A very generous offer that is made to me by well meaning participants - My wife is free. Could she do some training with you? Grrrr! Does my work seem so easy that anybody with free time can do it?
The popular notion is that anyone with good communication skills can become a facilitator. It is a profession that is fun, allows for flexible working hours and pays decently. No wonder that flocks of people are drawn to it.
But facilitation is not as easy as it seems. It is simple, not easy. Facilitation is about empowering others. It is about giving the responsibility for the learning to the group. The most difficult part of facilitation is letting go of control - allowing learners to find their own answers. Now, that is not easy.
My philosophy of facilitation is best reflected in the title of the book by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff - "Don't just do something, stand there" . It is often difficult for people to comprehend the personal growth required to just "stand there." To let go of the need to have all the answers and keep a group happy all the time.
I attended a training programme once where there were 52 other trainers. The pattern was too striking . They were all the same - loud, overbearing, eager to take centre-stage, poor at listening and ever ready with unwanted advice. Not my favourite brand of facilitation certainly.
Any good facilitators out there? Want to talk to me?
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