3 misconceptions about facilitation (and why I changed my mind about them)

Even Dina’s tail was included in the rendition.

Last month our theme of the month was facilitation. Though I was not able to publish an article on the topic, I am catching up with the theme and sharing this as a mind-nudger to ease back into a rhythm of sharing and learning.

Facilitation is one of the most important skills I have ever learned about or developed. It is something I use in many areas of life. And so, I will forever be learning more and more about this vital skill.

I have also noticed that as I became a better facilitator of learning experiences, I became better at reading rooms in general, regardless of the situation.

It helped me notice when people were quiet or getting left out, and who was dominating or needing some diversion or re-channeling.

And that person could be your uncle at a barbecue or a 8 year old you're teaching Science to.

In both situations (and more), facilitation skills are key.

Yet, there was a time where I didn't really feel facilitation would be a good skill for me.

And in the next bit of this article, I'll go through 3 reasons why:

Misconception 1 - The hero is the facilitator

Misconception 2 - It’s a “loud” skill only good for extroverts

Misconception 3 - The most important thing is the delivery

Let's dive in to each of these.

For the first one: 'the hero is the facilitator' - this isn't the case at all.

It may seem that way, because they get a lot of the spotlight and almost celebrity status in high profile events. But in really fantastic sessions, the facilitator isn’t the hero at all - the participants are. And I have found over and over that the more the facilitator makes the session about the participants, and designs it keeping them front of mind, the more successful the session.

For the second one, "it's a 'loud' skill for extroverts", again - while it is a skill that often involves lots of explaining, talking, spotlight and performance on the facilitator themselves, the actual 'extroverted' delivery time... it's only a part of it.

As an introvert myself, I've found there is so much demand for quiet, deep thinking, introspective and reflective time that is a prerequisite for delivering an effective session. So yes, there are parts of facilitation that requite a certain level of friendly / extrovertedness - but it's not continuous.

This contrast makes it a skill I really enjoy developing and using.

Finally, "the delivery is the most important thing". But is it?

The delivery often seems like the main thing, probably because it is the only part that is observed and received by participants and trainers who are constructively critiquing a session.

But in fact, the delivery is only a bit of what's important.

The most important thing - in my view, is: did the people in the room learn or glean something of value from this time spent? This may or may not be something that was in the objectives or goals even.

Some of the very best sessions I have attended as a participant are ones where I have learned an entirely different thing to the goal of the session but remember it years later.

It could have been from the mannerism or words a facilitator used, to the way he set up the chairs in the room. And I can't tell you what the objective of that session was and whether I got it. But still, that's one of the best session I ever attended.

Additionally, something underrated but very important is the planning and design of the session - this part is profoundly important and requires almost as much energy as delivery in some cases. Especially when it is a bespoke session or with complex objectives to fulfill.

From content to creating the activities, to thinking through the flow of energy and attention from section to section, to understanding the audience... these are just some of the things that require concerted focus to get right, and are as important as other things like the delivery.

In summary, these are three misconceptions about facilitation that I now think differently about:

The hero is not the facilitator;

It’s not just a “loud” skill only good for extroverts;

And, the most important thing is not necessarily just the way the session is delivered.

I'm so glad for continuing to learn about facilitation as a skill, because it has become such a fundamental part of both my professional and personal life.

#overtoyou: Which misconception speaks most to you? Did you have other misconceptions about facilitation before you started to learn about it?