Training and Facilitation for Organisations, Teams and Leaders

Most teams don't struggle with what they do. They struggle with how they do it together.

You might notice repeating problems with the following:

  • The same topics keep getting discussed in circular conversations

  • Frustration or stress is building due to untimely decision making or unproductive pieces of work

  • Repeatedly getting stuck in decision-making limbo, or decisions often do not stick (even if people seemingly agree to them)

  • There are a few people who generate all the ideas or action, without much engagement from others

  • People are not really speaking to one another, excuses, gossip, cliques, and/or postponement are common roadblocks

  • There’s lots of staring and silence in meetings, or meetings are chaotic and unfocused - either way, there is not much productive dialogue

  • The idea of dealing with tension or differences is secretly scary, therefore, it just gets avoided

  • There is an overall lack of clarity, responsibility, and accountability

  • You know you are capable of more than you are achieving

The Lewis Deep Democracy Foundations training is an internationally acclaimed methodology designed specifically for anyone who works alongside others to achieve impact. It offers a practical toolkit which improves culture and unlocks the potential within teams and groups through collaborative decision-making and constructive conflict transformation.

Many facilitation or leadership trainings offer great ways of engaging groups and techniques for challenging conversations, but do not incorporate how to deal meaningfully with the unsaid dynamics, inherent differences and tensions that affect them. This method specifically shows people how to surface undercurrent views, include all voices, and build the inner skills needed to achieve breakthroughs in seemingly impossible-to-solve issues.

The shape of the delivery follows your unique needs and context.

What makes this training different is that it is not delivered to your group - it is developed with them in real time.

Rather than working through pre-set scenarios or case studies, participants bring live topics, real tensions, and current decisions into the room. The method is then practised on what is live and relevant to your organisation or team right now, leaving participants with direct experience of using the tools and making practical decisions and progress.

No two Lewis Deep Democracy trainings or facilitation processes look the same, because no two groups are the same.

What I Offer

Team, leadership, or organisational training in Lewis Deep Democracy as well as bespoke facilitation or team coaching.

Some teams want a training adapted for their context and delivered in a variety of flexible formats.

Others want me alongside them to facilitate or coach a specific team, leadership, or organisational challenge, dynamic, or opportunity.

Whatever your needs are, we will work out the right shape together.

Keep on reading to see what you will learn and gain from experiencing this method…

  • "Will leave a legacy"

    “Francesca has made the University a better place. Her ability to create interventions which prompt deep thinking and action to improve our culture has advanced the development of our staff and will leave a legacy here. She has built strong relationships, credibility and trust in a short time, giving those who work with her real confidence to tackle our challenges. She's one of the best appointments I've made.”

    Sara Shinton, Director of Future Leaders Fellows Development Network

  • "I would recommend all leaders learn about it"

    “I thought the approach might be too 'prescriptive', or too 'hippy' but the training provided by Francesca completely dispelled my concerns. I have used it both to make better decisions and manage conflict more effectively. I was doing a workshop with an NHS team and I drew on the LDD methods. As the alternative / slightly dissenting perspective was brought into the conversation, I was: a) not worried about it, and b) able to handle it constructively as a result of the skills I learnt in the LDD training. The result was a much better conversation where we were able to properly address this alternative perspective. It is a great way to remove the fear around conflict or alternative perspectives, surface them in a safe way, and then harness them for better decision-making. It is a tool to support a wider cultural shift for you team or organisation. I would recommend all leaders learn about it.”

    Lydia Paris, Director

  • "Teaches you to accept and own your power"

    "Lots of practices teach you to diminish your power to make space for others. Deep Democracy teaches you to accept and own your power, and use it to create space for deep dialogue that surfaces alternate views, which makes for stronger, more trusting, and more transformative relationships with each other.”

    Julia, Director

  • “10 out of 10 learning"

    (Before the training) I had no concept of what Deep Democracy meant; it seemed very abstract and inaccessible. After the training, I feel like I "get it" - I understand many aspects of the theory behind it and can see how it can be applied. (I am now) aware of my role within a group and different ways of lowering the waterline of the group. I like the idea of leaning into conflict and finding ways of collective decision making which brings everyone along. I loved the modelling of the teaching and learning. Francesca was in the LDD persona the whole 3 days and we could constantly see the theory in practice, which really helped. I really appreciated all the practical elements to the training and being able to volunteer to facilitate a group debate."

    Lena Lorenz, Research Impact Manager

  • "Hugely helpful tools"

    “The practice felt very grounded in theory and born out of very difficult conflicting time, which gives it weight. It deals head on with the more difficult parts of leadership. When seeing resistance behaviour, (I will now) address it openly straight away, instead of hoping it will just go away, and play around with reflection on my usual roles in situations. I will use the (tools) when I notice that polarity of opinion arises. These are hugely helpful tools that I can see I will be able to apply in different situations.”

    Nicole, Joint CEO

What you will learn

Collaborative Decision Making

  • Solve problems and make decisions in participative ways.

  • Facilitate dynamic conversations which unleash engagement and creativity.

  • Create safety in large or small groups for difficult conversations to take place.

  • Surface the wisdom of different views and improve decision making by incorporating this valuable information.

Resolving Conflict and Tension

  • Successfully navigate disagreement and discomfort without retreating from it, avoiding tough decisions, accommodating or losing clarity.

  • Appropriately address “elephants in the room.”

  • Recognise the underlying tensions that block a group's progress, diagnose when group dynamics become polarised and rigid, and know what tools to use in such situations.

  • Resolve differences of opinions, arguments and conflicts instead of allowing anger and blaming to continue. Learn to unleash the creative potential that lies within every conflict.

  • Use tension as an opportunity for learning, growth and to improve relationships.

Improve organisational and team culture

  • Retain valuable people and stop the expensive revolving door of new recruits.

  • Create an emotionally mature culture where people can skilfully navigate tough moments together with self-awareness and candour, reducing patterns of sickness leave and burnout.

  • Shift from siloed thinking to holistic collaboration, enabling cross-functional teams to work together effectively.

  • Develop leaders with finely tuned listening skills who can understand team concerns and take skilful, responsible, and confident action before challenges escalate or derail actions.

Understanding Group Dynamics

  • Read the dynamics of a group, pick up on the early signs of resistance and emerging conflict and act in a timely manner to reduce tension.

  • Understand the obstacles to good communication, learn to listen and pay attention to different viewpoints.

  • Observe group dynamics that exist beyond individuals and manage them for more effective collaboration.

  • Begin and end meetings with a powerful way to connect the group and get a handle on what is happening in the room.

Developing inner skills

  • Grow the capacity to hold all views as valuable, including the uncomfortable, unpopular, or dissenting ones.

  • Stay present with tension, difficulty, and strong emotion without collapsing into fixing, withdrawing, using rank, or avoiding.

  • Build self-awareness of your own reactions, edges, and assumptions and the ability to work with them rather than be hooked by them.

  • Develop the inner steadiness that allows you to facilitate, lead, or contribute as a non-polarising presence in charged situations without losing your ground.

  • Cultivate genuine compassion for the range of views and experiences in yourself and within a group, including those you disagree with.

Taking part in a training or facilitated session(s) will…

  • Save time, energy, and money. Instead of using these resources to deal with interpersonal dynamics, you can focus on your impact instead.

  • Strengthen relationships through having relevant and successful conversations where everyone feels heard.

  • Create peace of mind and stability through cultures of clarity and participation.

  • Improve performance by unleashing collective agency, insight and accountability.

  • Build the long term skills and capacity of leaders to enable highly performing, healthy teams.

“It has already changed the most challenging parts of my work”

“At first I was sceptical, and thought there might be too much emotion for work, then I realised that was the genius of it. It takes account of the whole person, digs for what they aren't sure they can say, and makes it safe for them to do it. I found it hugely valuable and it has already changed how I approach the most challenging parts of my work.

In learning to understand one another better as a group, we will treat one another with more respect and will be more mindful of what is being brought into the room that isn't visible.”

Hazel Lambert, Head of Communications, University of Edinburgh

I want to hear from you.

The first conversation is for both of us to work out whether what I do is the right fit.

Please get in touch.