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Overview: Extra Information
Your instructors
Kathy Germann (MA, The Ohio State Univ.) has more than 35 years of experience teaching, consulting, facilitating and coaching with more than 350 client groups across the country. She has served as an ad hoc instructor for UW–Madison for 28 years. Germann has taught on three college campuses and was an executive director in the nonprofit sector. She is known for her sense of humor and highly participatory teaching style.
Denise Jess (BS, UW–Madison) is the CEO/executive director of the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired. She also operated a consulting and coaching practice that facilitated training on human relations issues. Jess taught elementary-aged children and has authored published curricula for all ages. She is deeply committed to supporting learners in creating inclusive environments.
Course Outline
Session descriptions
Session 1: Building the Learning Community, Facilitation Model, Agenda-Setting
April 12–13
We model how to create an effective work group as we establish a learning community. Discover the importance of maintaining balance between the dynamics of task and process, as well as their implications for group development stages and agenda design. You also have the opportunity to prepare a meeting agenda to use in your organization.
Learn how to:
- Create group agreements to establish a productive work climate.
- Apply a model for the stages of group development.
- Design outcome-based agendas with clearly defined purposes.
- Select multi-modal processes to enhance participation and achieve agenda outcomes.
Session 2: Utilizing Different Learning Patterns
May 10–11
The Perceptual Thinking Patterns PTP™ model is a concrete tool that teaches how people learn, process and communicate. Learn how to use visual, kinesthetic and auditory methods to accomplish the tasks of organizing, integrating and creating information. In order to support effective group processes, facilitators need to understand how people with the 6 different patterns approach these tasks.
Learn how to:
- Learn how our minds use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities to organize, process and create.
- Discover which of the 6 patterns matches the way your mind learns and communicates.
- Explore the biases, gifts and challenges of each of the 6 patterns.
- Discover ways to create mutual adaptations between different thinking patterns and the benefits of diverse perspectives.
Session 3: Centering, Deep Listening, and Skillful Questioning
July 12–13
Centering, the ability to remain grounded, reflective, and attentive to what is happening in the moment, is a foundation skill that can strengthen your ability as a facilitator. When you facilitate from center, you are better equipped to perceive group process and take actions that will support the members' needs.
The ability to listen intently with your whole self is another essential skill. Effective facilitators recognize when people are operating from assumptions and use non-judgmental questions to help clarify perspectives and foster shared understanding of the issues.
Learn how to:
- Use a tool for checking out assumptions before they escalate into conflict.
- Discern between observable data vs. "spin."
- Center to access your best thinking and engage with integrity.
- Use encouraging responses and questions of inquiry to elicit and understand different perspectives.
Session 4: Transforming Conflict
September 13–14
Many people want to avoid conflict, yet it is a natural aspect of group dynamics. When handled with integrity, the energy of conflict can be used to improve trust and communication among group members. When all group members' perspectives are honored and common ground is achieved, work relationships can be enhanced and more innovative, lasting solutions can be found.
In this session, you have an opportunity to reflect on your attitudes and behaviors in conflict and increase your comfort in working effectively with conflict.
Learn how to:
- Examine the impact of your history with conflict on your current responses to it.
- Distinguish among the 4 basic responses to conflict.
- Excavate beyond positions to identify and express underlying needs.
- Find common ground and generate win-win solutions.
Session 5: Decision-Making, Facilitation Feedback
October 11–12
One of the biggest challenges work groups face is in making effective decisions. In day 1, you'll learn how to address the tension between closure and further exploration, create shared understanding of the problem, and facilitate lasting solutions.
Day 2 will be an opportunity to synthesize and practice everything you've learned. You'll receive concrete, practical feedback on your facilitation skills. You'll explore how to address resistance in the workplace and how to build support for ongoing application of your new skills/tools.
Learn how to:
- Understand the benefits of an explicit decision-making rule.
- Assess the pros and cons of different decision-making rules.
- Use a tool to discern the level of agreement.
- Apply your learning to designing and facilitating a group meeting.
Earn Continuing Education Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
| Instructional Hours | 60 |
| University of Wisconsin Continuing Education Units | 6 |
| American Psychological Association - Continuing Education Credit | 60 |
| Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Substance Abuse Counselors - Continuing Education Credit Hours | 60 |
| Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Marriage and Family Therapists - Continuing Education Credit Hours | 60 |