I have just given a course in facilitation. Most people on the course were either Business Analysts or Project Managers.

I might be a bit slow, but I have just connected the dots……this is an important, perhaps critical, skill for  Project Managers. How often do we lead wokshops  for planning, risk analysis, problem solving etc? If you count up all the person hours, workshops can be expensive and we need to make them as effective as possible.

Facilitation is about setting clear objectives, selecting the right processes and using the combined intelligence and experience of the group to reach those objectives. If done well, it is hugely powerful in solving problems, creating ownership and building the team. If done badly, it will lead to frustration, disunity and poor problem solving.

There is a lot out there written about good facilitation but how many Project Managers know that is exists?

This is the process we use at Project Laneways. We lso use it as the basis for our training in facilitation.

Just lately we have been receiving an increasing number of enquiries regarding our training in soft skills, people skills. Our approach is simple and explained here

Personally, I think this is very forward looking.  Many of us are too embarrassed to admit our weaknesses area such as

• listening skills
• negotiating
• team leadership
• facilitation
• recognising and dealing with stress.

It’s as though we think everyone should be able to do all of things. actually most of us Can do these things to an extent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get better at them. For instance, I think I am OK in the kitchen. But I also know that a few lessons would make me a lot better.  it’s just not that important to me.

However, if my sucess at work or in life depended on my kitchen skills then I would go out there and get lessons and try to be as good as I could be.

So how many people depend on their soft skills, people skills to get things done at work. Could they be better?