Facilitation in Action

Improve the Impact of Your Facilitation

Facilitation is about mastering how to deliver an engaging learning experience, all in the effort of improving workplace performance. It's also about developing your unique approach and building confidence in it so you can achieve your facilitation goals. In Facilitation in Action, four master ATD facilitators open your eyes to the range of facilitation methods and techniques and help you find your authentic training style.

Authors Carrie Addington, Jared Douglas, Nikki O'Keeffe, and Darryl Wyles provide tips, lessons, and stories rooted in hands-on application, from experiences leading ATD's education programs and delivering training in industries from government and healthcare to marketing and beauty. Learn how to develop a facilitation mindset that identifies what learners need to be successful before, during, and after training. Explore how to adapt your facilitation across various modalities and how to be prepared when you must pivot in the moment. And, dive into the importance of empathy, inclusion, feedback, and performance to facilitation.

This guide takes both new and established facilitators on a journey of honing training delivery skills, and demonstrating agility for the benefit of the learners, the organization, and themselves. The chapters are structured around actual questions the authors have received over the years from learners in ATD Education's train-the-trainer sessions. Each chapter concludes with invitations and moments of reflection for the reader as they consider their own development as a facilitator.

Carrie Addington is senior manager of learning experience and facilitator development at ATD, where she leads the strategy for the facilitation and learning experience of ATD education courses. She is a master facilitator and strengths-based people development coach with a passion for delivering practical learning experiences with a spirited energy. As an education consultant and facilitator for more than 12 years, Carrie has worked with a variety of business segments including retail, beauty, education, and nonprofits, and has worked with C-level executives, directors, managers, and high potentials. As a certified ATD Master Trainer and ATD Master Instructional Designer, Carrie is knowledgeable about both the development and delivery of outcome-based learning programs and thrives on creating bespoke learning solutions that yield business impact. Carrie has delivered on topics ranging from energetic accountability, leadership, and great feedback to resolving conflict and train-the-trainer programs. As a global speaker, Carrie is passionate about training delivery and facilitation, speaking on topics like daring facilitation and overcoming challenging classroom behaviors. She has a master of fine arts, poetry is passionate about using her love of language and the arts to work with individuals on establishing deeper connections with their daily work. Jared Douglas is an internal ATD facilitator. He uses a learner-centric approach to create an engaging, inclusive environment in his sessions. As a consultant, Jared has worked with organizations across various industries, including advertising, transportation, finance, technology, and consumer goods, to help clients develop and execute in-person, digital, and blended learning initiatives. Leading the North American learning function for Momentum Worldwide, a global experiential advertising agency, Jared was responsible for the full-cycle learning experience. This included needs analysis, development and sourcing of content, curriculum building, logistics and coordination of learning programs, and evaluating for effectiveness. He built a variety of courses, facilitated open enrollment and bespoke team workshops, and contributed to various projects such as launching an employee experience brand and redesigning the performance management process. Jared has facilitated on a range of topics, including communication skills, collaboration, relationship building, brainstorming, client mapping, time management, and presentation skills. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Binghamton University and a master's in industrial and organizational psychology from Baruch College. Jared is fascinated by psychological perspectives and enjoys connecting theoretical content with practical and relevant applications in day-to-day activities. Nikki O'Keeffe is program manager of facilitator development at ATD. As a certified ATD Master Trainer, ATD Master Instructional Designer, and APTD credential holder, she understands the value of solid training plans and strong facilitation. Having served many years as a facilitator for ATD's face-to-face, online, and asynchronous certificate programs. In addition to her facilitation, she supports ATD's global facilitator network with performance support to ensure each delivery for ATD participants is impactful. Nikki looks forward to sharing her experiences and expanding her knowledge base by learning from the participants, business partners, and co-facilitators in the ATD courses that she designs, develops, and facilitates. Nikki's mission statement is, "To connect, motivate, and challenge talent development professionals to be the best version of themselves." Darryl Wyles is a facilitator for ATD with more than 20 years of experience in talent development. He has played major roles in transforming learning programs as a leader for large and small organizations in government and the financial services industry. Darryl enjoys the challenge of building organizational end-to-end training solutions from the ground up and is passionate about providing a fun and interactive learning environment in his workshops. Prior to his current role, Darryl was the training and development manager for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, where he spearheaded the creation of Parks and Recreation University, the department's first structured training and development program. Parks and Recreation University introduced a wide variety of leadership and skill development learning programming that enhanced workforce's proficiencies and expertise. Darryl has a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies, sports management, from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.