I support Associations, Societies and Federations to add value to their events and meetings by offering training that enhances the performance of their:

    • Conference Speakers
    • Conference Chairs and Facilitators
    • Committee Chairs
    • Committee Members

Creating successful events and productive committees relies on the skills of your contributors and attracting those from all parts of your community to get involved.

My training and coaching will equip your contributors with the knowledge and skills to excel. Their improved performance will enhance the delegate experience and increase the value and reputation of your event.

PLUS when potential contributors realise that you are prepared to invest in them, it increases the likelihood they will step forward, expanding the scale and diversity of your pool of contributors.

Ethos and Approach

I am a former membership director, an experienced speaker, chair and facilitator and a PCC International Coaching Federation (ICF) Credentialed Coach. I combine my knowledge, experience and coach training to serve your Association.

I have been working with Association of Association Executives since 2014 and am proud to be one of their training and coaching partners. Together we aim to add value to Associations, Societies, Federations and other membership bodies, through the principles of share, learn and grow.

I have trained Speakers, Facilitators and Chairs for associations, societies and federations including the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Biology, Association of the European Self-Care Industry, British Veterinary Nursing Association and the British Parking Association.

My approach to training and coaching is shaped by the following:

  • Relevance to associations: shaped by my knowledge of associations and my experience in training association executives.
  • Flexible: delivered onsite or remotely via video platform, timed and tailored to fit your schedule.
  • Tailored content: I will shape the session to address what your contributors need to become more effective, grow and add more value to your Association.
  • Practical and interactive: the training provides practical and actionable advice, space for sharing, discussion and questions, plus time to create an action plan to make the most of the takeaways.
  • Supported: all participants receive a Welcome pack containing the agenda, a biography of the trainer, suggested preparation and post-training reading and resources. I encourage all participants to connect with me after the training and contact me with any triumphs or further questions.

The Training Workshops

There are four training opportunities for you to offer to your contributors, to enhance the quality of your conferences and events, and the effectiveness of your committees:

 

For Your Conference Speakers

Building Confident Event Speakers: to engage, inspire and add more value to your event

A conference speaking opportunity is a step up from a day-to day-presentation. It requires a different set of skills and knowledge to do well. When your Speakers grasp this, they can deliver a compelling performance that leaves your audience inspired and adds value to your event.

If your contributors could benefit from support to perform at their best, my In-House Speaker Training is here to help.

Sample Agenda

  • The four Ps: Preparation, Practise, Performance, Personal Confidence
  • Preparation: The three sides of effective planning and four storylines to work with.
  • Practise: Practise that gets results, including working to time and taking questions.
  • Performance: What to nurture and what to avoid around body language and voice.
  • Personal confidence: Boost confidence levels, before, during and after your slot.
  • Practical matters 1: What to do in the run up to the speaking opportunity.
  • Practical matters 2: The key choices that make your presentation effective.
  • Action plan and next steps: what will you do next to take this forward?

 

For your Conference Chairs and Facilitators

Building Confident Event Chairs and Facilitators: to create better conversations and add more value to your event.

Chairs and Facilitators are not the stars of your event. But they are vital to its success. They are there to make your Speakers and Panellists look good, enhance what they deliver and connect them to the audience in a way that adds value and raises the reputation of your event.

If your Chairs and Facilitators could be delivering more for your events, my In-House Chair and Facilitator Training is here to help.

Sample Agenda

  • The goal: what makes an effective event Chair or Facilitator.
  • Reaching the goal: the 4Ps approach to Chairing and Facilitating.
  • Preparation: what and how to prepare.
  • Practise: how to rehearse to make your preparation stick.
  • Performance: putting it into action when Chairing.
  • Common challenges: the bumps in the road and how to handle them.
  • Key Facilitating skills: what they are and how to use them.
  • Facilitating process: managing the beginning, the middle and the end.
  • Personal Confidence: building it before, during and after the event.
  • Action Plan: what will you do with what you’ve learned.

 

For Your Committee Chairs

Creating Effective Meeting Chairs: to energise the group, manage the process and deliver progress.

Whether leading a Committee, Working Party or other member group, effective Chairs are vital to your groups’ success. They need to know how to run meetings efficiently, understand and get the best out of the participants, and create the forward movement that is vital for your Association, and says ‘this is worthwhile’ for all involved.

If your contributors could be delivering more for the groups they serve, my In-House Meeting Chair Training is here to help.

Sample Agenda

  • Introductions: and goals for the session.
  • Perspectives: what makes a great meeting.
  • Chairing: management, communication aspects of the chair, how to play them well.
  • Using the 4Ps: Preparation, Practise, Performance and Personal Confidence.
  • Interaction: practical techniques for creating and sustaining interactive moments.
  • Making the most of your group: understanding and bringing out their best qualities.
  • Chairing virtually: the skills and tools for chairing via video.
  • Action plan: what you’ll do next to turn your learning into action.

 

For Your Committee Members

Creating Purposeful Participants: How to actively participate and make a difference as a member of a Committee.

A truly effective committee requires active input from the full range of its members. If your committees are relying on a small number of active contributors to move things forward, you’re not leveraging the full talents of the group. You’re risking losing those doing the work to burnout or demotivation. And those who aren’t contributing may end up questioning their involvement and eventually leaving.

If you want more of your committee members contributing to the actions of the group, my In-House “Purposeful Participants” Training workshop is here to help.

Sample Agenda

  • The 4PS of Purposeful Participation:
  • Preparation: getting ready to contribute
  • Practise: rehearse yourself into ownership
  • Performance: seizing your moment in real time
  • Post-Meeting Actions: playing your part in forward movement
  • Working with others: Communication styles: yours, others’ and how to use that information.
  • Barriers and Work Arounds: Managing your inner Imposter and Expert
  • Action plan: what will you do next to turn your learning into action?

The Feedback

“John’s workshop on discussion facilitation and moderation greatly supported our patient advocates to develop the skills and confidence needed to be successful. Many of them were moderating for the first time at our World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum, and we saw a remarkable improvement in their performance, calm and confidence. John’s approach is practical, engaging, and empowering – I highly recommend his training services.” Alex Filicevas Executive Director World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition.

“The training led to a raised standard of speaking from the students. Their feedback following the event referenced the training having sparked an increase in confidence, having a value in the future, and also a transferable value into other related areas. Added together, the investment in John’s training represented a win in the present and a win in the future for the students and the Society.” Rachel Lambert Forsyth: Chief Executive, British Pharmacological Society

“Feedback to the training was positive. For Chairs with relatively little experience, it was very useful, in particular around providing good structure and confidence for leading their meetings. And for more experienced Chairs it was considered a useful reminder and a potential source of new ideas.” Paul Williams: Member Networks Manager Institute of Physics

Next Steps

Do you see something useful here? Please feel free to get in touch and we can have an informal conversation to discuss your needs and see how I can help.