ΒιΆΉΉϋΆ³΄«Γ½

25: The Process Is the Product: Upskilling Facilitation | Meg Bolger

Release Date:Β 

October 30, 2025

Release Date: Oct 28

How do great facilitators get even betterβ€”and why does it matter for every workplace leader? In this energizing episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Meg Bolger: creator, educator, and passionate advocate for more compassionate, pro-social learning. Together, they dive deep into the art and evolution of facilitationβ€”what it means to β€œupskill” beyond basic improvement, how to run honest self-feedback, and why the structure of a meeting shapes its outcome more than you think.

Meg shares her hard-won lessons on building psychological safety, juggling in-person vs. virtual sessions, and the surprising power of watching your own β€œgame tape.” They break down the real differences between facilitation, training, and presentingβ€”plus, Meg reveals her favorite rituals to recover after a high-energy session. Whether you’re in HR, L&D, people ops, or any role that leads group conversations, this episode is packed with practical tools to help you facilitate withmore intention, awareness, and growth.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why honest self-feedback (and watching your β€œgame tape”) accelerates your growth as a facilitator
  • The difference between surface-level performance and true skill developmentβ€”and how to spot both
  • How Meg distinguishes between facilitator, trainer, and presenterβ€”and why those boundaries matter
  • What core skills every mid-career facilitator needs to revisit (and how to run your own β€œannual checkup”)
  • Practical strategies to manage your energy and emotional recovery post-facilitation
  • Why the structure of your questions or process matters more than β€œgood vibes” or charisma

In This Episode:

  • 00:00 – ΒιΆΉΉϋΆ³΄«Γ½lcome to The Learnit Lounge + Mickey introduces Meg Bolger
  • 02:01 – What it means to truly upskill as a facilitator
  • 02:53 – Using self-feedback and β€œgame tape” to improve
  • 04:53 – Going beyond performative fixes into deeper self-awareness
  • 06:57 – The interplay between personal growth and facilitation skills
  • 08:38 – Identifying core skills for a facilitation β€œtune-up”
  • 10:44 – Process for peer review and defining facilitation excellence
  • 13:24 – In-person vs. virtual facilitation: what changes?
  • 14:55 – When β€œmastered” skills surprise youβ€”and the need to relearn
  • 15:49 – Defining facilitator vs. presenter, trainer, and teacher
  • 18:54 – Why multidirectional communication is the heart of facilitation
  • 20:28 – Power, identity, and transparency when facilitating (especially as an outsider)
  • 24:52 – Handling participant perceptions and building credibility
  • 25:33 – Meg’s rituals and recovery for post-facilitation fatigue
  • 28:33 – Meg’s core leadership lesson: the process shapes the outcome
  • 32:04 – How to connect with Meg and keep learning

About Meg Bolger

Meg Bolger (she/her) is an educator, creator, and dedicated champion for building a more compassionate, pro-social world. As the founder of Facilitator Cards, Meg develops innovative tools, trainings, and resources to help facilitators β€œhuman well together.” Her work blends deep expertise in group process with a thoughtful, creative approach to upskilling leaders, HR, and L&D professionals across all industries. Meg is the author of a widely-read facilitation newsletter and regularly speaks, writes, and consults on facilitation best practices. Β 

Resources Referenced:

Want to Learn More?:ΜύΜύ

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  • Email: podcast@learnit.com
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