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The facilitator as 'author'
I'm busy reading a wonderful book on how to write fiction. And I see parallels with facilitation. An author takes the 'reader' into a 'new world' And he/she does this by working with characters, putting them into a 'situation', providing a setting, and creating a plot (which is what goes on between the characters.)
As facilitators we can impact the 'story' and help our delegates have a magical experience by:
1) Ensuring the venue or setting tells delegates they are special and valued. Creating a vibe where they can act their creative selves.
2) Ensuring we create a good plot or design our sessions well - so as to encourage powerful teamwork and discussions, and help our teams reach an objective easily.
3)We work with our characters - and use our skills to bring out what is special within each person, as well as preventing saboteurs from poisening a group. We use group dynamics to ensure that each group achieves with ease.
4) We work on ourselves as a magican (rather like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) -acting as guides. We try to work magic, but recognise we too are vulnerable human beings. So we look after our own energy too.
And if we plan and prepare ourselves and our plots well, we can bring magic in a group.
As facilitators we can impact the 'story' and help our delegates have a magical experience by:
1) Ensuring the venue or setting tells delegates they are special and valued. Creating a vibe where they can act their creative selves.
2) Ensuring we create a good plot or design our sessions well - so as to encourage powerful teamwork and discussions, and help our teams reach an objective easily.
3)We work with our characters - and use our skills to bring out what is special within each person, as well as preventing saboteurs from poisening a group. We use group dynamics to ensure that each group achieves with ease.
4) We work on ourselves as a magican (rather like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) -acting as guides. We try to work magic, but recognise we too are vulnerable human beings. So we look after our own energy too.
And if we plan and prepare ourselves and our plots well, we can bring magic in a group.
Tags: facilitation, magic
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by joanna howard on
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I agree. We don't always have the power or authority to get the idea venue or setting, but even so, time spent before the session looking at the chairs, the tables, the general arrangement is well spent. A friend of mine used to do a Feng Shui kind of thing of clapping in each corner (before the delegates arrived I need hardly say!) She said it improved the general energy. Any kind of real attention to the setting must be useful, even just walking around it to get the perspective and sightline of each delegate before they come.
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Tearle on -
I agree we don't always get the say on choosing the venue (although a little bit of assertiveness can work wonders.) But with a bit of extra overweight baggage, one can transform a drab room. e.g with music, dramatic props, balloons, and even a theme. Also the gifts one gives to delegates. Have you seen what Symphonia did with their Magic Faciliators Toolbox event. They decorated the venue. Sprinkled glitter on the tables. Dressed up in crazy outfits. Used magic wands Gave magic boxes as gifts to each delegate (with the contents of the workshop packaged as a gift), etc. etc. I wonder if we spend as much creativity energy on the setting as we do on the content of our facilitaton?
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Permalink Reply by Kirsten Pearson on -
Hi Ruth,
Great post. Since attending your Magic facilitator training session, I have had so much enjoyment planning technicolour journeys with various elements interwoven.
My 5 cents - as with storytelling, what you leave out is as important as what you put in!
Kirsten
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Tearle on
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Hi Kirsten
I'm delighted that you are experiencing and creating the magic in your sessions! And once you've experienced the power of technicolour training, you can never go back to single colour again.
I agree, what you leave out is as important as what you put in. Cutting out the unneccessy, is what separates a good writer/trainer from a lazy one. Less is more! The less content in a training course, the more time delegates have to learn by experience. Which is of course, the most powerful learning there is.
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