This Workshop will examine whether or not different facilitation process steps are required when working in different cultures (e.g., a Group with a 100% Asian Culture compared to a Group with 100% North American or White Anglo Saxon culture ) and across different Generations (e.g., Gen Xers, GenYers, and Baby Boomers primarily ). Some recent research into how different generations think and react will be presented but the focus will be on facilitation; what do Members of the Group think? We hope to have a group that is truly cross generational and multicultural as well.

Michelle Golden's (CPF) organizational consulting and marketing implementation company works exclusively with professional service firms throughout the U.S. and abroad. Since 1999, Golden Marketing has helped nearly 100 firms achieve increased profitability and aligning operational behaviors with goals. Michelle leads strategic and marketing planning processes and facilitates problem solving, bringing groups to a path of progress in a constructive manner. Her work and opinions appear in publications around the world and she is a sought-after speaker on numerous management topics. She is a former member of International Association of Facilitators Board of Directors and served as the U.S. Regional Representative.

Stephen Thorpe is a facilitator specializing in the online domain and trains others in online facilitation. He has been researching ways to enhance the effectiveness of online groups. His PhD explores facilitation as a vital domain in assisting online groups with a focus on the benefit of story and narrative in online relationship development. Stephen is the Secretary of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and the Editor-in-Chief of the IAF’s Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal. He is on the Advisory Panel of the Global Facilitators Service Corps (GFSC),a member of Heart Politics, The New Zealand Computer Society, Toastmasters (District 72: Club 7686) and the Participation Community of Practice - part of New Zealand's E-government Strategy. Stephen holds a Zenergy Diploma of Facilitation and a Bachelor of Business with first class honors from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) where he has a background researching computer-assisted group work. He is a part-time lecturer.