What Are You Projecting?
June 14, 2010 by davissm · 4 Comments
This past week I had the opportunity to co-facilitate another Journey of Facilitation and Collaboration Workshop in the University of Wisconsin in Madison. As always, it was a pleasure to watch this new group of facilitators unfold as a high-functioning team. While many beautiful insights and opportunities emerged, there is one I want to speak about in this issue as I believe it’s a topic that deserves discussion. That is, the concept of psychological projection, which we explore in this week’s article, What Are You Projecting?
I have found Byron Katie’s work very helpful with projections. As I master my own projections, as a facilitator, I have found I can more skillfully help others.
http://www.thework.com/thework.php
Equally true is positive projection. We see in others what is true of ourselves. For example, I have often marveled at a friend’s gracious and generous hospitality. Gradually it dawned on me I was like her.
While I agree that as a facilitator, you must be aware of this circumstance so that you can better process the responses that you are getting, one has to be very careful not to venture into the realm of psychology unless you are trained. It is a delicate balance to be sure. It is one thing to make the individual aware that it is happening and ask them to reflect on and possibly reconsider their response, but quite another to offer the opportunity to explore it more deeply with them. These can be “hot buttons” for many people so it is good to be clear about your boundaries. If, as a facilitator, you encounter this frequently it may be more appropriate to refer them than treat them.
Steve, I am glad you are exploring this topic of projections. I think that we as facilitators who take responsibility for a group process have an added burden to be aware of our own projections. Since they are subconcious, it’s tricky, but the questions you posed can just as appropriately asked of ourselves when we notice that we are upset or thinking that something “always happens that way.” Thanks!