Signs of a good facilitator
Great DJs weave together playlists that build energy, tempt us onto the dance floor and sustain the pace to keep us there.
Their decks and lighting play a part, but it’s the music that’s at the heart of a great experience.
One of Australia’s most celebrated tango DJs, Yuko Kinoshita, told me that it was learning about the music that helped her hone her craft, rather than the act of DJ-ing itself.
I think it’s the same for facilitators.
We know how to run good meetings and workshops. Amidst grappling with all the technology, that has not changed. So, let’s ‘lean into that’, as Rebecca Sutherns said in our latest conversation on facilitation.
That beguiling tech stays sidelined as Rebecca and I pick up where we left off last week, talking about some facilitation fundamentals in part 2 of riff #5.
There was so much GOLD in riff #5 that we couldn’t edit it. So, we split it in two.
We step back and take stock about some of the signs to look for in a good facilitator.
Number 1 – they serve the group, not the workshop plan or meeting agenda. Facilitators think about:
✔ Managing energy and focus
✔ Interactivity
✔ Variety
✔ Making things visual
✔ Working with power and equity
✔ Creating a safe space for people
✔ Being present, following the group and encouraging people to be fully present
✔ Movement
✔ And yes, music.
All these ingredients are like the music of facilitation. Yuko said that if the music is wrong, the tango floor can get messy. As her appreciation of the music deepened over the years, her toolkit to respond to the need of tango dancers expanded.
No matter how good your tech, and your ability to use it, if your playlist doesn’t get the crowd onto the dancefloor it’s next to useless.
I hope you find our discussion in riff #5 valuable. You can watch part 2 here. Please drop me a line to share your thoughts. I’d love to build on the conversation.
Work with me to get the best of both worlds for your next workshop.
I can help in three ways:
Teach you how to design a workshop that delivers. Tip: no icebreakers 😉!
Guide you as you design your own workshops. Sense check your workshop plan, brainstorm ideas for activities, de-brief after or in the middle if things are going pear-shaped.
Facilitate for you: I work with you to design, deliver and evaluate an engaging and creative session that delivers the outcomes you need.
Book a 15-minute meeting with me to get the ball rolling.