The Effective Facilitator

Our Most Popular Training Workshop

The first Course Accredited by The International Institute of Facilitation (INIFAC) for Covering the 30 Certified Master Facilitator™ (CMF) Competencies.

Learn the techniques our facilitators use to help you and your teams achieve amazing results

The Effective Facilitator is Leadership Strategies most popular facilitation training workshop.  It’s popularity and longevity is a result of one thing: This course drives results!

In today’s rapidly changing workplace culture, organizations must recognize the increasing significance of “soft-skills” training for their success. While technical training is straightforward, the true solution lies in understanding the importance of facilitation and soft-skills. The Effective Facilitator offers a wealth of tools to address common pain points, including:

  • Keys to leading better meetings
  • Strategies of successful communication
  • Ability to motivate your team to success
  • Gaining buy-in and vested interest within your team or organization
  • Establishing the path to achieving realistic and workable solutions

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Download the Course Description

Virtual Edition

The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition

This online, instructor-led version of our flagship course consists of 4 days of virtual training. The class covers the 10 principles of facilitation, more than 100 techniques, and includes 6 exercises with instruction on how to apply the skills in virtual environments.

Gain the tools and techniques to: create a vision that motivates people to action, engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results. Participants will learn a comprehensive approach top facilitators use to prepare for success, get a session started, focus the group, understand the power of the pen, gather information, manage dysfunction, build consensus, maintain high energy, close the session, and construct customized agendas.

Learn How To:

  • Get groups to develop and agree upon workable, realistic plans or solutions to issues.
  • Create a vision that motivates people to action.
  • Engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results.
  • Utilize a comprehensive approach used by top facilitators– from getting a session started, to focusing the group, to managing dysfunction, to closing the session.
  • Includes insights throughout for virtual sessions
  • And much more!

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In Person Edition

The Effective Facilitator: In Person Edition

This traditional version of our flagship course consists of 4 days of in-person training. The class covers the 10 principles of facilitation, more than 100 techniques, and includes 6 exercises culminating a video-taped practice session.

Gain the tools and techniques to: create a vision that motivates people to action, engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results. Participants will learn a comprehensive approach top facilitators use to prepare for success, get a session started, focus the group, understand the power of the pen, gather information, manage dysfunction, build consensus, maintain high energy, close the session, and construct customized agendas.

Learn How To:

  • Get groups to develop and agree upon workable, realistic plans or solutions to issues.
  • Create a vision that motivates people to action.
  • Engage groups in developing solutions and generate ownership that leads to results.
  • Utilize a comprehensive approach used by top facilitators– from getting a session started, to focusing the group, to managing dysfunction, to closing the session.
  • And much more!

Register Now

Why take The Effective Facilitator?

Are you thinking about taking The Effective Facilitator but are not sure it is the right course for you? Well, watch and listen as our founder counts down what our clients say are the top six reasons to take this course.

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Who will benefit from this course?

Ideal For:

  • Managers
  • Facilitators
  • Executives
  • Trainers
  • Consultants
  • Sales Professionals
  • Analysts
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Needing To:

  • Lead a team
  • Run better meetings
  • Establish a strategic direction
  • Establish performance objectives
  • Work through conflict/internal strife
  • Get a business process operating effectively
  • Improve workplace culture

Why it Works

Unlike other facilitation courses, The Effective Facilitator devotes 80% of its curriculum to learning and practicing the group techniques that separate great facilitators from good ones. Our proprietary approach to training ( Practical, Dynamic, Interactive) ensures you get the results you’re looking for: Practical techniques that can be immediately applied; Dynamic, high energy instructors; and Interactive exercises and practice sessions. To date, more than 95% of attendees rate this course as the BEST or ONE OF THE BEST courses they’ve ever taken!

Objectives

  • Define the role of a facilitator

  • Identify the key facilitation principles

  • Describe the best practices related to each principle

  • Provide students with facilitation practice and performance feedback

Duration

4 Days*

*A 3-day streamlined version of this course is also available. The powerful, videotaped exercise is excluded.

Available Formats

seminar

Additional Information

No Facilitation Training Course Offers You More!

  • You get ALL of this when you take The Effective Facilitator:

    • Participant workbook covering 10 principles and over 100 techniques
    • 10 detailed agenda models
    • 6 practice sessions (accompanied with a exercise packet containing sample case studies)
    • Recording of you facilitating a practice session*
    • The Monthly Touch (now included at no additional cost) – online monthly course to keep you refreshed on the course material
    • Spring Forward – a 60-day check-in to confirm your progress and how you’re implementing your learning
    • The Maximizer – a communication covering one of the course techniques each month
  • Recommended Additional Training

    The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Link – Get the advantage early – master the techniques you’ll learn from The Effective Facilitator virtually in just one extra day of learning.

    Why Our Facilitation Training Course Works

    Unlike other facilitation training courses, The Effective Facilitator devotes 80% of its curriculum to learning and practicing the group techniques that separate great facilitators from good ones. We focus on critical skills such as consensus building, keeping the group focused, generating energy, managing dysfunction and gaining agreement.

    Our branded approach to training, The PDI Difference, ensures results through: Practical techniques, Dynamic, high energy instructors, and Interactive exercises and practice sessions. To date, over 95% of attendees have rated this course as THE BEST or ONE OF THE BEST courses they’ve ever taken!

Want a sneak peek at this class? View the “Introduction to Facilitating Groups” webinar now!

Access the FREE webinar recording!

Training for

4 Days $2,895

Private classes are fully customizable, taught at your location, and provide the best value for groups of 10 or more. Contact us for more information about scheduling a private class.

*If you have fewer than 10 people, but still desire a personalized, private learning experience, consider collaborating with other departments in your organization or other organizations near you.

Schedule Now

Details coming soon…

Find a class date & location.

Please note both live and virtual classes are available.

2025

The Effective Facilitator – 4 Days (In-Person)

Jan 21 – Jan 24 – Washington, D.C.

Jan 27 – Jan 30 – Atlanta, GA

Feb 18 – Feb 21 – Las Vegas, NV

Feb 18 – Feb 21 – Falls Church, VA

Feb 24 – Feb 27 – Atlanta, GA

Mar 10 – Mar 13 – Chicago, IL

Mar 24 – Mar 27 – Washington, D.C.

Mar 31 – Apr 3 – Atlanta, GA

Apr 7 – Apr 10 – Atlanta, GA

Apr 21 – Apr 24 – Washington, D.C.

May 19 – May 22 – Washington, D.C.

Jun 2 – Jun 5 – Atlanta, GA

Jun 9 – Jun 12 – Denver, CO

Jun 23 – Jun 26 – Washington, D.C.

Jul 14 – Jul 17 – Chicago, IL

Jul 21 – Jul 24 – Washington, D.C.

Aug 18 – Aug 21 – Denver, CO

The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition – 4 Days (Eastern)

Jan 21 – Jan 24 – Virtual

Feb 10 – Feb 13 – Virtual

Apr 22 – Apr 25 – Virtual

Jun 9 – Jun 12 – Virtual

The Effective Facilitator: Virtual Edition – 4 Days – Central

Mar 10 – Mar 13 – Virtual

May 12 – May 15 – Virtual