If you are interested in training on become a Master Facilitator, but you are not sure how to approach your manager to get finances and time away from the office to the training, the information on this page might provide some ideas and tools on how to have that conversation!
The first step is framing the conversation correctly. Remember – while this training is important for your personal development, it’s not all about you. What you learn at MGF will affect your entire team, and your entire company will benefit from the skills and tools that you gain. Make a game-plan for the conversation, prepare, and leverage your communication skills.
STEP 1 — Be Prepared
- Review the available information on Mastering Group Facilitation and what will be taught, and compare it to the skills that you would like to learn. Identify the points of growth that you and your company could benefit from, and pair them with concepts being taught in the course. Never hesitate to reach out to OPG for help on this!
- Download this template email language for your boss. Include the specific information you identified in the previous bullet, and be sure to emphasize that the tools and skills you learn will be brought back to benefit the entire company.
- Ready your talking points that attending Mastering Group Facilitation will make you a bigger asset to your company.
STEP 2 — Have your conversation at the right time
- Your initial email set the tone – now it’s time to schedule a brief meeting to state your case in person.
- Research shows that scheduling your meeting on Monday should be avoided, and to be aware of your manager’s calendar on the day that you do schedule for. Find a good time that isn’t too close to lunch on either side, and where you will both be in a more receptive mental state.
STEP 3 — Prepare your statements
- Explain the ROI from sending you to mgf, and how it will elevate your personal development. If you have aspirations to become a leader or to run your own department, explain how the tools in MGF will help lay a strong foundation for leading teams.
- Tell your manager you’ll bring back tools, ideas, and best practices on how to run better meetings, facilitate more effective conversations, and build stronger agendas.
Take this opportunity to sell yourself and your ambitions to your manager with well-crafted ideas and negotiations. Here are some potential objections from your manager, and some ideas on how to respond.
Objection: “It’s too expensive.”
Your response: “This isn’t just a three-day course – MGF will change the way I work and lead initiatives in this organization. I’ll capture detailed notes and will walk away with tangible tools that will benefit the entire team. Our future meetings and group facilitation will be more productive and efficient – a return on investment that could revolutionize the productivity of this entire organization.
Objection: “You can’t be away from your work for three days.”
Your response: “I will work with my team to plan for time out of office, and will make sure that my absence causes as little complications as possible. When I get back from the training, I would like to schedule a session with you and the team. I can present some of the powerful tools and concepts I learned while out of office, and recommend new ideas for our company to improve our practices.”
Remember to reach out to the team at OPG anytime for more information, and good luck!
