In this conversation, Mentor Dida and Cole Hoover break down Harvard Business Review’s “Every Team Needs a Super-Facilitator” by Jamil Zaki and connect it to what we’ve learned from dozens of world-class spaceholders on Facilitating Change. We unpack the article’s three pillars - attunement, communication, and distribution—and translate them into practical moves for leaders who want meetings that actually create progress.
How super facilitators sense the room, name tensions, and invite quieter voices without losing momentum. Harvard Business Review
Ways to communicate with clarity and care, so challenge fuels learning instead of shutdown.
How to “keep the ball moving” so contribution is distributed and collective intelligence shows up.
When to open the door wide vs. curate the room, and why design before the meeting often determines the outcome.
Tactics for power dynamics: naming power, creating structure, and using small groups to share airtime.
Why movement, somatic cues, and thoughtful transitions matter—onsite and on Zoom.
The “time paradox” of transformation: planting seeds, holding patience, still delivering value now.
Leaders, facilitators, learning designers, team coaches, and anyone responsible for turning a group’s time together into real change.
Harvard Business Review: Every Team Needs a Super-Facilitator — Jamil Zaki. Harvard Business Review
Zach Mercurio on The Power of Mattering. Zach Mercurio+1
Adam Kahane, Power and Love (book). PenguinRandomhouse.com
David Ehrlichman, Impact Networks (book). PenguinRandomhouse.com+1
If this episode lands, share it with a colleague who runs meetings, trainings, or retreats—then try one small shift this week: name a tension, rotate a role, or redesign one agenda to distribute contribution.
