Effective Facilitator Training

I train leaders to run meetings, retreats, and planning sessions that actually work—sessions where people stay engaged, clarity emerges, and progress sticks.

For Leaders Who Need to Guide the Room—Not Just Fill It

Facilitation is often handed to the person “who’s good with people” or “runs the calendar.” But real facilitation is a leadership act—it requires confidence, clarity, and presence.

I help people step into that role with skill. Whether you’re facilitating a strategy session, leading a board retreat, or trying to make your team’s meetings suck less, I’ll show you how to guide a room with impact.

Train to Lead the Room—Not Just Survive It

This isn’t theory—it’s the actual muscle of facilitation.

  • How to design a session people don’t dread

  • How to interrupt with grace and still move things forward

  • How to read the room without losing your own thread

  • How to avoid the “all talk, no action” trap

  • How to recover when the session goes sideways—and still land it well

You’ll leave better equipped to lead hard conversations with less sweat.

  • “Members of my Board of Directors are telling me that the planning retreat Shane and his team designed and facilitated for was truly a wonderful experience and the most productive RBFF gathering they have ever been to. I couldn’t agree more.”

    — Dave Chanda, President & CEO, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

  • “Investing in continuous learning and up-skilling is critical for personal and organizational growth. I’ve been a CEO for many years, yet since I invested in working with Shane, I find myself scaling my own value to my business. Our executive team will climb higher mountains thanks to subtle but crucial calibrations resulting from working with Shane.”

    — Virgil Bretz, CEO, MacroHealth

  • “Shane’s approach to facilitation is thorough, and his style is energetic. He can keep a tough group of busy, hard-charging people moving and really drive to consensus. He is excellent.”

    — Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer, Coinbase

Ready to Lead the Room with More Impact?

I’m not just a facilitator—I’ve been the COO, the Chief Strategy Officer, and the consultant watching facilitators crash and burn (or pull off magic).

I teach facilitation from that perspective: not “how to run a nice meeting,” but how to lead one that leaves people aligned, focused, and ready to act.

  • - Design sessions that move people toward decisions

  • - Guide groups through complexity and disagreement

  • - Stay steady when conversations get tense or stuck

  • - Use structure and intuition to create productive flow

  • - Recover gracefully when things don’t go to plan

This is facilitator training that’s grounded in the realities of leading people—not just theory or tricks.

What You'll Learn to Do

Here’s how I help.

  • Executive Coaching

    For C-suites and senior managers

    Unlock new mindsets and methods to inspire teams, equip them to lead change, and actually hold them accountable for results.

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  • Management Consulting

    For nonprofit leadership teams

    Devise and lead change in response to intractable organizational challenges, aligning strategy and function for mission delivery.

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  • Board Consulting

    For nonprofit boards of directors

    Sharpen focus on those activities and areas that deliver the absolute highest value to management of the organization you govern and serve.

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  • Planning Facilitation

    For boards, coalitions, and more

    Have structured, disciplined conversations about where your organization needs to go, how it will get there, and what measurable outcomes it will achieve.

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  • Strategic Communications

    For senior teams that need to break through

    Craft and deliver messages and narratives to favorably influence staffs, policymakers, and other stakeholders, in change-leadership scenarios and far beyond.

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  • Fractional Executive

    For short-term leadership needs

    Occasional interim or fractional executive leadership for organizations that need someone to engage easily, learn quickly, and bring a facilitative-leadership touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is facilitator training for?
    Leaders, managers, and team members who need to run better meetings and group sessions.

  • Do I need facilitation experience to benefit?
    Not at all—this is for both first-timers and seasoned facilitators ready to sharpen their edge.

  • Is this training only for nonprofits?
    No—I train teams across sectors, including corporate, healthcare, tech, and advocacy.

  • What format does the training come in?
    Options include one-day intensives, multi-week cohorts, and private coaching sessions.

  • Can this be delivered virtually?
    Yes—training works great virtually, in person, or hybrid.

  • Will this help me run board retreats or strategy sessions?
    Definitely—it’s designed to help you lead high-stakes, complex conversations with more clarity and calm.

  • Is this only for teams, or can individuals join?
    Both—I work with organizations and also coach individual leaders preparing for facilitation moments.