Facilitator guide generator · free AI skill

Produces a complete, self-contained facilitator guide for any DEI toolkit or training session — including a timed agenda, verbatim facilitator scripts, discussion prompts, activity instructions, difficult-moment…

Purpose

Produce a run-ready facilitator guide that lets any trained Talent Partner or people-leader deliver a DEI session confidently on their own — with a minute-by-minute agenda, what-to-say scripts, activity mechanics, and prepared responses for the hard moments that derail DEI conversations. Eliminates the dependency on a specialist facilitator being in the room.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when the user asks to:

Build a facilitator guide for a DEI training or workshop
Create a leader-led toolkit session that non-experts can run
Turn DEI content or slides into a deliverable, teachable session
Prepare facilitators to handle sensitive discussions and pushback
Standardize how a DEI module is delivered across teams or locations
Equip HR business partners or managers to run an inclusion session solo

Inputs Required

Before starting, collect:

Session topic: The specific DEI subject (e.g., inclusive hiring, allyship, unconscious bias, psychological safety)
Session duration: Total time available (e.g., 60 min, 90 min, half-day)
Audience: Who attends — people managers, individual contributors, senior leaders, mixed
Group size: Approximate number of participants
Delivery format: In-person / virtual / hybrid
Learning objectives: 2–4 outcomes participants should leave with
Facilitator experience level: Trained DEI lead / HR generalist / people-manager with no prior facilitation

If learning objectives are missing, propose 3 objectives from the topic and confirm the group size default of 12–20 participants.

Instructions

Step 1: Session Blueprint

Establish the frame before scripting anything.

Restate the topic, audience, duration, and format in one line each
Convert the learning objectives into observable outcomes ("participants will be able to..." format)
Set the tone contract: this is a learning space, not a debate; confidentiality applies; intent vs. impact is the operating principle
Note the facilitator's calibration level — if they are inexperienced, script more verbatim language; if trained, allow more prompt-only guidance

Step 2: Timed Agenda

Build a minute-by-minute agenda that sums exactly to the session duration. Use these standard segments, scaled to the time available:

Welcome & ground rules (8–10% of time)
Framing / why this matters (10–15%)
Core content or concept (20–25%)
Primary activity or discussion (30–35%)
Debrief & synthesis (10–15%)
Commitments & close (8–10%)

Present as a table: Segment | Time (start–end) | Purpose | Facilitator action.

Step 3: Verbatim Facilitator Scripts

For each agenda segment, write what the facilitator actually says — not a summary.

Use spoken, first-person language the facilitator can read aloud
Mark [SAY] for verbatim lines, [DO] for actions, [ASK] for questions posed to the room
Include the opening welcome, the ground-rules read-out, transitions between segments, and the closing commitment ask
Keep sentences short and speakable — avoid clauses no one would say out loud

Step 4: Discussion Prompts & Activities

Provide the interactive core.

Discussion prompts: 5–8 questions sequenced from low-risk (observation) to higher-risk (personal reflection). Each prompt includes a one-line facilitator note on what a strong response surfaces.
Activity instructions: 1–2 activities with setup, exact timing, group configuration (pairs / small groups / full room), materials needed, and the debrief question that closes each one.
Provide clear instructions for adapting each activity to the delivery format (breakout rooms for virtual, table groups for in-person).

Step 5: Difficult-Moment Response Scripts

Prepare the facilitator for the moments that most often derail DEI sessions. For each, give a named scenario and a prepared response the facilitator can say:

Silence / no one answers: how to re-prompt without pressure
A dismissive or "this is political" comment: how to acknowledge and redirect to shared goals
A participant shares something painful: how to honor it without turning the session into disclosure
Someone dominates the conversation: how to redistribute airtime gracefully
A defensive "I'm being blamed" reaction: how to separate intent from impact and lower the temperature
A factual challenge the facilitator can't answer: how to hold the room and follow up later

Each includes a [SAY] script and a one-line rationale.

Step 6: Materials & Setup Checklist

List everything the facilitator needs to prepare in advance.

Room / tech setup by format (seating, screen, breakout config, materials printed)
Participant materials (handouts, worksheets, digital links)
Facilitator materials (guide, timer, slide deck, ground-rules card)
Pre-session send (agenda, pre-reads, expectations) and timing

Step 7: Post-Session Follow-Up

Close the loop so the session drives behavior, not just a good hour.

A commitment capture method (individual written commitment participants leave with)
A follow-up message template the facilitator sends within 48 hours reinforcing 2–3 key points and the commitment
A short feedback prompt to gauge session impact
One escalation note: when to route a participant concern to HR or a DEI lead rather than handle it in-session

Output Format

Structure: Sequential, run-of-show document a facilitator reads top-to-bottom during delivery
Length: 1,400–1,900 words
Format: Structured document — timed agenda as a table; scripts as labeled [SAY]/[DO]/[ASK] blocks; checklists as bulleted lists
Sections: Session Blueprint → Timed Agenda → Facilitator Scripts → Discussion Prompts & Activities → Difficult-Moment Response Scripts → Materials & Setup Checklist → Post-Session Follow-Up
Tone: Warm, steady, and practical — supportive coaching for the facilitator, inclusive and non-judgmental for participant-facing language

Quality Checklist

Before delivering output, verify:

[ ] The timed agenda's segment times sum exactly to the stated session duration
[ ] Every agenda segment has corresponding verbatim [SAY] language — no segment is left as a summary
[ ] Discussion prompts are sequenced from low-risk to higher-risk (count 5–8)
[ ] All six difficult-moment scenarios include a ready-to-say script, not just advice
[ ] Activities specify timing, group configuration, and format-specific adaptation
[ ] The follow-up section includes a sendable message template and an escalation trigger

Notes

The difficult-moment scripts are the highest-value part of this guide — an inexperienced facilitator's confidence collapses when the room goes quiet or defensive, so these must be genuinely usable under pressure.
Scale script density to facilitator experience: verbatim everything for first-timers; prompts-plus-key-lines for trained leads.
Keep participant-facing language framed around shared goals and behavior, not identity assignments — this lowers defensiveness and keeps the session productive.
If the topic is high-sensitivity (e.g., discrimination, harassment), add a clear escalation note recommending an experienced DEI lead co-facilitate rather than running solo.

How to use this skill

This file is a Claude Code skill in Anthropic's standard format — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top.

Installing in Claude Code:

~/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md — auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects)
<your-project>/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md — auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills)

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Drag this file into a new chat, or copy and paste its contents
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For Claude Code skill details: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills