Attend to Challenges to Your Facilitation Immediately
One of a facilitators (particularly a new facilitators) greatest fears is the possibility that the group will object to what’s they’re doing or not cooperate with them in some way.
Challenges may come to you directly through verbal objections: “This process isn’t working”…”Your style isn’t working with our group”…”Why do you keep interupting us?”…etc.
Challenges may also come indirectly through behaviors: Participants are slow to respond to your suggestions, they talk amongst themselves, they are ignoring you, members take over the facilitation role without consent, participants consistently arrive back late from breaks, etc.
Challenges such as these, particularly direct challenges, are not only valid forms of communication from the group, but signs of a mature group that’s strong enough to challenge what they feel isn’t working. Challenges need to be resolved immediately by restating the challenge back to the group, asking for clarification if needed, and checking with the entire group for consensus.
If the group concurs that something needs to change, ask them to suggest a process or direction they think is appropriate. If their isn’t a strong consensus, you might suggest continuing on the present course to see if things clear up and revisit the issue later in the meeting. If a single participant brought up the issue and doesn’t agree to this, then ask them to make a specific request.
Remember that you are only one member of the group and that you require their support and cooperation to help them reach their goals. If something isn’t working, it’s the entire groups’ responsibility to get to the source of the problem.
Ultimately, it may turn out that you’re not the right facilitator for this group at this time. This is not necessarily a reflection on your abilities, it just may be that your skills or style don’t fit their needs at this time. Elicit any feedback you can from the group and check to see if you can use it in the future to improve. Acknowledge that you’re OK and they’re OK and move on.
What Do We Do With Facilitator Challenges?
Be Curious and Accepting. If you’re in a group and have received challenges like any of those listed above, an attitude of acceptance and openness is a critical first step. Open curiosity and acceptance of criticism is rarely seen in our culture. This attitude alone is sometimes enough for a breakthrough. From this stance, you and the group will be able to hear and receive information that may help you move forward.
Solicit Feedback. Ask group members for specific perceptions and feedback. Here is some sample language for that:
There have been several challenges to my facilitation at this meeting. I can only fulfill this role with your consent and support. Let’s have a look at what is and isn’t working for each person.
Then go around the room and get input from every participant. If any of the inputs are unclear, ask that they be restated until you understand them and ask one of the members record responses. If next actions aren’t clear by going through this process, make or ask for suggestions in resolving the issues noted.
Action
Reflect on any challenge you’ve received as a facilitator. What have you learned from it? Has what you’ve learned helped you to be a better facilitator? We’d love to hear your perspective on this important subject. Please share your questions, feedback, or experience on this topic below.
Another great article Steve. This is always my worst nightmare. I was doing a staff training session on a new computer system we were bringing in and, in my materials, I used examples that were already set up the way they should be, as this was consistent with my learning style – I like to see what the finished product is going to look like – though I didn’t understand this was the dynamic at play at the time. The group asked if rather than having the examples already figured out if we could go through it as a group and figure it out as we go so they could see the discussions that went on arriving at the final conclusion. I was extremely uncomfortable doing it this way, probably because I was married to the notion that I had to have all the answers, and opening myself up to this level of vulnerability in living Power Point was daunting! (ha, ha) When we were finished the group really enjoyed the session. I still didn’t like it, but I felt good that they had the sense that their critique had been addressed, and at the end of the day if you’re not teaching it the way the group learns best, it’s not really very useful anyway.
Steve,
Experiences like this used to drive me inward into self criticism of the “I’m not good enough” variety. As I gain confidence, I still go within but to comfort myself instead, and to challenge myself to learn from this situation. Confidence is also necessary to ask the group, curiously, what isn’t working.
Great example on many levels Kim! You bring up an important point about how we know we’re successful as facilitators. Here the group felt the session was very valuable and you felt uncomfortable about it. Sometimes in serving the group, we have to stretch outside of what’s comfortable for us, or even more challenging, what we think the group needs! Bravo on flexing for your fellows!
I actually enjoy verbal challenges. It means that the participants are taking responsiblity for their own learning. If I can figure out what they need, I can make the learning experience better for them.
Hi, Steve. I’m glad you are raising this fear, as I think it’s one that really makes it hard to move from stand-up trainer to group facilitator. We all know that adult learning principles require participation, but this kind of unplanned – and sometimes unskilled – participation can try our patience and make us wary of the group. I have found that it helps to remember that as the facilitator I am not “on stage, under a spotlight” – therefore, I am not performing. When I can drop the performance anxiety and remember I am there to make the group’s process easier, I am a little more open to challenges. I once worked with a group where I had been pre-warned by the client about a negative participant (I also take such warnings with a grain of salt). When I was able to listen to this individual and validate him, I found that the whole group of his peers came on-side quickly. Seems he was an informal leader and if I had just tried to contain him or quiet him the whole session would have flopped.
Challenges are great as Maggie suggests above.
Having said that I really put the work in upfront by speaking to a good cross section of participants in advance of the workshop to find out what they want to get from it and to explore their concerns. I also usually have several discussions with my commissioning customer and nail down the PURPOSE of the workshop, I then design the workshop accordingly. When I am challenged I acknowledge the challenge (and point it out if its non verbal) and then ask the participants to check if we are ON PURPOSE and take it from there.
went to a presentation recently, titled how to deal with difficult conversations,
one useful tip was to have a conversation about conversation, with the aim of eliciting what works…
and re negative participants, often they have a different preception, which can appear as off register becuase its different…its an opportunity to discover other differences and usefully include.
and the facilitators purpose may not be congruent to the group, may have other thoughts in mind.