"Making experiences, whatever they are, human is one of the key learnings of human-centered design, and at least one of those that I really keep close to my heart." - Marco Monterzino

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, Douglas Ferguson interviews Marco Monterzino, a human-centered designer and innovation facilitator. Marco shares his journey from luxury product design to facilitation, emphasising the significance of ritual, adaptability, and purpose in both fields. They discuss how design thinking and frameworks like the hero's journey inform facilitation, and how rituals shape user

"I need people to not just feel safe, but to actually feel excited and engaged in whatever the moment is bringing, to take risks, and to grow in real time." - Grace Losada

In this Facilitation Lab Podcast episode, host Douglas Ferguson interviews Grace Losada, Vice President of Learning and Development at Change Enthusiasm Global. Grace shares how her early experiences in peer counseling, athletics, and performance arts shaped her facilitation style. The conversation explores creating safe, engaging environments for learning, the importance of shared language, and the art of scaling intimacy in large groups. Grace offers insights on embracing mistakes, fostering connection, and designing impactful experiences, emphasizing playfulness and agency. The episode highlights facilitation as both an art and a science, rooted in intentionality, collaboration, and authentic human connection.

"The power of facilitation is to bring all the voices to the table, and as you may have heard this saying, "nothing for us without us," and I love that, it resonates so much."-Alexis Scranton

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Alexis Scranton from Aligned Impact Solutions. Alexis shares her journey from teaching kindergarten and third grade to training teachers on national reform projects, which led her to specialize in facilitating corporate social responsibility and social impact initiatives. The discussion highlights the importance of inclusivity in decision-making, the differences between facilitating adult learning and teaching children, and the role of effective questioning in overcoming resistance. Alexis emphasizes creating environments where all voices are heard, fostering collaboration, and drawing out collective wisdom for impactful outcomes.

"Fallow is such an eco-cyclical idea but I feel that it's very underrated. So I've been thinking about the value. We think about moving through creative destruction into periods of renewal, there is a space and time that is fallow. Things are sort of resting and they're quiet. And there are different ideas and different sorts of notions or learnings that are sort of dormant in us.  And then they come out at these times and you're like, well, that's been waiting to just emerge as this delightful piece of tacit knowledge, and then it becomes more explicit knowledge. But I love the idea that there are these things simmering. They're all part of the compost. They're all part of the soil."-Anna Jackson

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Anna Jackson about her experience helping groups work together on what matters most to them, often facilitating collaborative learning experiences, and as a partner for people who want to learn Liberating Structures.  We explore why it's ok to be fallow at times and methods for understanding the needs of clients.  We then discuss the differences in group work and individual work.  Listen in to learn about the mechanisms of systems thinking, transitional facilitation, and learning partnerships.

" I wanted the classroom to be based on the fact that first and foremost, bring everything you got. Bring all aspects of who you feel and think and believe yourself to be, because we're all constantly forming that idea, all trying to figure out who our authentic self is. So through that, I started to focus more on creating an actual pledge for each of my class periods. So instead of saying these are the rules, I had my students help create community in that particular class period and what that meant to them. So that's something that I've presented nationally on creating a pledge, a classroom pledge for each individual classroom."-Matthew Reynolds

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Reynolds about building a Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy, what inspired their strong point of view within the industry, and finding a sense of belonging growing up as a multiethnic, same gender, peaceful warrior in rural America.  We explore strategies for creating environments of humanity and shifting the consciousness of humanity.  We then discuss the distinction between acquaintance, friend, and close friend.  Listen in to question how much of your thinking is your own thinking.

"One of the most common things that I'm hearing is, 'thank you for sharing'.  It drives me nuts because there's a big part of me that is just like, there's no 'thank you' needed.  I didn't share that for your gratitude to be received. I shared that because it was on my mind. And so I think what I fear is happening is we're starting to have this conversation about let's listen. Let's just take time to listen. Without having been trained on what to do after you hear things. And I don't know if we're quite ready to really deeply listen without having to know what to do." -Bre Gentile

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Bre Gentile about her unconventional career path transitioning from Academia to tech to Founder of her own lab.  We discuss the amazing knowledge she has gained in trauma and toxic stress research and how she was able to leverage her lived experience to help app designers, UX researchers, and other creatives become more trauma-informed so they build more accessible products. We then talk about using friendship as a tool to develop emotional intelligence, empathy, and deep listening skills. Listen in to learn strategies for developing self awareness and empathy at work.  

"I think one of the things that is unfortunate about design thinking is it gets a little bit of a bad rap in that people don't see a practical application of it. And I think if you can strip away some of the aesthetics and strip away some of the language, but there are practical applications, I call it, we have to be practical and tactical because we can really drive a lot of change in our organization by doing that." -Brian Sullivan

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian about his twenty plus years of experience in the Design Industry and what led him to become a Design Thinking advocate and educator.  We discuss how to make Design Thinking more practical and the joy of having a job making other people better at their job.  We then talk about the importance of creating space for mental health and a few activities he uses with his teams.  Listen in to learn about his unique approach for educating design students, designing mentorships, and knowledge sharing.

"We spend a lot of time figuring out how to dismantle people's ideas.  How to poke holes in them. Critical thinking is supposed to be critical, right? Well, not always.  Critical thinking sometimes is about how you combine things in new ways and create new things out of them.  See what's possible.  Not just how you deconstruct them and leave all the parts on the table."-Gregory Galle

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Gregory Galle about his 30 years of experience applying his Think Wrong problem solving system to both the private and public sectors.  We discuss scaling his business internationally and recruiting local assets for global problems.  We then talk about the importance of understanding Cross Sector Communication and creating the conditions for 'Being' in business.  Listen in to learn about his unique approach to Challenge Statements, reframing How Might We questions, and lots of practical activities to help you change group dynamics.

"Every product leader needs to have their own definition of what makes a great product manager because there is not this one size fits all definition. We're operating in so many different sizes and types of companies and organizations, so I strongly encourage the product teams to come up with their own definition."-Petra Willie

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Petra Willie about her extensive experience developing product people and how her experience as a software developer influenced her facilitation practice. We discuss a meeting she designed called Team Radar, the purpose of the meeting, what it helped accomplish, and why it was so powerful. Listen in for actionable facilitation tips, virtual challenges, and a few of her favorite facilitation questions.  

"I really believe that anyone who has a business is a salesperson. You've got this far and you may not follow that traditional path. You may not be the guy in the polo shirt who's going to make 100 phone calls that day. But I feel like there's something to be said for people who have built their business and want to keep selling it and they have the tools to sell it. You can have these conversations."-Dana Publicover

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dana Publicover about her extensive experience designing experiences for customers across a variety of creative industries and how her background in facilitating Design Sprints influenced her current business. We discuss the importance of embracing your inner salesperson,  and we explore what designing an exceptional sales experience looks like and why you shouldn't hire a salesperson. Listen in to learn about outbound vs. inbound sales, nurturing relationships, and setting the rest of your team up for sales success. 

"To me the future of the public commons is the metaverse. And so, if you're hearing this word metaverse and you're thinking, ;What is that?; It is a digital universe. It has many planets and solar systems. The ecosystems of the metaverse might be like a crypto experience, or it might be a virtual world, or it might be augmented reality or smart glasses. These are all places where we come to collaborate, where we come to find each other, and where we come to figure it out. We need these places to figure it out. So, that's why I've been focused on building an open, interoperable, accessible, inclusive, and safe metaverse for everyone."-Evo Heyning

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Evo Heyning about her extensive experience working with the metaverse, creating immersive experiences, and developing the spatial web.  We explore what the metaverse is and how it is being used to bring collective action to a larger population.  We then discuss the distinction between collaboration and collective action.  Listen in to learn about the mechanisms of collective compassion, digital twins, and prototyping a more protopian future.

"The number one foundational principle as a facilitator is to create psychological safety, psychological security, emotional security in the room by informing people and letting them know what the expectations are upfront. So what is the agenda? What is the goal? What is expected of them? Because that helps people relax, when they know what I am supposed to be doing here? Because otherwise they're tiptoeing around hoping that they don't stub their toe on something." -Madelon Guinazzo

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Madelon Guinazzo about how she became a Cuddle Facilitator, the importance of social agreements, and being more intentional about how we meet. We discuss the consent of self-care and trying to do the right thing for you and your .  Later we discuss the distinction between implicit and explicit social agreements and why communication is all about context, context, context.  Listen in to hear actionable tips for creating an opening in meetings that gracefully invites psychological safety into the room.

"Three-quarters of enterprise customers and around 67% of consumers primarily buy and compete on experience. And we kind of know that intuitively. Think about it, we pay extra for certain brands that we feel connected to. And it's one of the interesting things I've been talking more about. There's a great quote, not mine... "The best experience anywhere becomes the minimum expectation everywhere."" -Todd Allmond

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Todd Allmond about his years of enterprise experience, where he learned to better understand customers through quantitative and qualitative research. He used those insights to improve their digital and non-digital experiences and the role service providers play in Customer Experience.  We discuss how a market research field studies trip led to his early career change and passion for all the humans involved in the customer journey.  We then discuss why digital customer experiences should be treated as products.  Listen in to hear actionable tips for mitigating blindspots in the CX research process.

"It's most costly in the wasted human energy and time that goes into things that people in the end don't care about. That is what's the most frustrating to me, seeing people pour their energy with the hope that it's going to pay off, and then in the end, when people shrug, it's just so demoralizing."- Jake Knapp

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Jake Knapp, co-founder and general partner at Character Capital, and a former Google employee instrumental in developing Gmail and Google Meet. The episode delves into Jake's extensive experience in product development, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and market differentiation. Jake shares insights from his early coding and game development days, highlighting the value of iterative testing and customer feedback. They discuss the "foundation sprint" and "magic lenses" techniques for refining product ideas and making informed decisions. The episode underscores the necessity of clarity and alignment in successful product development.

"I think it's important to have silent time because each individual has something unique to contribute to the collective of the group. In order to not be influenced by what others are saying or contributing, it's important that they listen to their own thoughts or ideas or opinions or beliefs about whatever it is that is being shared, whatever we're trying to accomplish. So that you can have more variety, possibly more diversity, more genuine personal truth in what you're bringing to the table." -Paula Rosecky

In this episode of Control the Room, I had the pleasure of speaking with Paula Rosecky about her extensive experience working with daughters of immigrants and helping them create a sense of belonging in their personal and professional lives. We discuss how growing up in a community of folks who did not speak English formulated Paula's approach to facilitating safe spaces for people of multicultural backgrounds. We then take a look at three foundations for how people should approach facilitation. Listen in to hear powerful methods that help people move away from conflict and toward  shared values. 

"To me, [DevOps is] a collaboration philosophy. It's an ideology that is all about breaking down silos and getting communication flows, working through an organization. Starting with dev and ops, that's where the name came from, but really extending beyond that. It flows through the whole organization, you taking that product mindset approach to everything, continuous discovery, continuous delivery, a foundation of culture." -Tim Beattie

In this episode of Control the Room, Tim Beattie and I dive into the value of incorporating open innovation groups in your organization to gather customer feedback, as well as the benefits of having direct access to customer feedback when these spaces are created. We discuss the importance of having consistent showcase events, or as Tim's refers to it, a "walking of the walls," to invite conversation and feedback between customers and project engineers on upcoming projects. Tim's approach to gather these event outcomes can speed up the design process and provide customers with products they truly need. We then look at the power in creating your own culture your way, and we discuss Tim's perspective to apply the layers of development operations (DevOps) throughout your organization. Listen in to hear Tim's belief that implementing DevOps can be the evolution and journey forward to take your organization to new levels.   

"We really pride ourselves as somebody that can go into a company and put on the team's jersey, so to speak, and act as the advocate for the person who hired us. In order to do that, you've got to know your environment. So we listen a lot. We take a lot of notes. We ask a lot of questions. And we very much try to keep an open mind.

In this episode of Control the Room, Jeff Marple and I discuss how innovation can sometimes appear taboo in the legal operations industry, and the opportunity the legal world has to embrace and expand upon it. Jeff shares how knowing "your client's environment" allows you to offer the most effective solutions to individual businesses' needs. He explains that setting the right intentions for group events can allow the audience to participate without fear. He also shared the challenges & insights gained from transitioning the Boston Legal Design Challenge,a former in-person event built for law students to explore design thinking methods, to the virtual landscape. Listen in to hear Jeff's point of view on "advocating for your customer" as your North Star and how to harness your unique value in your work, across any industry. 

"That's what I nerd out on. I really love this idea of how...organizations create environments where they can push decision making down to the edges, so...they become a complex organism that's way better at engaging with the world and creating value in the world." -Teresa Torres 

In this episode of Control the Room, Teresa Torres and I examine her diverse career journey centered in human-centered design, where she helps organizations embrace and optimize the complex dynamics of team decision-making.  Teresa shares the benefits that organizations can gain when they embrace the "messiness" of collaborating in complex systems and the opportunity they then have to "empower the edges." We discuss Teresa's approach to the  "decision making trio" that occurs during group decision-making and the value of listening to individual team member's unique perspectives Teresa also highlights how an organization can interview its customers using an empathetic approach, and the corresponding revelations that can arise when teams "do the work in their own research." Listen in to hear Teresa's take on how to work together as a team when complex problems arise in your organization and gain the skills necessary to make effective decisions for your team and your customers.  

" If you really listen to people and understand what's happening, if you illustrate an image that they're actually describing in their mind, [while] reflecting back maybe a sketch of what they were trying to say, people love it. People absolutely go crazy being listened to. " -David Sibbet 

In this episode of Control the Room, David Sibbet and I break down his unique career path in consulting and facilitating visual meetings and how individuals can use visual elements  to amplify their learning (whether it's navigating new tools, company projects, collaboration, etc.) . From the installation of his consulting company in the mid-70s to present day, David's focus in design thinking continues to drive him to help companies achieve a "sophisticated level of systems thinking" in company meetings. David reflects on the components of his creation, the Group Graphics tool, and its effectiveness to help teams find focus during workshops.We examine the impact of using "clean language" in the workplace and the ability to have a metaphorical thinking mindset, which he believes can indirectly lead to inclusivity within your organization. David also shares lessons he learned through enduring the peaks and valleys of decision-making when working with past clients. We conclude by taking a closer look at his passion project and non-profit organization, the Global Learning & Exchange Network (GLEN) and the responsibility we must uphold to build a better world for humanity on both local and global levels. Listen in to hear David's perspective on leading with a visual mindset to thrive in your organization.   

"When we follow our curiosity...and take small steps towards that curiosity, that's how we create possibilities for ourselves and for others." -Van Lai-DuMone

In this episode of the Control the Room Podcast, Van Lai-DuMone and I unpack the creative footprint that inspired her to dedicate her life's work at worksmART to uncover creativity in every organization. Van shares her observations on the creativity disconnect she's seen unfold in the corporate workforce and how teams can reignite collective creativity in their work. She highlights her go-to creativity strategies that demonstrate trying a "different" approach in the workplace and the significance in discovering creative artifacts for teams. Van and I discuss the transformative impact a strong collaboration flow has on teams when working on projects/ideas as well as when coordinating virtual and in-person events and meetings. We specifically speak to how organizations must prioritize connection in both the virtual & physical landscapes to make a successful shift to hybrid work, and the need for intentionality in daily workplace interactions in order to provide space for real connection in organizations. Listen in to hear Van's perspective on her journey to living a life in creativity and rediscovering your organization's creative niche.    

"There's a spectrum of teaching styles, and there's maybe the more traditional historical style of command style and sage on stage, all the way to a self-discovery. It appears to me that facilitation is really in that middle space between the command style and the self-discovery. [Facilitation] is about unleashing the collective power of a group." -Sarah L. Collie 

In this episode of Control the Room, Sarah Collie and I chat about the influence facilitation has played throughout her professional career. Sara shares the valuable learning principles of facilitation that continue to inspire her, along with the direct impact that the Liberating Structures framework has on facilitation. We take a close look at how meeting disruption can happen no matter how prepared the facilitator is and how to redirect the energy in the room and recover attendee productivity if there is disruption. Sarah highlights what she's learned from her facilitation experiences and the outcomes that can appear for any facilitator. She also notes the importance of prioritizing accountability for participants and creating conditions that cater to each unique audience. Listen in to hear Sara's viewpoint on the opportunity that facilitation brings for people to collectively come together and create a supportive network that can lead to the true essence of exceptional facilitation.   

"Design is an artifact, it's a thing, I believe it's also a process. I find that there's not a strong tie to people expressing and trying to describe the essence of the problem. To ask that question, 'What is the essence of the problem we're trying to solve here?' There's something deeper there and I think that's somewhat been lost." -Jim Scott

In this episode of Control the Room, Jim Scott and I examine the multi-layered career of design. We discuss the benefits of implementing the macro & micro exercise, along with the complex elements the public sector faces surrounding design. He then challenges the lack of diversity the design industry faces and the opportunity designers should embrace to create a career built in diversity across all industries. Listen in to hear Jim reveal his innovative journey to design as he continues his pursuit to lead with adventure and diversity in all aspects of his design endeavours.  

"Once people have the experience [to step] outside and they're willing...to create, to model, to look at the world with a new perspective and they realize, 'Oh my, the power is not the things. The power is my willingness and my openness to interact with these things and give it my imagination.'" -Liya James 

In this episode of Control the Room, Liya James and I discuss the value of environment shifts in organizations to unleash creation and the significance of a creative & courageous mindset in the workplace. We explore the space companies must offer employees so they can be their most authentic selves, and the unique purpose of Liya's new book, The Get Real Method. Listen in to hear Liya's perspective on empowering members of your organization to thrive in creativity and courageousness while simultaneously unlocking diversity & meaningful innovation. Liya also explains the impact of manifestation, creating the work life career you want to live starting now, and sharing the skill sets necessary to living a fulfilled life.   

"We have two really strong capacities [as human beings]. One is about discipline, finishing things and staying aligned. ...We'll call that the discipline muscle.  The other muscle is the initiative muscle. That's where we're going out on a limb, we're taking a risk, we're being creative, we're curious about what might happen if." -Diana Joseph

Diana Joseph is the Founder of the Corporate Accelerator Forum, an organization that builds a space for key relationships, stories, & tools in corporate entities to thrive in innovation.  Diana's vast "mission-driven" projects creates an entrepreneurial perspective for both individuals and organizations. Diana empowers others to embrace the failure when innovation projects are unsuccessful and learning from the "why." Her work encourages organizations to foster connections and innovate cohesively. As a Co-Host of the Ecosystem Show on Clubhouse, she continues to inspire organizations'  approaches in self-determination, creative confidence, and innovation culture alike.  

In this episode of Control the Room, Diana and I discuss the need for open dialogue between startup & corporate organizations, the unique space Diana curates to collectively come together through specified expertise, a look inside the world of anthropology and its benefits of implementation in the workplace, an understanding of design-based research thinking, and the reminder of an entrepreneurial approach in facilitation. Listen in to hear Diana reveal her passion in design-based research and the explorative efforts both organizations can gain in changing the conversation and working together.  

"You can talk the talk all you want, but the group is going to know if you're not walking the walk. As the facilitator, you have to be the one that's ready to lead in what you're asking them to do."- Caterina Rodriguez

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Caterina Rodriguez (Cat), a facilitator consultant and strategic leader at ADL. Cat shares her journey from anti-bias education to organizational effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of authentic connections in facilitation. She discusses the challenges of adopting a new facilitation style and highlights the transformative power of collaborative group experiences. Cat stresses the need for facilitators to embrace uncertainty and model genuine engagement, advocating for a method-agnostic approach. The episode underscores the value of building trust and fostering inclusive, change-ready cultures within organizations.

"Learning by being with an expert and learning how they think and why they think is super important, but not necessarily an expert who's the best. ...The best ways that you can learn are from people who just learned it. Scaffolding your learning and putting yourself in environments where you're learning from someone who just learned something is the fastest way you can basically learn things in the modern world." -Spawrks

Spawrks is the Co-Host of Space Pencils, a community built to enrich leadership skills where leaders can solely focus on leadership development within their organizations. Spawrks's cutting edge point of view changes the narrative in the learning process as he understands the significance of learning in the moment. He emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions towards ultimately accomplishing your goals in organizations. Spawrks believes the way you approach learning can not only have a direct impact on your work, but also in collaboration with other members in your organization. As a leading software engineer at Vrbo, he challenges the learning approach through learning in action as the most impactful solution forward.  

In this episode of Control the Room, Spawrks and I unpack the benefits of learning from an unorthodox perspective, the moments of stepping outside of the traditional learning loop, the crucial "linking" aspect in facilitation, and the responsibility of learning from the lessons of the pandemic as we embrace a new hybrid workplace.  Listen in to hear Spawrks explores the endless possibilities of an innovative hybrid workplace and the significance of the learning process reimagined in the modern world.  

"As leaders, I think it's very important to determine 'what kind of community are you building?' 'What kind of space are you providing?' Leaders then have to decide 'what kind of communities are we creating [in the organization], what kind of spaces and what kind of empathy do we have for the people on our team?'" -Elizabeth Maloba

Elizabeth Maloba is the Co-Founder of Nahari, an organization built for creating authentic spaces where collaborative learning and collective decision-making unfold. She understands the critical foundation of building community in the ecosystem of an organization and the level of trust needed to thrive when seeking solutions. Elizabeth ultimately believes that community is more than a place, it's also an identity and ongoing process. Her work leans into the continuous journey of improving team dynamics and a leader's need to transform conversations. As an expert facilitator with architectural influence, she challenges organizations' approaches when conflict arises to instill sustainable, implementable resolutions from direct collaboration.  

In this episode of Control the Room, Elizabeth and I discuss the value of experiential methods, the impact the pandemic had on mental health in the workplace, the necessity and personal meaning behind community in organizations, and the benefits having challenging conversations has on cross cross-sectoral collaboration. Listen in to hear Elizabeth unveil the elements behind creating the community you envision for your organization. She also explores how to identify the root of core challenges your organization faces so that your team can build greater solutions together.  

"The way that your organization and your team meet is either something that can emerge out of habit and grow organically, which may or may not be a good thing, or it's something that you can design. It...starts by actually looking at what you're doing and having an honest conversation about whether that's working for you." -Elise Keith

Elise Keith is the CEO of Lucid Meetings, a company that leads with innovation to improve the quality of organization's meetings. She understands the reality of taking a detailed look at the structure and underlying processes behind organizations' meetings to identify areas of opportunity for better engagement and exceptional performance. Elise believes successful, everyday meetings are achievable and encourages teams to lead with conversation and tailor-made meeting experiences. According to Elise, the ultimate challenge is for every team member within an organization to initiate the meeting about meetings and watch the benefits of your organization unfold. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Elise and I discuss the layers of rules for "the meeting," in productive organizations, the impact of creating custom meeting systems through Lucid Meetings, the significance of effective decision-making, and the need for intentional conversations about the meetings that take place in your organization. Listen in to hear how Elise reveals the methods behind productive meeting outcomes and the importance of clarity before, during, and after your next meeting, while allowing everyone to ultimately succeed. 

"This work really is about the design of human connection because there is a design. There's a design to conversations that turn out well, and there's a design to conversations that don't. If you...start to understand the design of what brings people together to actually produce more than you might imagine, you can create that magic...regardless of the circumstances." -Robin Anselmi

Robin Anselmi is the Chief Executive Officer at Conservant, a consulting agency that specializes in having high-quality conversations with team organizations and ultimately sets them up for success to achieve their biggest goals. She believes in the power of a grounded, connected leader to set the standard in growing together. Robin continues her mission at Conservant to reinforce the importance of human connection within organizations and striving towards innovation. As she encourages leaders to personify staying present, Robin reminds us to create the culture and strategy that works best for your own organization together. The foundation resides in the quality of your team's honest, authentic conversations.  

In this episode of Control the Room, Robin and I discuss the impact of presence in leaders leading to team innovation, the ongoing balance in assumptions, the leader's unique challenge of correction instead of perfection, and the magnitude of a connected leader in its organization. Listen in to hear how Robin reveals the importance of human connection leading to authentic conversations, and the significance of a leader listening while remaining grounded in presence. 

"More and more people are starting to recognize that the problems that we're having usually aren't issues of good versus evil.  It's differences of perspective. And if we can take the time to learn these skills and use negotiation as a tool to resolve these conflicts, we could leave these conflicts with stronger relationships and better deals." -Kwame Christian

Kwame Christian is the Director at the American Negotiation Institute, a consulting firm that focuses entirely on embracing the negotiation skills of entrepreneurs and small-business owners. He believes negotiation is arguably the most important skill set as professionals. As the current host of the 'Negotiate Anything' Podcast, Kwame continues the conversation surrounding negotiation as the foundation forward when conflict or uncomfortable conversations arise.  As he empowers others to seek confidence in conflict, Kwame is committed in his mission of leaning into conflict to uncover resolution, while building better relationships through authentic, honest conversations.   

In this episode of Control the Room, Kwame and I discuss breaking down biases in negotiation, the unique approach in negotiation scenarios, strategizing conversations and key recommendations within conflict, and the unique superpower of negotiation in all aspects of life. Listen in to hear how Kwame is encouraging voices to lean into uncomfortable conversations, and how to have effective relationships from the kitchen table to the conference room. The power is in the art of negotiation. 

"I realized...that I could teach people[leaders in organizations] to pay attention to their own body all day and all night, but that doesn't change the system unless that person has a motivation to look outside themselves and make a change with the people around them. "

Jade Duggan is the Strategic Counselor at Mindbody Leadership, a Communications Culture Design expert, and Wellness Coach in Holistic practices. She inspires organizations to lead in mindfulness & self-awareness as the foundation of their company culture. She is committed to establishing healthy practices in business rooted in sensory skills & the intentionality of leadership in organization structure.  From her early holistic roots of acupuncture in the family business, Jade began to recognize its connection towards social reform. Jade continues her mission towards social change in organizations through transformative leadership and unleashing the power of listening to your own body.

In this episode of Control the Room, Jade and I discuss locating your sensory skills as humans through the "light-switch hijack," navigating facilitation through mindfulness, applying the skills of self-awareness in leadership towards organization infrastructure, and the evolution of the micro-habit practice. Listen in to hear how Jade is inspiring her wellness expertise through organizations to reestablish company structure in mindfulness & self-awareness.

"I think the first question a facilitator should ask is, 'Do I have a model or does the model have me?'...As a facilitator, we want to encounter the other methods, so that frankly, we're more resilient to shocks in our group. "

Marcus Crow is the Co-Founder of 10,000 Hours and a scholar practitioner for over 20+ years, where he masterfully inspires teams to develop new skills to reach their maximum potential and deliver unique content for training through organizations. He reminds teams to stay "relentlessly self-improving" & has partnered with leading companies to enrich their collaboration and engagement within their teams. With his versatile methodology approach in facilitation, Marcus believes in the counterbalance of control and freedom and the facilitator muscle one must continuously stretch to deliver impactful meetings. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Marcus and I discuss the re-discovery of focus in performance for organizations, the juxtaposition of control and freedom methodologies in facilitation, the greater performance impact in teams through the pandemic, and the ongoing need for facilitators to embrace new methods for their delivery success. Listen in to hear how Marcus is revealing the truth about the versatile facilitator and the significance of facilitation as a true lifestyle.

"Because there is this law or that law, or people started giving us all the reasons that things don't have to change or all of the things that are preventing change, [it] prevents people from dreaming about something different. How do we create these just, equitable, and diverse futures moving forward?"

Lesley is the NC State University Asst. Professor of Design and Author & Creator of the Designers Critical Alphabet, a tool created to spark reflection and introduce designers & design students to critical theory.  She inspires her students & established designers alike to lead with empathy in design and build a greater social impact. With her leading research in equity-centered design thinking through diverse audiences and public health, Leslie represents the significance of a non-specialist approach in design and a larger need for industry-led social responsibility through design. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Lesley and I discuss the greater social impact in design, the journey of her career through design thinking, a detailed look into the designer's Critical Alphabet, the ideas behind critical race theory, and the necessary reminder of an empathetic approach in design. Listen in to hear how Lesley is expanding her design education footprint for future designers of our generation.

"If you've got a breath and you're a warm body, then I know that fun is going to be the magic, my most potent weapon...to be able to invite you to participate."

Mark Collard is the Founder of Playmeo, a company that provides a group-game wonderland with over 440+ games & activities towards team building and experiential education. He inspires facilitators, educators, and managers to empower groups to connect more effectively and build stronger teams. With training workshops and invaluable resources in their online database, Mark offers the essentials and more to exercise trust for organizations. Mark's mission to lead with fun through games can ultimately lead to magic and results. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Mark and I discuss the creation of the temporary community to foster trust, the deliberate/strategic approach of connection before content, and the ongoing virtual facilitation challenge towards engagement. Listen in to hear how Mark is masterfully leading with humanity in his group game bag of tricks to not only build connections in groups, but amplify results in your organization. 

"It's all about how you work with teams, not as a collection of individuals, but as a team, as an organism essentially. And that just completely changed the way that I facilitate and work with teams."

Sara Nelson is the Senior Director of Design at PepsiCo, where she leads the charge of design thinking programs forward to drive key outcomes.  Sara seeks to uncover the patterns & relationships her teams practice to develop greater strategies and leverage better results. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Sara and I discuss the impact of design thinking for team success in organizations, the collaboration efforts teams must exemplify, the "worthy workshop" intention and expectation, and the ongoing mindset of learning. Listen in to hear how Sara is reinforcing design thinking as the foundation forward in her organization and beyond.

"I saw her facilitate and I thought, "Wow, she's really drawing things out of the group instead of telling them what to do." That was so powerful, and I thought to myself, "I want to do that. I want to be able to do that type of work someday."- Dr. Karyn Edwards, PCC

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Dr. Karyn Edwards, an organizational psychologist and executive coach. Dr. Edwards shares her journey into facilitation and leadership, starting at Carlson Wagonlit Travel. She highlights the influence of her mentor, Julianne Weiss, and discusses overcoming imposter syndrome and challenges in leadership roles. The episode delves into the importance of "power skills" like emotional intelligence and adaptability. Dr. Edwards also talks about her current work, including writing for the Association for Training and Development and exploring organizational culture change programs. The episode underscores the transformative power of coaching.

"Universities have the opportunity to create micro-credentials, unbundle their education and then drive them[students] to a different ecosystem in terms of a lifelong learning model that is aligned to industry."

Matt Alex is the Co-Founder of Beyond Academics, where he guides the Future of Work and Digital Transformation divisions to gather the most brilliant minds of higher education, entrepreneurship, innovation and industry.  Matt strives to transform the college experience by inspiring lead educators across universities from around the country in collaboration towards a life-long learning workforce for the future of work. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Matt and I discuss the future of work through the higher education lens, the juxtaposition of the earn-it model with the life-long model for students, the unbundling and reimagination of the college experience, and the breakdown of segments in structured and unstructured work.  Listen in to hear how Matt is changing the course of higher education for the future of our workforce.

"I think there's a real power in a community and having a community of diverse backgrounds.  I feel our unique position with the Facilitation Lab gives facilitators the opportunity to not only practice in a safe and inclusive environment with other facilitators of different backgrounds, but also that there aren't a lot of unique spaces for and by facilitators to openly do just that."

Kierra Johnson is the Community Manager at Voltage Control and host of the weekly Control Room Facilitation Lab where she focuses on nurturing a network of facilitators. The lab is a place where facilitators connect, ideate, and troubleshoot methods and activities in a virtual forum to gain real-time learning and feedback. She connects hundreds of facilitators from around the world with a passion for practice and continuous growth in facilitation. 

In this episode of Control the Room, Kierra and I discuss the power of positivity,facilitation lab's impact, and how facilitators are connecting beyond the Lab. Listen in to hear how Facilitation Lab   supports the needs of facilitators and the significance of experimentation. 

"I think that people have been trying to facilitate these virtual meetings and they're pretty dry in a lot of ways, but they get the point across and that's good, but they're finding maybe a lack of productivity that happens when people just feel like this mundane day-to-day."

Rachael Green is the CEO and Founder at Rach Green Cocktails, where she uses high level hospitality, spirits and cocktail knowledge to entertain thousands of people from around the world.

In this episode of Control the Room, Rachael and I discuss hospitality, hybrid events, and mixology. Listen in to hear how prioritizing fun and connection can usher in balance and harmony within your teams.

"The only assumptions that can hurt our products are the ones we don't know about. I lean into the assumptions, I say, "Let's get them all out on the table." Let's align around them, because until we get all of you guys aligned, we're not going to be able to change your minds anyway."

Tamara Adlin is a UX expert and consultant who helps startups, and companies who want to behave more like startups, create products their customers love. She is also the co-author of the Persona Lifecycle book series and has created a method she calls Alignment Personas.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Tamara about shared narratives, alignment and personas. Listen in to hear how exploring assumptions and allowing data to inform decision making creates a unified team and a clear perspective.

"Using the other person's words is the nearest thing that the FBI has to a Jedi mind trick, because when the other person hears their words coming back, what they think is that person is using words like mine, therefore, they must be like me, therefore, I should like them."

Judy Rees is a consultant at Rees McCann where she leads a community of trainers, facilitators, producers and others who want to make online better than in-the-room. She is also the co-author of the Web Events That Connect How-to Guide and Clean Language: Revealing Metaphors and Opening Minds.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Judy about clean language, gardening, and contextual intent. Listen in to learn what subtleties can be uncovered in the words we use every day, through active listening and asking the right questions.

"I think about creativity as toggling between wonder and rigor to solve problems and the way we can get better at that toggling, the way we can get better at exercising our creativity is through what I call the three I's. And the three I's are inquiry, improvisation and intuition."

Natalie Nixon is a creativity strategist and president of Figure 8 Thinking, where she helps leaders achieve transformative business results by applying creativity and foresight. As a global keynote speaker as well as author, editor, and contributor of multiple writing publications, Natalie communicates awe and inspires teams around the world to reach their maximum business value.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Natalie about polymaths, dance, fashion and gratitude. Listen in to see how wonder, structure and grace can make the major difference in an organization when interconnected.

"I often say that the facilitators who have been in this profession for over seven, eight, 10 years, we've been very fortunate to learn through trial and error. We made some errors, we got feedback, et cetera. Today I think there's less room for errors, which means peer reviews. I like what you said, if you are doing those practice sessions, that's when you have got to put people through situations where they are stepping back. Are they jumping in to share their opinion? What's the kind of question? Is it a leading question? Is there an implicit bias behind the question? Those things we need to deal with in a lab or in a practice environment, because when we are in service with the actual group, we have to be even more careful of holding our space in a neutral space with everyone. If that makes sense? So I've learnt this skill of stepping back as a way of managing my derailers."

Vinay Kumar is the founding Director of C2C OD, where he enables organizations and their talent to be more effective. He is also the global chair of the International Association of Facilitators, and has held leadership and management positions in the worlds of education and banking.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Vinay about listening skills, elephants, and patience in facilitation. Listen in to hear what small, nuanced actions a facilitator can take to leverage their team's fullest potential.

"Well, with this pandemic, I decided I'm going to buy a Nintendo Switch. And I bought the Switch, and I'm very excited because everybody talked about Animal Crossing, and I was like, "I can't wait to play." And "I can't wait to play Mario Kart." And so, I got my Switch, and years ago I had carpal tunnel issues in my right hand, and so I started doing a lot of things with my left hand. And when I use this controller, after a while my hand starts to hurt. And I just think, "There's no accessible controller for the Switch." There is for Xbox, but I did actually just find an accessible controller that can lay flat, but it's only available in Japan at the moment for the Switch. I was like, "Why isn't this available in America?" I mean, so, give me the options, right? Just give me the options to do things differently."

Regine Gilbert is an Industry Assistant Professor at NYU, and the author of Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind. As a UX designer, she has educated peoples domestically and internationally concerning the value of widening the boundaries of what we deem possible, and necessary in design.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Regine about Nintendo, VR and accessibility as a byproduct of observation. Listen in to see how awareness fuels innovation and inclusion for an audience that needs it. 

"Well, it's funny you say that, because the biggest issue I find is that people overestimate their ability, simple term is cultural competence, but more accurately is, they overestimate their ability to navigate across cultures effectively. They think they're in one place, because they made an investment. They're super excited about this work. They know it's the right thing to do. They made the business case for it. They're totally invested. However, they don't have the skills to actually navigate those conversations effectively. When subjects around race and racism come up or other issues, they find themselves using a lot of their lizard brain where they're fighting, fleeing or freezing. And so when those conversations come up, their ability to actually navigate is really diminished because they haven't figured out for themselves personally how to sort through the moving parts they're going on."

Kazique Prince is the Founder & CEO of Jelani Consulting LLC, where he works with businesses and nonprofits as a DEI consultant. He also serves as the senior policy advisor and education coordinator for the City of Austin's mayor, Steve Adler, and has launched a nonprofit called Courage Equity that's aimed at funding educators who focus on cultural fluency.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Kazique about empathy-driven inclusion, psychological awareness in the workplace, and how reconciliation affects all aspects of an individual's life. Listen in to catch a glimpse of what reality could look like if we shifted our collective focus from punitive scrutiny, to empowering practices.

"Seeing patterns in the data, that's where framing insights matter. And the massive amount of data that I've collected, what are the insights, the key insights that come out? What are the patterns that I can see, that point to an opportunity for the future? What are the patterns and problems that people are facing that tells me there is a need that needs to be solved. So all those questions about pattern finding and then framing insights or design research into usable forms that can frame your ideas for the future is critical, but that's where I've seen a lot of teams and organizations are struggling with.."

Vijay Kumar is professor emeritus at the IIT's Institute of Design in Chicago, and the author of 101 Design Methods: A Disciplined Approach for Driving Innovation in Your Organization. His entry into the field of design at its early developmental stages have provided him a comprehensive, sound understanding of method-based design that uses research to power insights and create breakthroughs for organizations around the world.

In this episode of Control the Room, I talk with Vijay about 101 Design Methods, vintage typewriters and framing insights. Listen in to see dynamic systems with design-based structures re-shape how we interact with the world around us.

"There is so much humanity in vulnerability. If you're going to ask others to be vulnerable, you have to be willing to do so yourself and let your walls down to have rich, honest conversations."- Alyssa Coughlin

In this episode of the Facilitation Lab podcast, host Douglas Ferguson converses with Alyssa Coughlin, Chief of Staff Director for the Data and AI Platform Organization at Autodesk. Alyssa shares her journey into facilitation and leadership, emphasizing the importance of patience, active listening, and storytelling in effective facilitation. She discusses leading through influence rather than positional power, empowering team members, and creating a collaborative environment. Alyssa also highlights techniques for engaging quieter participants and the significance of addressing underlying tensions in group dynamics. The episode concludes with a focus on fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment.

"... developing a model around strategic conversation, which answers two critical questions of strategy, where are we going? And how will we get there? And constantly focusing on those two questions and understanding that. Within about 10 years, I learned that there was an underlying structure to these conversations. That there's an underlying predictable structure to the conversations. They're first divergent, then they're convergent, and then they're recurrent. They're iterative. And so, if you understand that there's an underlying structure to it, as a leader, if you understand that, then you can design and guide these conversations by asking questions."

Ed Morrison is the Director of the Agile Strategy Lab in North Alabama University, and the author of Strategic Doing. His years of experience with international and domestic problem solving at the intersection of rapidly shifting technological landscapes, endow him with a sharp mind and a dynamic worldview.

In this episode of Control the Room, I speak with Ed about team-based communication models, Strategic Doing, and transformative thinking for hopeless, uncertain futures. Listen in to hear Ed guide us through the questions, processes, and frameworks that will help in making the most of complex environments.

"That playbook is completely outdated, and it's dangerous. If you applied a 20th century mindset to a 21st century world, we're going to be much more hurt. How can we think about a way in which business and society can thrive together? We have to exist in a place of constant learning, a place of much more caring, and a place where we think about long-term value creation as opposed to short-term profitability growth"

Nancy Giordano is a strategic futurist, an author, and the founder of Play Big Inc. Her focus and vision bleed into PBI's own initiatives, where they focus on helping enterprise leaders meet the escalating expectations of a fast changing world.

In this episode of Control the Room, I speak with Nancy about updating strategic efforts, machine learning, and the tools meeting planners have at their disposal in bettering their teams' success. Listen in to hear Nancy break down the importance of bringing a relevant strategy to multi-faceted, complex teams.

"... part of what we're looking at is what you're describing with meeting airtime and inclusivity. There's also a whole other element to how AI can support the right behaviors in meetings and be able to, for example, not only take in information around who's talking, but things like voice level. When people are getting heated, when their body level changes, they shift from leaning in, to sitting back. Even temperature in the room, is it starting to literally get heated? We talk about conversations getting heated, but that actually has an impact on the temperature in the room that you're sitting in."

Nicole Baer is the Global Head of Marketing for Logitech's Video Collaboration Business. She's well versed in non-verbal communication and perception with regards to connection in meetings. Perceptive and empathetic, Nicole brings humility and awareness to every conversation, and invites other facilitators to do the same.

In this episode of Control the Room, I speak with Nicole about AI personal assistants, fighting the daily burden of cognitive load, and interjecting levity into the mundane. Listen in to see how she showcases the necessity of including aspects of normal social dynamics into our virtual environments.