A.    BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

*         Schedule ample time for planning

*         Take some time to get to know each other

*         Discuss each other’s style of planning and facilitating

*         Avoid making assumptions about one another

*         Take time to discuss your views about the workshop topic

*         Especially examine areas of disagreement

*         Discuss any concerns about potential challenges that participants may present

*         Agree on common goals for workshop

*         Review each other’s triggers

*         Find out whether and when it is okay to interrupt

*         Decide how to keep track of time

*         Strategize about how to stick to the original outline and how to switch gears

*         Plan ways to give signals to one another

*         Divide facilitation of activities fairly

*         Share responsibility equally in preparing and bringing workshop materials and resources

*         Agree to arrive at the workshop site in time to set up and check-in before the workshop begins

*         Schedule time after the workshop to debrief

 

B.    DURING THE WORKSHOP

*         Remember to keep a professional demeanor at all times

*         Keep communicating with each other throughout the workshop

*         Support and validate one another

*         During activities that don’t require constant attention, check-in with one another

*         Include your co-facilitator even when you are leading an exercise or discussion, by asking, for example: “Do you have anything to add?”

*         Use lots of eye contact

*         Assert yourself if your co-facilitator is talking too much

*         Remember that it is okay to make mistakes

*         Take the initiative to step in if your co-facilitator misses an opportunity to address a myth

 

C.    AFTER THE WORKSHOP

*         If you can’t meet right after the workshop, schedule a time to debrief before you leave

*         Listen carefully to one another’s self-evaluation before giving feedback

*         Discuss what worked well

*         Examine what did not work

*         Brainstorm what could have been done differently

*         Use written evaluations as a reference point to talk about the workshop, and assess your effectiveness as co-facilitators

*         Name particular behaviors, for example: “When you kept interrupting me, I felt undermined and frustrated”, or “I got the impression that some participants were bored”, instead of “You always interrupt me” or “You were very controlling during the workshop.”

*         Realize the importance and potential difficulty of debriefing a challenging workshop

*         Make sure to share any clean-up or return of resource materials

*         REMEMBER: YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE