I just filled out SessionLab’s State of Facilitation 2025 survey—and this year, it’s all about one big theme:
✨ Impact. ✨
One question really made me stop and think:
🤔What’s one practice that most improves the impact of your facilitation work?
It took me a sec. But then it came to me:
Getting radically clear on the purpose of a session.
Not just “what we’re covering.”
But:
- Who the session is for
- Why it matters
- And what will be different as a result
That clarity shapes everything—from how I open the room, to what I cut, to what I spend the most time on.
And when the purpose is clear, the chances of delivering the intended impact increases exponentially.
But here’s the problem…
Most sessions don’t have a clear purpose. And that’s a huge reason so many meetings feel… pointless.
When the purpose is fuzzy:
- 👉 The session lacks focus
- 👉 Participants feel like they’re wasting time
- 👉 You can’t measure success—because no one knows what it looks like
A simple framework that changed the game for me
If you’re like me, crafting a session purpose can easily spiral into an overthinking spiral.
To keep myself on track, I use this deceptively simple 3-question framework I also teach in my video course Live Session Magic:
🧭 3-questions for crafting a clear + simple purpose
Before I design a single activity or slide I get clear on my purpose by asking what, who, and why.
1/ What do you want to do?
Learn? Solve? Explore? Practice?
Your goal should shape the entire flow of your session.
2/ For whom?
Who is the session for? What problem are they trying to solve? What would success look like from their POV?
3/ Why?
What’s the desired result? In order to…
“…reach an agreement.”
“…deliver a better customer experience.”
“…to make a confident decision.”
👉 If you can’t say why your session matters, your group won’t know either.
Here’s how I crafted a clear and simple purpose for a corporate mentorship launch I led a while back:
What do you want to do → create successful collaborations
For whom? → between mentors and project leads
And why? → to increase their social impact
💡Pro tip: Keep the purpose clear, simple and specific. If you can say it in one breath, you’re doing it right. 😅
Don’t leave your impact up to chance.
When you’ve answered these three questions:
✅ Your session has a clear through-line
✅ You can explain the “why” from the start
✅ You know what success looks like—and what doesn’t need to be included
But most importantly:
When people understand the purpose, they show up differently.
They engage more fully—and bring their best thinking to the room.
That’s what drives real, lasting impact.
💪 Try this before your next session
Grab a blank doc or sticky note and write:
- What do I want to do?
- For whom?
- And why?
Even five minutes of clarity here can lead to hours of better outcomes—for you and your participants.
Over to you 🎤
👉 What’s one practice that most improves the impact of your facilitation work? Hit reply and let me know!
And if you haven’t yet, take 10 minutes to fill out the
📝 State of Facilitation 2025 Survey from SessionLab.
It’s packed with questions that spark reflection—and your input helps move the field forward.
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Just hit reply to share your thoughts and ideas.
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Creatively yours,
Whenever you are ready there are 2 more ways I can help you:
👉Custom coaching & team training. Book a free 15-minute zero-commitment call with me to see how I can support you and your team.
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👉5-week Live Online Course. The Breakthrough Facilitation course gives you tools, personalized feedback, and a proven framework for designing and leading high-engagement live sessions. Join the interest list and be the first to get the next cohort dates and discounts.
