CASE STUDY:
Creating the Conditions for Learning
The Challenge
A large international energy company engaged me to facilitate the pilot of a leadership development program for frontline supervisors. The sponsor needed facilitators who could quickly build credibility with a unionized, field-based workforce that was often skeptical of traditional classroom learning. Previous programs had struggled because participants hadn’t fully connected with external facilitators or the learning experience.
The Approach
During the facilitator selection process, I noticed the sponsor was asking tactical questions about participant engagement. Rather than focusing on facilitation techniques, I shared my perspective: learning begins with establishing trust, reducing the anxiety that can come with learning, and helping participants connect new ideas to their lived experience.
That perspective shaped how I facilitated the pilot. I focused on creating the conditions for people to participate openly, learn from one another, and see themselves in the material.
The Outcome
By the end of the first day, participants had shifted from cautious observers to active contributors. Conversations continued during breaks, the group quickly developed rapport with the facilitation team, and participants began challenging ideas, learning from one another, and connecting new concepts to the realities of their work.
After observing the pilot, the sponsor invited me to join the core faculty for the U.S. rollout of the program.
