1.Ask these 2 important questions to the boss before you meet. When a facilitator has these answers, he can create the perfect day.
I. What are your team’s biggest issues at work?
II. What specific outcomes would you love to see happen
at the end of the day?

2. Have more activities than you will need. A good facilitator always plans ahead by bringing and planning more activities than necessary as back-up, in case the day goes really quickly.

3. Go propless. When traveling, one never knows when luggage might get lost. A wise facilitator always relies on several propless activities just in case.

4. Be invisible. A good team building facilitator asks good questions and steps back --- allowing the participants to engage, interact, and communicate. It’s their day; let them learn by doing and speaking up.

5. Lead by example. A good facilitator is aware of his or her actions when things do not go according to plan or in between the activities.

6. Put EGO’s in the back pocket. A good facilitator allows the group to lead and proceed at their rate and on their agenda. Letting go of one’s agenda to meet the needs of the group is a terrific facilitator strength.

7. Pause. Allowing participants to pause often gives them time to process, think, and anchor their learnings. Few facilitators do this. Pause, pause, pause.

8. De-brief. Allowing the participants to process their actions, behavior, and responses after each activity is precisely when the learning takes place.

9. Be punctual. Start on time, allow breaks, end on time. Period.

10. Nurture spontaneity. The best moments and the most teachable moments are usually the unplanned moments. Enjoy, appreciate, and honor them.

11. Laugh often. Participants learn best when having FUN!

Author's Bio: 

Larry Lipman is a success coach. Larry's passion and mission are the same:

* create new ways of thinking
* turn thoughts into action steps
* bring out their best, all in a fun and supportive environment
* create more powerful, trusting teams

Larry earned his B.A. at the University of Virginia and M.Ed. at the University of San Diego.
Along the way, Larry has been a Bailiff in Traffic Court, Algebra and Geometry Teacher, Basketball and Tennis Coach, Director of Summer Camp Aquatics Programs, Director of Sales, and an Actor in T.V. Commercials. Larry leads personal development seminars and specializes in team building events.

Larry is a certified trainer.
Since 1990, Larry has completed Jack Canfield's Facilitating Skills Certification (Culver City, CA), Melton Leadership Institute Train-the-Trainer (Palm Springs, CA), Active Teaching Leadership Training (Atlanta, GA), Piering Mastery Technology for Excellence Training (Costa Mesa, CA), Tony Robbins Mastery University (San Diego, CA), and Stephen Covey “First Things First” Workshop. He is ROPES Course Certified.