Your first choice for systematic learning in facilitation
Open Quest Public Program was established in 2013, and the Program has since then accumulated countless positive reviews. The participants of the Program include middle-to-top-level decision-makers, project managers, and professionals in human resource and organization development from local and multi-national companies.
Accordingly, Open Quest has been making prominent contribution to the promotion of facilitation. A great number of companies introduced Open Quest Public Program as their internal training program, with the purpose of developing professional facilitation skills and leadership within the organizations.
Induce positive change in organizations through empowering individuals
- Improve the change agents’ capability of understanding the needs of organizations, designing facilitation process, and facilitating group wisdom on-site.
- Develop the facilitation capability of organization leaders, so they could take on the facilitator role when needed, unleash the team’s collective creativity, support team members to reach consensus, and come up with decisions with full commitment.
- Promote exchange among facilitation learners across different industries and professions, with the purposes of supporting learners’ learning and development and of leading as well as supporting the development of facilitation community.
The Power of Facilitation Learning Workshop
Systematically cultivate facilitation core competencies
The program is divided into three stages, and each stage is a 3-day workshop. Each workshop includes demonstration, theory, practice and feedback sessions, and homework will be assigned at the end of each workshop. Feedback toward the homework will be offered if the homework is submitted. After completing the program, participants will be able to understand clients’ needs, design facilitation process and conduct on-site facilitation independently. People who would like to systematically develop their facilitation competencies, including professionals from all fields and in-house facilitators, are welcome to take the program.
Power of facilitation Level 1
Foundation for Collaboration and Participation
The Level 1 Program covers the facilitation knowledge and core competencies needed in all kinds of facilitation events, including understanding of facilitation, the power of asking question, participation format, facilitative listening, diagnosing clients’ needs, etc. The Program enables the participants to start designing facilitation process and conduct the process on-site on their own. Homework will be assigned at the end of the Program, and feedback will be offered if the homework is submitted. A certificate of completion will be granted to those who participate in the entire Program and complete the homework.
The Power of Facilitation Level 2
The Secret to Consensus Building and Implementation
The Level 2 Program is designed based on Level 1 Program, and it covers the knowledge, tools and skills of consensus building and decision-making including the process of divergent and convergent thinking, a variety of brainstorming methods for generating ideas and creativity, methods for reaching conclusion in various situations, rules and process of effective decision-making, and the ways to address difficult situations. With the support of these knowledge, tools and skills, team members will be able to come up with decisions to be implemented afterwards. Homework is also assigned at this level. A certificate of completion will be granted to those who participate in the entire Program and complete the homework.
The Power of Facilitation Level 3
Leading Positive Organizational Change
The Level 3 Program is designed based on previous two levels, and core content includes the framework and process for facilitating positive changes. Topics that are often discussed during change process will be introduced. Participants will learn to design facilitation sessions for these topics and how to integrate different sessions into longer processes. Besides, participants will also learn to facilitate the change of people’s mindset, which is essential for most of the initiatives of organizational change. Participants will be enabled to facilitate organizational change by taking the Program. Homework is also assigned at this level. A certificate of completion will be granted to those who participate in the entire Program and complete the homework.
Dialogue Learning Workshop
Understand “Dialogue” and its facilitation
The output quality from a facilitation process is determined by the quality of dialogue, and the facilitation process is designed with the purpose of improving the quality of dialogue. Accordingly, a facilitator should focus not only on the process but also on the dialogue. Understanding dialogue is a prerequisite to facilitating dialogue, making this Program important and fundamental for learning facilitation. Dialogue is everywhere, and everyone has experience and can understand dialogue, so this Program is for everyone and not limited to those who have experience with facilitation.
Dialogue Learning Workshop
Understand “Dialogue” and its facilitation
The output quality from a facilitation process is determined by the quality of dialogue, and the facilitation process is designed with the purpose of improving the quality of dialogue. Accordingly, a facilitator should focus not only on the process but also on the dialogue. Understanding dialogue is a prerequisite to facilitating dialogue, making this Program important and fundamental for learning facilitation. Dialogue is everywhere, and everyone has experience and can understand dialogue, so this Program is for everyone and not limited to those who have experience with facilitation.
The Dialogue method creates a safe, open, and respectful space for undiscussable topics. It encourages participants to take responsibility for themselves and the group, and also encourages them to focus on the content of conversation and the way conversation is conducted.
The Dialogue method supports people to break the gridlock of misunderstanding, miscommunication, and polarized situations such as right/wrong, we/they, win/lose, etc. It transforms the dynamic of competition into collaboration, allowing people to see other’s viewpoints and to explore deeper meaning together based on their shared understanding. Therefore, it is said that Dialogue is a generative process.
Open Space Learning Workshop
A classical large group method leveraging the power of self-organization
During the process of organizational change, you may often encounter situations where the topics concern the interests of various stakeholders, where there are a lot of conflicts, where the discussion needs to be involved with many people while being under time pressure. This is where you need methods to help people unleash the power of self-organization, to leverage people’s passion and sense of responsibility, and to leverage the complex group dynamics to gather people’s energy for exploring important topics. Open Space Technology is one of those methods. It is a method with low-level intervention, so this Program is for everyone and not limited to those who have experience with facilitation.
Open Space Technology is based on the principle of self-organization and encourages participants to propose topics that concern them and call a group for discussion. It is suitable for occasions involving diverse viewpoints, complex issues, high-level potential conflicts, and high-level urgency.
Therefore, when organizations do need to pull wisdom from a large group of participants to accelerate the positive change, Open Space Technology is more effective and efficient than traditional meeting approaches.
Because of the spirit of self-organization, Open Space Technology could induce the positive transformation of the group spirit while producing high-quality outcome. Therefore, since 1980s Open Space Technology has been widely used around the world, serving groups from just a few people to thousands of people in size.
Appreciative Inquiry for Positive Organization Change Catalysts
OQ 20th Anniversary—Facilitating Organizational Learning and Development
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a systemic approach to organizational change and learning. AI is a form of organizational analysis first developed by Dr. David Cooperider and Suresh Srivastva, Case Western Reserve University. AI is both a theory of change and a methodology for discovering, understanding and fostering innovations.
AI involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to discover and develop positive potential. AI is particularly useful in turbulent environments. Rather than just another technique, AI is presented as a radically innovative approach to the whole field of organization development.
AI has been used very successfully with large system processes such as restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, and for relational processes such as union/management relationship, diversity as an asset, and preparing the workforce to shift from hierarchy to horizontal team-based processes.
In this program, you will learn the theory and principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Use of Self to manifest the spirit of AI and unfolding positive change through deciding the focus of inquiry and the 4 stages of AI. You will also learn multiple formats of AI in practice and practical applications in OD and facilitation.
Systems Thinking for OD Practitioners— Explore and Address Complex Issues in Systems
OQ 20th Anniversary—Facilitating Organizational Learning and Development
Organizations are facing various complex challenges, such as how to improve cross-functional collaboration, how to develop strategies to boost organizational performance, and how to support organizational transformation in the face of changing environment. Systems Thinking can help structure the complex challenges and support people to see the bigger picture. By visualizing the complex problems, Systems Thinking can facilitate mutual
Complex challenges faced by organizations include multiple factors, and there are multiple interrelationships among the factors. Besides, the challenges usually involve many stakeholders. These features make it difficult for us to address the challenges effectively, and our solutions may even cause unintended negative consequences.
Systems Thinking offers a series of methods and tools, which support us to clarify the causality within the complex problems and integrate the fragmented understanding of different stakeholders into a comprehensive whole. In this way, Systems Thinking could facilitate people to collectively see the systemic causes of the complex problems and therefore identify leverages for positive systems change.
There are many models supporting diagnosis and intervention in organizational development (OD). However, the models from the past may not be applicable to the current challenges of organizations in the changing environment. With the support of Systems Thinking, OD practitioners would be more able to explore organizational issues, identify the leverage for intervention, and plan the following objectives and process.
Guided by a professional team,
let you reach your fullest potential.
What the Alumni Said about the Program
What the Alumni Said about the Program
Zhao Nan
Learning facilitation is like learning kung-fu. If you want to learn kung-fu, you learn from the masters. The spark I observed in Laura and Shawn is the rigorous manner they take to their teaching. No matter it is in the course or in the homework feedback, they are extremely thorough and serious to anyone who came with a dream.
Quan Xin Rong
Open Quest “Power of Facilitation” Level 1-3 Workshops is an excellent program, which provides you the underlying logic from collaboration among team members to image shift at organizational level. You will discover that facilitation not only can be used for meeting and training but also can have great impact at organizational level.
Attendees from Baidu Institute of Technology
“This course offers more than just knowledge and understanding of facilitation but helped us see its infinite possibility and value. We also see the aura around Laura, Shawn, Larry, Frieda and all the other participants. This aura is gentle and firm, shining toward many organizations and individuals.
Ci Long Jiang from Sinochem Group
What’s special about OQ’s program is its high-level systematicity. The teachers are with strong profession, great knowledge, and humility. They taught us not only practical techniques but also the core principles of facilitation. For those who already have certain level of knowledge and experience in facilitation, the integration of practical techniques and core principles is very helpful. Among the facilitation training program in the market, OQ’s program is the top players of a game. If you want to learn facilitation, you’d better learn from the top players
Zhao Nan
Learning facilitation is like learning kung-fu. If you want to learn kung-fu, you learn from the masters. The spark I observed in Laura and Shawn is the rigorous manner they take to their teaching. No matter it is in the course or in the homework feedback, they are extremely thorough and serious to anyone who came with a dream.
Quan Xin Rong
Open Quest “Power of Facilitation” Level 1-3 Workshops is an excellent program, which provides you the underlying logic from collaboration among team members to image shift at organizational level. You will discover that facilitation not only can be used for meeting and training but also can have great impact at organizational level.
Attendees from Baidu Institute of Technology
“This course offers more than just knowledge and understanding of facilitation but helped us see its infinite possibility and value. We also see the aura around Laura, Shawn, Larry, Frieda and all the other participants. This aura is gentle and firm, shining toward many organizations and individuals.
Ci Long Jiang from Sinochem Group
What’s special about OQ’s program is its high-level systematicity. The teachers are with strong profession, great knowledge, and humility. They taught us not only practical techniques but also the core principles of facilitation. For those who already have certain level of knowledge and experience in facilitation, the integration of practical techniques and core principles is very helpful. Among the facilitation training program in the market, OQ’s program is the top players of a game. If you want to learn facilitation, you’d better learn from the top players
Program Dates
Program
Power of Facilitation Level 1 Workshop
Power of Facilitation Level 2 Workshop
Power of Facilitation Level 3 Workshop
Dialogue Learning Workshop
Open Space Learning Workshop
Systems Thinking for OD Practitioners
Appreciative Inquiry
1月
2月
3月
15-17Shanghai
4月
19-21Guangzhou
5月
17-19Beijing
31-02Shanghai
6月
28-30Shenzhen
7月
8月
23-25Beijing
9月
20-22Shanghai
10月
25-27Shanghai
11月
01-03Shenzhen
15-17Beijing
12月
13-15Beijing
2025年1月
2025年2月
2025年3月
2025年4月
2025年5月
2025年6月
2025年7月
2025年8月
2025年9月
2025年10月
2025年11月
2025年12月
Course Name
Guiding Power Level 1 Learning Workshop
Guiding Power Level 2 Learning Workshop
Guiding Power Level 3 Learning Workshop
In-depth Talk Learning Workshop
Open Space Learning Workshop
Systems Thinking for OD Practitioners
Appreciative Inquiry
2024.December
2024.December
2024.December
15-17Shanghai
2024.December
19-21Guangzhou
2024.December
17-19Beijing
31-02Shanghai
2024.December
28-30Shenzhen
2024.December
2024.December
23-25Beijing
2024.December
20-22Shanghai
2024.December
25-27Shanghai
2024.December
01-03Shenzhen
15-17Beijing
2024.December
13-15Beijing
2025.January
2025.February
2025.March
2025.April
2025.May
2025.June
2025.July
2025.August
2025.September
2025.October
2025.November
2025.December
