Have you ever found yourself caught between sticking to “the plan” and having to pivot on the fly? 🤔
A few weeks ago, I was leading a Zoom session for a fiery group of 20 online course coaches. It was our final session. I wanted to make sure they walked away with online facilitation tools and strategies to use in their Mastermind sessions.
I had a rock-solid session plan.
Or so I thought…
Twenty minutes in, one of the course leads hit the unmute button. “Gwyn, this is all great so far but we want to make sure we get a chance to share our challenges”.
I needed to adjust on the spot.
I had to make a call. I planned to cover challenges later in the session. But looking around the Zoom Gallery, I could sense that the group wanted to jump into that section sooner. Right. That. Instant.
This is where live online sessions can get really stressful.
Suddenly a little voice pops into your head that’s trying to convince you to stick with the plan. At. All. Costs.
⚠️”You’ve got so much content to cover there’s no time to change things up.”
⚠️”You’ve worked so hard on your outline, all that prep can’t go to waste.”
⚠️”DO NOT open that can of worms, because who knows where that will lead.”
But here’s the kicker👇
Control is a myth, especially in live sessions. If there is ONE THING I’ve learned about leading groups is that you’ve got to learn to embrace the unknown. That’s where the real magic happens. 🪄
So how do you know when it’s time to switch up the plan?
I’ve learned to ask myself two key “in-the-moment” questions that help me make a quick decision👇
1/ Does it help the group reach the session goal?
–> Our goal was to empower the coaches with new tools for navigating challenges in live sessions. ✅Check.
2/ Is it the best use of our precious live session time together?
–> Would switching mean more interaction, discussion, practice, and/or feedback? ✅Double check.
I decided to ditch my plan and run with it.
And it was the right call. What followed was an intense troubleshooting session, rich with shared insights and collective problem-solving.
It’s not always clear-cut.
Here’s the bottom line: Your session plan is more of a guiding star than a roadmap. Sometimes you nail it. Sometimes you’ve got to adapt and adjust. And sometimes you’ve got to ditch the plan.
How about you? How do you handle these sudden pivots? Hit reply and let me know!
This Week’s Facilitator Finds 💪
In this section, you’ll find curated events, resources, tips, and tools that I’ve found super valuable — and I think you will too!
1/ 📚How to Run a Mastermind Group – A handy step-by-step guide from Mighty Networks on how to run a successful peer-driven learning experience – something I’m excited to develop for people who lead live online sessions. (Stay tuned!)
2/ 📚Fighting Loneliness on Remote Teams. A thoughtful HBR article with tips for creating high-quality connections in remote teams to build community and combat loneliness. (You can read up to 3 articles/month for free).
3/ 🎥 How to Make Yourself a Floating Head on Zoom. A fun 30-second TikTok video that teaches you how to put your head and shoulders image over slides – right in Zoom. It’s a bit of novelty that can help shake things up and increase engagement👇
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Just hit reply to share your thoughts and ideas.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to The Quest 👉here.
If you enjoy The Quest, I’d appreciate it if you shared it with anyone you think might like it.
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.
👉 Live Session Design Video Course. Live Session Magic gives you a proven system for designing consistently high-quality online sessions. Join the interest list here and be the first to get access.
👉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.
