Facilitation. It’s a thing.

If you work in a corporate environment it’s highly likely that you’ve heard the term, maybe attended a meeting that had a facilitator, or been invited to facilitate yourself?

If you’ve not familiar with the term, I can confirm it’s definitely a thing, and once you’ve read this article you'll realise facilitation is already all around you.

Personally, I can’t wait to spread the word about facilitation because it’s the new (old), latest (most historic) of people organising skills that’s a must have addition to your business (and human) toolbox.

It could be the missing link, the 1 last piece of the jigsaw you need to give you, your team, your clients, your children the confidence to take things to the next level.

Enough of the pre-amble. What the f… is facilitation anyway?

By definition it means – ‘make (an action or process) easy or easier’.

It’s that simple. In order to make a conversation, meeting, workshop <insert your most common gathering of people> easier, then it needs facilitation.

It needs a person to take on the role of facilitator, and this is where it starts to get super interesting. The moment the need for facilitation is apparent and the role of facilitator has been filled, a group dynamic instantly changes.

By having someone step out of the group participation, and employ a deliberate attempt to make it easier it’s as if a magical cloak has been thrown over the group.

1. The physical and emotional space they occupy is now being cared for.

2. The energy of the group is being observed and reflected back.

3. The desired outcome of the group is nurtured and held as the North Star.

4. The members of the group have the freedom to focus on the challenge in front of them, be a bit bolder, get a little more lost in the way of thinking required for the tasks as they arrive.

Now imagine that you had the skills and confidence to help in this way. That you are able to increase the focus of a whole group. Not with targets which increase people’s stress but conversations and games which energise and build alliances and creative solutions.

I recommend these resources:

• https://www.liberatingstructures.com/

• https://www.sessionlab.com/library

• https://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-Back-Room-Aside-Learn/dp/0787996629

• Resourceful Exformation book

• https://www.tickettailor.com/events/explorationlabssrl/758666?

• Tobias Mayer and I created the Facilitator Lab in 2019. It's a monthly event for people wanting to practice and experiment with facilitation in a judgement free space.

With knowledge, practice and a deliberate intention facilitation can become part of your toolkit, please message me if you want to talk about it - I love it!

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With thanks to fellow facilitator Amy Cooper for the review of this post.