Fourteen top education leaders from around the country are meeting in Washington, DC to debate and come to agreement on a series of consensus statements that will be presented in a press conference to influence the education agenda of the Obama Administration. 

 

The participants include two former governors, heads of the major education associations, professors, university heads, and others engaged in the education system. The participants represent different stakeholders, they have different perspectives, and they will walk into the meeting with different agendas. Only those items on which they all agree will be presented at the press conference. 

 

The meeting is scheduled for 8 am to 12 noon on a Thursday with the press conference scheduled to start at 2 pm, two short hours later to help encourage all the participants to stay present for the press conference. 

 

You are asked to facilitate this group. What do you do? What needs to happen when? What do you do to prepare? What process do you use? How do you get this powerful group to consensus?

 

The challenge was real. During this highly interactive session, the author of The Secrets of Facilitation will put you in the driver's seat. You will work with your team to take on the challenge his team took on. You will also be faced with making decisions to overcome the unexpected issues that cropped up along the way.

 

The clock is ticking. The press conference will start at 2 pm. Will you be ready?