211 - An Insider View into the Worklife of a Corporate Facilitator with Lani Beer

An external facilitator enters the building with a clear purpose and a single-minded focus. An internal facilitator enters the building five days a week, most weeks of the year, in the middle of all the idiosyncratic relationships, needs, and culture that exists.

The two are in very different positions and so different skills, approaches, and mindsets are necessary.

More often than not, I speak with independent facilitators — freelancers or solopreneurs — so an insight into the world of corporate facilitation felt important. It also felt incredibly enlightening, thanks to Lani Beer’s openness and thoughtfulness when sharing her vast experience. Lani has been facilitating in-house for 20 years (give or take) and calls on all of those years of rich experience in this episode.

Find out about:

• Why facilitators can find a new (or another) home with the title of ‘innovator’
• How Lani combines design thinking, Agile, and facilitation skills to work with bankers and lawyers
• What an internal facilitator does when they aren’t hosting or planning workshops
• How to avoid ‘shiny new object’ syndrome when you have a voracious appetite for learning
• Why a ‘worry list’ should sit alongside your to-do list — and why it’s so effective
• How to triage requests (from clients or colleagues) to identify learning opportunities and protect your boundaries
• How using non-verbal communication can help well-spoken participants unlock new answers

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