Originally posted on the ILRI slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net/ILRI/presentations), this is a presentation I gave for the ILRI series of information/communication training workshops 'Komms Klinics' on the topic of 'organizing and facilitating effective events and conversations'. It is based on my ILRI work and other personal insights.

1. Komms Klinic
The new series
Komms Klinic session
ILRI Ethiopia, DD Month YYYY

2. New Komms Klinic?
• Away from (just) tools, into
communication processes
• Six broad communication areas
• Tools are still part of the picture
• Awareness raising and hands-on
training
• More trainers, more trainees

3. Organizing effective events
and conversations
Presentation by Ewen Le Borgne
Komms Klinic session
ILRI Ethiopia, 20 April 2012

5. Overview
1. What are we talking about?
2. Basic ingredients
3. Effective conversations
4. Effective events
5. Need a Komms Klinic session?

6. 1. What are we talking about?
• Professional face-to-face
conversations
• Meetings, workshops, events…
• And what’s going on around them
• What makes a conversation
effective? Let’s find out!

7. 1. What are we talking about?

8. 2. Basic ingredients
1. Clear purpose and outcomes
2. Great content
3. A clear, flexible process
4. The right people
5. Strong logistics
6. Learning and follow up

9. 2. Basic ingredients
Three activity phases
1. Design and organize
(prepare)
2. Facilitate and manage
(collaborate)
3. Document, capitalize and
follow up (archive and act)

11. 3. Effective conversations
1. What makes an effective
conversation?
1.Inviting
2.Relevant
3.Outcome-oriented
4.Mutually beneficial
2. What about events???

12. 4. Effective events
1. Design & thinking
2. Content
3. Process
4. Participants & facilitators
5. Venue, set-up, equipment…
6. Results

13. 4.1 Effective events:
Design and thinking
• Achieve clear purpose and
outcomes
• Mind the BOSSY HERALD!

14. 4.1 Effective events:
Design and thinking
• Big picture
• Ownership
• Sharpness
• Spectrum
• Yearnings

15. 4.1 Effective events:
Design and thinking
• How-to & heuristics
• Extent
• Running the event
• Attendance
• Location
• Dynamics

16. 4.1 Effective events:
Design and thinking
The agenda
ien ted
-or
o me
utc r
O
lea ant
C ev
R el ted
nte gra
Known to all!!! I
lexible
F

17. 4.2 Effective events:
(Great) Content
1. Inputs from previous work
(publications)
1.In various formats?
2. On the spot inputs
3. Good questions!
4. Documentation of insights

18. 4.3 Effective events:
(A clear, flexible) Process
1. What work methods?
2. Time management
3. Before–during–after
4. Adapt for adult learning
5. Review, learn, improve
6. Interactive, engaging, dynamic

19. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people (participants
and facilitators)
1. The chair
2. The facilitator
3. The resource person(s)
4. The minute-taker
5. The social reporter
6. The participants

20. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
Authoritative
• The chair
Sees to the outcomes
Timely
Respectful

21. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
Observing
• The facilitator Good
communicator
Facilitates the
process Refrains from
intervening
Creates a space
Dynamic
Remains flexible
Balances needs

22. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
•
Presents content Knowledgeable
Good speaker
Interested
Trustworthy

23. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
• The minute-taker
Documents the meeting
Asks questions
Conversant
Quick (blind types)
Fast (to share
minutes)

24. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
• The social reporter
Listens carefully Conversant
Teases out issues
Multimedia-
and keeps it all in
savvy
one place
Fast Writes well

25. 4.4 Effective events:
The right people
• The participants
Active
Motivated
Curious
Play the game
Keen on sharing
Humble
Respectful

26. 4.5 Effective events: Venue, set-
up, equipment (Strong logistics)
1. Venue: Booked? Capacity?
Acoustics? Easy to reach?
2. Transport All arranged?
3. Equipment Audio/video? Venue
equipment? Test it all out!
4. Information Does everyone know
where to go, what it’s about, whom
they will meet, what they’re supposed
to do before, during, after?

27. 4.6 Effective events:
(Learning and follow up) Results
• Learning
• New insights?
• Critical issues?
• Critical questions?
• After action review?
• Log book?

28. 4.6 Effective events:
(Learning and follow up) Results
• Documentation and (social)
reporting
• Live document (Twitter,
Yammer, pictures, audio/video,
tags)
• Capture signals (interviews)
• Reflect (blog)
• Document and archive

29. 4.6 Effective events:
(Learning and follow up) Results
• Follow-up
• Clear commitment
• Accessible to-do list & minutes
• Check for comments
• Double-check understanding
• Come back on it next time
• Build on it: what’s next?

30. 4.7 Effective events: examples
1. IPMS Experience-sharing
workshop (‘IPMSGTP’)
2. AgriGender 2011
3. AgShareFair
4. USAid ‘Africa RISING’ design
workshops

31. 4.7 Effective events: examples

32. 4.7 Effective events: examples

33. 4.7 Effective events: examples

34. 4.7 Effective events: examples

35. 4.7 Effective events: examples

36. 4.8 Effective events: So what?
1. Design smartly for maximum
impact
2. Facilitate flexibly and interactively
for maximum inputs
3. Document to maximize outputs,
follow-up activities and…
1.…share information for the best
outcomes

37. 5.Need a KommsKlinic session?
• We can support you with:
• Design
• Facilitation
• Public speaking
• Documentation and social
reporting
• Contact p.ballantyne@cgiar.org

38. Resources
• Every presentation ever (video)
• Examples on Maarifa
• Organizing meetings effectively
• Ewen’s bookmarks on del.icio.us
• The chemistry of magical facilitation (1)(2)
• An overview of Facilitation techniques
• Find support on this and more on the ILRI
Comms wiki (FAQ)

39. More about Komms Klinic
• Visit our Komms Klinic training wiki: http://ilri-
training.wikispaces.com
• Find out more and contact Tsehay, Ewen or
Peter
• Find answers to communication questions:
http://ilri-comms.wikispaces.com
• Find out about the activities of ILRI’s
communication team:
http://infoilri.wordpress.com

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