Chapter 2
Preparing for a Self-Selection Event

In the following two chapters we outline everything you need to know to prepare for a successful self-selection event, from checking that you’re ready to getting the materials in place for the event itself. We explain why this level of preparation is important and discuss some of the challenges you can expect along the way.

In this chapter we guide you through the things you need to think about and prepare weeks or months in advance. How much time you need before your self-selection event depends on the scale. As a rule of thumb, if your event involves more than sixty people, you’ll need to start planning at least six weeks in advance.

We also guide you through how to conduct a readiness check, get permission to run the event, communicate the concepts and plan, coordinate the logistics, as well as under which circumstances to run a trial event.

Before we start on the initial steps, it’s important to emphasize how vital it is to prepare well in advance. In fact, we suggest erring on the side of overpreparation, mainly because it will give you the best chance of success, and also because it will put your mind at ease and make you a more relaxed facilitator.