When you lead a meeting or discussion, you’ve got options. You could just stick with the facts, tell a story, or ask a question to draw people out. How do you know what is best for your audience at that moment?
The most skillful facilitators draw upon essential contributions that expand their options so they can make the choice that serves the group most effectively.
How do you or your team measure up? Take this online assessment
You’ve been asked to lead a large-scale change in your organization. You know this change is needed and will move your company into new stages of growth and impact. But figuring out the right first steps can feel daunting. How much preparation do you need to do before taking action? Should you just jump right…
AI was promised to transform businesses from both the ground up and top down, creating new efficiencies, strategies, and ways of working. But the promise hasn’t yet been realized, and a much-publicized study from MIT found that 95% of companies are not realizing any returns from their AI investment. Additionally, McKinsey found that 62% of…
Everywhere you turn, the message is clear: AI is moving fast, and it’s forcing leaders and organizations to move fast, too. New tools are being rolled out, jobs are evolving, and business models are shifting seemingly overnight. According to McKinsey, over 70% have introduced AI into at least one part of their business. But a…
The AI Boom Is Real. But So Is the Frustration In 2025, it’s no longer a question of whether organizations are using generative AI. According to McKinsey, over 70% have introduced it into at least one part of their business. But far fewer can point to real results. Despite all the energy and investment, only…
If your business were building bridges across gaps, you’d care deeply about two things: the architecture and the materials. You might design a bridge that’s a masterpiece of balance and engineering, but if the timbers are rotting or the metal is rusted, it won’t stand for long. That would be dumb, right? Dangerous, even. And…
Today, standing still means falling behind. Leaders are under constant pressure to evolve faster, smarter, and leaner. To keep pace, the instinct is often to act fast, launching a new strategy, restructuring teams, or rolling out a new process or technology. Here’s the risk: Moving without clarity often means solving the wrong problem. When leaders…
Recent research from Bain & Company (2024) shows that a staggering 88% of change initiatives fall short of their intended goals. This is mostly due to employee resistance and a lack of leadership support. As AI transformation accelerates, leaders must navigate both the technical and human sides of change to drive true transformation. In other…
Organizations are evolving faster than ever. From AI and automation reshaping how work gets done to shifts in consumer behavior, new business models, and hybrid workplace norms, change is now the default setting. For leaders, keeping pace requires more than strategic agility — it requires a commitment to continuous learning. As business theorist Arie de…
Career transitions can be transformative milestones, shaping not just our professional paths but also our sense of purpose and fulfillment. However, whether you’re changing industries, seeking a new role, or embarking on a different career journey entirely, the process is rarely straightforward. Through my own experience and my interactions with students and leaders navigating their…
Want to boost your company’s profitability? Start by putting more women in leadership. While we’d happily take credit for this advice, we can’t. Research consistently shows that companies with women in leadership roles are more profitable than those with few women in key roles. The Secret to Stronger Business Performance? More Women at the Top…
Remember the old days, when a “reorg” was something distinctive and rare? Consultants would come into your company and poke around for a while, and then the change would get announced. People would be let go Maybe some functions would get merged or scrapped Reporting relationships would shift Perhaps the brand would get a reboot. …
Even though life these days seems to be in a continual state of flux, some things stay the same. One frustrating example: the making, and subsequent breaking, of New Year’s resolutions. Research shows that about 40% of people make them — and that more than half of those of us who do, don’t keep them…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner If you’re running a small consulting firm or helping clients navigate the wild world of business, you know that “being strategic” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential. In a world where change is the only constant, you have to do more than just react to what’s happening today. Real strategy is about…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Over the past 30+ years, executive coaches have gone from rare to common. Most people in corporations assume that being given the chance to work with a coach is a positive thing, and so we seldom find ourselves being asked to explain the benefits of executive coaching. People generally come to…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner If you’re working in an organization – from the smallest start-up to a Fortune 500 – I don’t have to tell you that the pace of change is dizzying. From where and how you work, to the goods or services your company produces, to who your boss is, and even who…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Years ago my six-year-old granddaughter informed me that she knew everything. It was pretty easy to disabuse her of that belief: I just asked, “Do you know how to build bicycles?” and she looked at me with narrowed eyes for a moment, then smiled, shrugged, and said, “Well, maybe not everything.”…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner I was working with a leader and her direct reports, focusing with them on how they wanted to operate as a team, given the complexity of their business and the role each of them needed to play. This leader is someone for whom I have a lot of respect, and who…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Those of us who lead others—in our companies, our communities, and our social groups—recognize that during difficult times people look to us even more often and with even higher expectations. When there’s confusion, pain, uncertainty, and disruption, people look to their leaders for clarity and hope; to bring them together and…
Five Steps to Transform Your Company Culture By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Understanding and then evolving your company’s culture is essential for business success and employee satisfaction. Recent studies and our experience at Proteus show that while many leaders recognize the importance of culture, few feel confident in their ability to shape it effectively. We understand!…
Being Capable of Changing is an Essential 21st Century Skill By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Humans are not hard-wired for change. Or, put differently, we are capable of changing, but we are often bad at it. As we have seen in recent years, we are living in a time of constant change, and that change is…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner Every member of a team has unique goals and preferences. The most effective strategies for developing talent take this into consideration by balancing leadership support with employee agency. Developing talent is more challenging in hybrid work environments. Without seeing team members in-person regularly, leaders may struggle to understand employees as deeply…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner We subscribe to the principle that each individual is responsible for their own performance and development. But we also know from over 30 years of observing leaders in action how uniquely positioned a leader is to support employee growth and performance. This is even more true as hybrid work is more…
By Erika Andersen, Founder/Partner People approach their jobs differently. One person may be fast-paced and decisive, while another is moderately-paced and cautious. This mix of behaviors can create balance in the workplace and lead to innovation, but can also create tension or frustration. Leaders must understand these behaviors and how to adapt to them to…
Be Future Ready: 10 Essential Facilitation Skills for Leaders By Jeff Mitchell, President/Partner Think about the time you spend trying to keep meetings on track, drive inclusive collaboration, and communicate ideas with impact. Whether you host client meetings or book clubs, you rely on facilitation skills to ensure interactions are effective and move you…
Our process supports facilitators at all levels: helping them see themselves clearly, building on their strengths with individualized feedback, and providing supportive coaching to expand their range and increase their impact.
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Improving of facilitators capabilities can lead to improved performance wherever people need to get results together.
Our skill-based approach results in increased capability, confidence, and impact in any situation. Because we focus on the things that most impact your performance, our approach provides a supportive “stretch,” whether you’re a first-time facilitator or experienced at leading groups.
Your clients want salespeople who add real value to the buying experience. And that value comes primarily from a salesperson’s ability to partner with buyers—rather than “sell to them”—to discover and offer what’s best for each client. Facilitation skills enable you to unlock more value from each interaction and create unique value that differentiates your brand.
Assess Needs and Readiness to Buy
Present Solutions
Handle Objections
2 days
This introductory program reveals what great facilitators do via experiential activities and demonstrations, then participants engage in a series of brief practices to benchmark their current skills against that high standard. Participants create a development plan tailored to the facilitation skills most relevant to their current role and career aspirations.
Who should take: Anyone who wants a “taste” of essential facilitation skills and how they stack up against them.
4 hours
This skill-based program develops core facilitation skills to increase participants’ impact on client service, teamwork and leadership. Extensive practice and individualized coaching help participants expand their performance range whether they are a novice or experienced.
Who should take: Anyone who wants to make a bigger impact when engaging with groups.
2 days
This skill-based program expands personal presence and range. Participants build and practice delivering a real-life presentation, making several iterations that improve via continuous feedback and coaching.
Who should take: Anyone who wants to become a more capable, engaging, and influential presenter.
2 days
This skill-based program illustrates how executive presence arises from our mindset, how we act and speak, and how we interact with others. Participants learn practical techniques for managing their inner narrative in key situations and skills to increase executive presence. Real-time feedback is provided continuously through the program.
Who should take: Anyone who wants to expand their influence, project confidence and make a stronger impression.
4 hours