Most managers think leadership training means booking a room, finding an expert, and sitting through hours of lectures. The speaker shares their wisdom, the audience listens, nods along, maybe takes some notes. But here’s the thing: listening isn’t learning.
Sure, it feels productive. You’re soaking up the wisdom of someone who’s “been there, done that.” But how much of that wisdom do you actually remember? More importantly, how much do you actually apply?
The truth is, sitting through lectures isn’t enough to create real change. Leaders don’t need more motivation or someone else’s success story—they need their own experiences. That’s why real learning happens when people stop following and start leading.
Why Lectures Don’t Work
The problem with lectures is that they’re passive. You’re sitting there, absorbing information, but you’re not doing anything with it. And adults—especially leaders—don’t learn by listening. They learn by doing.
Think about it: when was the last time you became a better leader by just hearing someone talk? Exactly. That’s not how growth works. Adults need to be challenged, pushed to think for themselves, and find solutions to their own problems. That’s how they build real skills.
Lectures give you ideas. Facilitation makes those ideas come to life.
The Power of Facilitation
Here’s what I do instead: I don’t lecture. I facilitate. I guide leaders through immersive exercises that force them to think, act, and problem-solve. I provide frameworks, canvasses, and tools, but I’m not there to tell them what to do—I’m there to challenge them to figure it out for themselves.
It’s not about me being the smartest person in the room. It’s about making them the smartest person in the room by giving them the tools to lead. Facilitation isn’t about delivering knowledge. It’s about unlocking it.
How This Works in Practice
In my sessions, I start by laying down a challenge—something that mirrors the real problems these leaders face every day. I give them a framework or tool to work with, but then I step back and let them take the lead. They’re forced to collaborate, make decisions, and find solutions. It’s hands-on. It’s messy. And it’s exactly how real learning happens.
Take this example: instead of lecturing a group of managers on how to motivate their teams, I split them into groups, gave them a few guiding principles, and tasked them with solving a real-world scenario—boosting engagement in a demoralized department. By the end, they didn’t just understand motivation—they lived it.
Why Facilitation Leads to Transformation
Here’s why this works: when leaders are the ones leading the discussion, solving the problems, and making the decisions, the learning sticks. They walk away not just with new ideas, but with the confidence to apply them. They don’t just leave the room with a few new tips—they leave the room as better leaders.
Facilitation helps leaders find their own path. And when they do that, the learning doesn’t fade. It transforms them.
How to Make Facilitation Work for You
If you’re serious about running training that transforms leaders, here’s what to do:
- Ditch the PowerPoint. Replace lecture time with immersive, problem-solving activities that challenge participants.
- Create real-world scenarios. Use examples and exercises that mimic the actual challenges participants face at work.
- Provide tools, not answers. Give your participants frameworks and canvasses to guide them, but let them do the heavy lifting.
- Challenge them to lead. Don’t just teach leadership—make them lead during the session. Push them out of their comfort zones.
- Debrief deeply. After each activity, facilitate a discussion about what worked, what didn’t, and how they can apply it back at work.
