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Facilitation Basics for Coastal Managers



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This two-day instructor-led course from the NOAA Office of Coastal Management is designed to increase participants’ ability to plan and facilitate a meeting (or a series of meetings) that minimize conflict and enhance problem solving.

Collaboration is often cited as a good way to address coastal resource management issues, but the collaborative process is complicated, requiring a systematic approach. This course provides the skills and tools to design and implement collaborative approaches. The skills will be useful even when attending, but not running, a collaborative meeting.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

  • Determine if a collaborative process is appropriate
  • Select people with the skill sets needed to fill each meeting role
  • Learn and practice facilitation skills
  • Use appropriate process tools and techniques to address the meeting objectives
  • Manage conflict in meetings by understanding group dynamics
  • Identify disruptive behaviors in group processes and practice strategies to deal with them.

Collaborative Meetings

Training Resources and Additional Information

Training Overview

Dealing with Disruptive Behaviors

Training Manual

Quick References

Facilitation Techniques

Meeting Evaluation Template

Process Agenda Template

Techniques for Facilitation Virtual Meetings




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