What are the best practices for facilitating leadership training activities online?

1 Choose the right platform

The first step to facilitating leadership training activities online is to choose the right platform for your needs. There are many options available, such as webinars, video conferencing, e-learning courses, or online communities. Each platform has its own advantages and limitations, so you need to consider factors such as your learning objectives, your audience size, your budget, and your technical capabilities. For example, if you want to foster collaboration and discussion among your participants, you might prefer a video conferencing tool that allows breakout rooms and chat functions. If you want to deliver self-paced and personalized content, you might opt for an e-learning course that incorporates quizzes and feedback.

2 Design interactive and relevant activities

The next step to facilitating leadership training activities online is to design interactive and relevant activities that engage your participants and help them achieve the learning outcomes. Online learning can be boring and passive if you rely on lectures, slides, or readings. Instead, you should use a variety of activities that stimulate different learning styles, such as case studies, simulations, role plays, games, or polls. You should also make sure that your activities are relevant to your participants' context, goals, and challenges. For example, if you are training leaders in a specific industry or sector, you should use examples and scenarios that reflect their reality and needs.

3 Prepare and test your materials

The third step to facilitating leadership training activities online is to prepare and test your materials before the session. You don't want to encounter any technical glitches or errors that might disrupt the flow and quality of your online learning experience. You should check your internet connection, your audio and video quality, your platform settings, and your content for any issues or mistakes. You should also prepare a backup plan in case something goes wrong, such as having alternative links, files, or activities ready. Additionally, you should test your materials with a small group of participants or colleagues to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.

6 Evaluate and improve

The sixth and final step to facilitating leadership training activities online is to evaluate and improve your online learning experience. You should collect and analyze data and feedback from your participants, such as surveys, tests, or comments. You should use this information to measure the effectiveness and impact of your online learning experience, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of your facilitation skills, platform, and activities. You should also use this information to plan and implement improvements and changes for your future online learning sessions.