the professional events that have been moved online in the past 18 months will continue online?
Currently, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, event organisers are having to make the difficult call whether to risk planning conferences and workshops ‘in real life’ (IRL). Some are experimenting with blended IRL/ online events – I’ve just been involved in one of these so more on than later.
But even when the pandemic is over, I doubt we will ever go back to all professional events and courses happening online.
Online events are often quicker and easier to organise and more accessible. The financial, time and environment costs are usually lower. So why would we consider going back to IRL courses, when can we justify the cost and when will IRL formats better achieve our objectives?
Safety questions aside, I’ve been having lots of conversations recently with clients and fellow facilitators about when it’s best to work together IRL and when online is a better option.
Below I’ve jotted down a few suggestions about what works well online and what I’ve found works better IRL:
When would you ideally do things f2f?
Early in relationships or projects. If there are new members of a team then the informal opportunities afforded by IRL can support the ‘getting to know you’ stage.
Peer-learning and networking: when making new or deepening existing connections is important then the informal spaces of IRL events are hard to recreate online.
Sensitive or personal topics: training sessions which involve developing self-awareness or sharing of personal stories. When participants need to feel high levels of trust in the group and psychological safety then IRL spaces can be more productive.
‘Tricky’ situations: if participants might not be very enthusiastic (ie mandatory training) or have reservations about the event. Being physically in the room together enables trainers/ facilitators to better observe body language as well as affording opportunities for more informal 1-2-1 engagement.
When can online work particularly well?
Shorter courses: the ‘cost’ of travelling to a half-day session makes less sense than travelling to longer sessions. Content which can be delivered in 2-3 hours works really well online, assuming it is well designed.
Regular sessions: if a group already works regularly together then it can be easy to work well online. A board of Trustees might consider having its annual strategy awayday IRL but its regular quarterly meetings online, for example.
Geographically diverse teams/ groups: online sessions have made bringing together teams and ad hoc groups for conversations easy. In the past few months I’ve facilitated a number of events with international participants which would never have been possible IRL.
Highly structured peer-learning, e.g. Action Learning sets, existing networks. My own long-standing AL set moved seamlessly online in March 2020. Many other AL sets had worked online long before CV19. Working online can keep the time and financial cost of participation low: often the biggest barriers to participation in the past.
Technical content – some content lends itself better to online delivery than other topics. Technical information, theories, case studies can all work well online.
It’s not black and white. Lots of sessions can work well in either format, but there are definitely some things which are easier to do IRL and others which seem to work equally well if not better online.
These are just my observations – I’d love to hear other perspectives so do get in touch to share your own views and experiences…
Are you looking for a supportive and stretching space to think through your work challenges? Do you want to make changes in how you work or what you do? Or maybe you’re keen to develop your coaching skills and experience in a group context? Or simply curious about Action Learning and want to know how it might be useful to you?
Virtual Action Learning offers a low-cost and time-effective way to develop your skills and improve your impact at work. When recent studies have shown reflective practice – at the heart of Action Learning – can improve performance by 23% the question is really how can you afford not to do it?
I’ve been involved with Action Learning as a trained facilitator and participant for nearly a decade. In my experience Action Learning offers me support, an opportunity to practice coaching and facilitation skills, and a brave space to stretch my thinking. Just as importantly for a self-employed Yorkshire woman juggling work and my family – it’s low cost and a brilliant use of my limited time!
This Autumn I’ll be facilitating a new online Action Learning set, so if you are interested in joining us sign up for one of the taster sessions this Summer to learn the core skills and decide whether it’s for you.
Try it out and learn the basics
In June and July I’m offering two chances to find out more about Action Learning via a three-hour training course and taster session.
We will cover:
The principles and process of Action Learning
Core skills of Active Listening and questioning
Experience of an Action Learning ‘set’
All participants will receive a manual and the opportunity to join a fully-facilitated virtual Action Learning set from September (see below).
Practicalities
When: Wed 30 June 2-5pm or Thu 22 July 2-5pm
Cost: £25
How to book: please contact claire@claireantrobus.com
Group size: Max group size 12, min group size 6
From September 2021
Join your peers for a supportive, challenging, confidential space to learn through working on real challenges.
This facilitated online Action Learning set will be open to up to 10 people and run for five sessions initially. After this the group can decide whether and how it wishes to continue, for example you could continue on a self-facilitated basis or create your own ‘new’ sets with new members.
The ‘set’ will be open to anyone who has attended my ‘Introduction to Action Learning course’ or has some experience of Action Learning or coaching.
Practicalities
There will be five sessions between September and January.
Dates: Participants need to be able to commit to at least 4 of the following dates:
Wed 8 Sep 3-5pm
Wed 6 Oct 3-5pm
Wed 3 Nov 3-5pm
Wed 1 Dec 3-5pm
Wed 5 Jan 3-5pm
Cost: Payment £115 in advance for the series of 5, or £25 after each session. Minimum commitment 4 sessions.
Group size: Maximum group size 10, minimum group size 6.
Booking and queries: please contact claire@claireantrobus.com 07913 604678
Action Learning is a highly practical peer-learning model that enables you to find solutions to real issues whilst developing skills and insights. This factsheet offers a short introduction to the principles and practices involved to assist those considering joining a ‘set’. As an accredited AL facilitator I can also help you establish a new set, facilitate meetings or train your group to run their own sessions.
When the world of work moved online very suddenly last Spring, I quickly brushed up my virtual facilitation skills and did some training. I ran my first online event in March and by May I was back facilitating regularly online. Around that time I shared some early reflections and tips aimed at others facilitating online via a blog post. Pulling together an online training session for a new group in a few week’s time I was struck by how much has changed since last Spring, so it feels like a useful moment for me to revise and refresh these top tips.
1. Make sure everyone can participate fully and equally
Participants are getting more comfortable working online but let’s not assume everyone is comfortable able to participate online – psychologically or practically. These days people largely know how to use the kit and are familiar with the etiquette – they arrive in a room and put themselves on mute; they have their name displayed on the zoom handle. This makes things a bit quicker all round – but I still provide basic joining instructions that cover the tech we’ll use (with links) and make sure we quickly test the kit before starting the main discussion (eg through a warm up exercise).
2. Don’t pretend there isn’t a pandemic happening
On a practical level I suggest this means keeping things as short and focused as possible (see tip 3) but psychologically I think we also need to adapt how we work. Often I find myself facilitating conversations about change – for example a Board strategy day considering the impact of CV19 on future plans or a training sessions about leading change – and there’s a short exercise I’ve used a lot that seems to help people ‘arrive’, check-in and connect with the topic. Very simply, at the start of the session, I invite everyone to select an object near them that says something about their experience of CV19 – then we take turns to briefly hear from everyone. It’s a great way to support participants to share as much of their reality as they want to with the group – and I’ve heard stories about sadness, loss and struggles, as well as hope and joy, which people have wanted to share before getting on with the task at hand. I use this in full group if we are less than 12-15; and break into smaller group of 4-5 if larger – allowing everyone to be heard.
We can’t ignore context: I was struck how on the first day of online teaching in January some schools went straight into lesson 1 as if nothing had happened, whereas others had a form time discussion or assembly which acknowledged the disruption. I am pretty sure I could guess in which schools more learning happened that day, even if 10-15 mins of the day had been spent ‘checking in’ rather than getting on with business as usual.
3. Keep it short and simple as possible
Fact = our capacity to listen to someone talk is a lot shorter than most talks and presentations. Present for less than 10 mins, less than 5 mins ideally. If there’s a lot of facts to share find another way to do it that doesn’t involve listening or reading huge volumes of texts on a slide. Share things before a meeting or make a short video and send it round. Please don’t talk at people in meetings, meetings are for working things out together.
Also keep the sessions as short as possible without rushing – just because something might have taken a day previously don’t assume you need a day now. Many people are struggling for time at the moment, not least with home-schooling, so don’t assume longer is better – quite the opposite,
4. Mix it up, but don’t get too fancy
We know from ‘brain-friendly learning’ research that variety stimulates the brain, so sticking with the same tools and formats dulls our thinking – the brain likes difference, sounds, colours, interactivity, games. But don’t let’s get carried away and over-complicate things for people who are struggling to engage right now. Unless you are working with huge groups, or need anonymity, then inviting people to use hand signals (eg thumbs up/down, voting on a scale of 0-5 using fingers) is usually easier than using polls and buttons in Zoom.
I know a lot of people are bored with Zoom calls and making things more varied is important, but I’m wary of taking time from working on the issues to explain the latest technology to do something we could have done with pen and paper. Or worse still, for some participants to be left out because they can’t get the software to work or are struggling to arrange their screen to see a document and a Zoom window.
5. Use Zoom and Google Docs
Boring but important.I remember having a long debate with a client which wanted me to use MS Teams for delivering training back in the summer. Fortunately, Zoom has become a synonym for online meeting, for good reason in my opinion. Having spoken with other professional facilitators I’ve not heard anyone prefer other platforms – except for very large events or specialist applications. So whilst I’ve not thoroughly tested all the options – I have found one that works reasonably well which I’m sticking with.
BTW if you’ve not yet figures out a new update means people can select their own Break Outs rooms then check out the Zoom tutorial. That was my main bugbear with Zoom, and now it’s fixed.
The tools I’m currently using with groups, or rather usually setting up for groups to use for themselves in break out spaces are:
The simple ‘Google Doc’, where anyone with a link can write in and edit a shared doc.
The Google sheet
The ‘Jam Board’ the virtual equivalent of the flipchart and pens.
NB – always check the permissions before sharing the links and make sure ‘anyone with the link can edit’ (learned through painful experience).
No, I’m not sponsored by Google, but these are free to use, simple tools that mimic the MS Office tools and flipchart pad most people have used before – meaning they don’t need much explaining and most people can use them.
6. Be more structured than ‘in real life’
I can’t decide whether this is due to me still – for now – finding it harder to adapt a virtual session as responsively as in real life, but it feels like virtual workshops work better when there is more of a structure. The open group conversations you might have in plenary seem less productive online. Taking turns, smaller groups, more focussed sections of the meeting, more exercises all help. I’m really interested to hear other views on this and how people are balancing planning with responding live online – as this feels like an area I’m still wondering about.
7. Keep learning new techniques and don’t worry about mistakes
If I’m keen to try a new technique I’ll usually introduce it with a group I know well, rather than a new group, so I can judge better whether it’s likely to work for them. But I’m also trying to embrace a bit more risk – we’re trying new things and there will be hitches. I think most participants understand this so I’m more relaxed about the occasional error and therefore more willing to go beyond the tried and tested. When things haven’t gone completely to plan I’ve found people to be patient and understanding.
8. Join in and experience other people’s sessions
Participating in sessions like Metaphorum, the annual gathering of Clean Language practitioners led by the highly experienced virtual facilitator Judy Rees, and the Happy Workplace Conference offered me first-hand experience of a variety of tools and techniques I can consider using in my own events. The Happy Workplace Conference was very playful in the use of what I’d call ‘brain friendly learning’ techniques to keep us engaged – lots of interaction; short sessions; music and movement and it was fun. Metaphorum was a highly ambitious international 12-hour event run as an Open Space conference, using Quiqochat as a wraparound conference experience, with Zoom rooms used for individual sessions. Other tools like Mentimeter were used throughout to enable interaction.
Finally, I’m also learning a lot from other facilitators on Twitter; International Association of Facilitators and Liberating Structures both have very active user groups online sharing tips, answering one another’s questions about everything from software to etiquette. I’ve also enjoyed many informal chats with other facilitators about specific sessions to think through options and reflect on our learning and experience. I hope these tips are useful – and I’m keen to hear your thoughts and your own tips.
It does feel like we’re all getting better working online and I’m interested to see whether this is going to mean some sessions that previously would have happened in real life will stay online. I do hope so because there are many benefits to online working: it can be more inclusive, it costs less, time isn’t wasted travelling to/from meetings and it reduces the carbon footprint of our meetings. But if we are to maintain virtual meetings after Lock Down ends then that means learning how to do them well.
Recently I was asked to participate in a research interview for a project the British Council has commissioned around peer-learning, and the consultant sent me over some interesting questions she wants to discuss, that led me to ask my own questions about this topic…
So firstly, what is peer-peer learning?
In my experience, it can be informal, like for example the conversations I’ve had with lots of fellow facilitators of the past few months about their experience of working online, or formal, like the Action Learning set I’ve been part of for many years where we meet approx. 6 times a year for a day to learn together. Reg Revans, the founder of Action Learning, described it in terms of ‘comrades in adversity’ who come together to support one another and learn from each other’s failures and challenges, rather than from ‘experts’.
Peer-peer learning is often part of training too, whether that’s a simple as inviting explore and idea together in small groups, or practice a skill or technique in pairs during a session. Sometimes participants are ‘buddied’ during longer training programmes, and recently I was part of a learning ‘pod’; a group of 5 of us doing the same course who met for 45 mins a week to support one another’s learning.
So who’s a ‘peer’?
I think this is a really interesting question – in the (distant) past I’ve certainly been guilty of being a bit reluctant to participate in peer-peer learning as I wondered whether people had enough in common that we could learn from one another. But I’ve realised from my own experience that I’ve often learned most from people whose experience or perspective is very different to my own. Some of the most important insights I’ve had came from hearing from people with a very different experience to me – for example as a Clore Fellow, it was talking to a theatre professional, Chris Stafford, that I realised what I wanted to do/be in the visual arts sector – as the Executive Director role didn’t (yet) exist.
As a trainer who includes peer-peer learning as a tool within the courses I design and deliver, I often read in the feedback forms that participants highly value these opportunities to work with others on the course. However, as a participant I’ve also had less than brilliant experiences of this kind of learning when it’s felt that maybe the experience level in the group has been too unequal, particularly when that’s been about practising a skill or technique together or the other participants haven’t been as committed to the group.
What are the benefits of peer-peer learning?
Cost – maybe it’s because I’m a Yorkshire woman, as we’re known for being natural frugal, but one thing that appeals to me about peer-peer learning is that it’s very cheap! For the Action Learning set I’ve been part of for nearly a decade, we met (pre CV19) in one another’s homes, bringing our own ‘pot luck’ lunch so the only cost was our time, and local travel.
Relevance – peers’ experiences are likely to be similar to yours, so they can offer examples that resonate to you. If you’re asking ‘how do I…’ and the person offering advice has a much bigger budget or set of values to you, then their suggestions are less likely to be appropriate.
Safety – the founder of Action Learning, Reg Revans, described this approach to peer-peer learning as ‘comrades in adversity coming together to support one another, and learn in the process’. Peers can be supportive, and understand the challenges you face so it can be easier to share your doubts and concerns with them.
We can also embed our own learning though teaching others. A primary school teacher friend of mine explained that it is current practice to encourage pupils at different levels of skill to work together, with the ‘stronger’ pupil supporting their classmate. I asked her, wasn’t this unfair on the more able pupil? But she explained that explaining a concept to someone else helps your own learning. Whether that’s through embedding via repetition or how the brain processes information when explaining it, I’m not sure. But what she said rang true with my own experience of training coaches for several years; I would find my own understanding improved by explaining the principles, techniques and skills to others.
What kind of learning works well on a peer-peer basis?
We know from cognitive psychology that there are many different ways to learn, and we learn information or concepts differently from how we learn self-awareness or a skill. I’ve not (yet) read anything that suggests what types of learning are best-served by peer-peer models, but I have some hunches from my own experiences as a trainer and learner.
I think peer-peer learning is particularly useful in developing emotional intelligence and specifically self-awareness. A supportive peer-peer environment can be a safe space to notice and ‘un-learn’ our limiting beliefs or recognise behaviours and attitudes which might not be serving us well.
Peer-peer learning is also incredibly useful when it comes to applying concepts or techniques to real-life situations. Because peers are often able to offer their experience, this means examples are more likely to ‘fit’ our world and resonate. This is incredibly useful in training when having understood a concept, to be able to convert that learning into action there is a step of processing ‘how can I use this information’.
Most recently, as part of a learning ‘pod’ on an online course I was doing, I also experienced the benefits of accountability via peer-peer learning – we each had to read a chapter of the training book and talk about it together the next week. Not wanting to let down the others, helped motivate me to do my individual ‘homework’.
As a trainer, I’d add peer-peer learning can be useful when the participants are sceptical about the content or the learning opportunity. When ‘conscripted’ onto in-house training courses, I find participants are less resistant to learning from one another than an external ‘expert’ who has been foisted on them!
However, I wouldn’t necessarily expect to be able to learn foundation skills or concepts through peer-peer learning. To me, it feels like a follow-on from core training, rather than a replacement for it.
What makes for great peer-peer learning?
A clear agenda – even if I’m having a 60 min informal check-in with another professional, then it can be helpful to clarify what we want to get from one another and agree the best way to do it. It’s not just a chat, it’s important to have mutually agreed aims!
Structure – can be helpful. I’ve mentioned Action Learning which can be an incredibly powerful model over time, but it takes a certain degree of skill and familiarity with the process (and/or a very experienced facilitator). I often used the Troika Consulting model as a simpler peer-peer format on courses I run – as it takes less time to set up or practice and participants can easily continue to use this format after the course finishes if they enjoy it.
Equality – I don’t get hung up on titles and some variety of experience on the group is helpful, but it’s important we can see one another as peers and all learn ourselves as well as support one another. If the experience levels are too diverse then I find this can tip into more peer-mentoring than peer-peer learning, and that can impact commitment too if some people ‘gain’ more than others – especially when time is unpaid.
Diversity – different perspectives are often where biggest learning happens, so opportunities to learn from other sectors, other countries, people with a very different ‘style’ to me – all of these are valuable – so long as we have shared interests or values (there has to be some commonality).
Ground rules – confidentiality is often important, to be able to share openly, especially those things that are not going well. I value being able to be really open with my peers and I’m willing to share information widely, if we’re clear about the boundaries. Personally I like to ‘contract’ that we balance support with challenge – it’s a learning space, not a support group!
So, I’m a big fan of peer-peer learning and intend to keep doing it, formally and informally, and including it as part of my work as an Action Learning facilitator and trainer. Peer-peer learning isn’t a panacea though: I see it as one type of learning, but not the only one I deploy as a trainer or seek as a learner. It’s suited to some types and stages of learning, and requires a bit of support or structure to be effective.
I would love to hear other experiences and views on these question though – as well as find out more about research in these areas… so get in touch!
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