“Being believable” and “trustworthiness” are character traits that seem to be in short supply in current times – not only are there plenty of con artists within and outside organisations, but there are also manipulative facilitators present, many of whom having less than honourable intent. “Stretch For Facilitators” examines the roots of the facilitator role and links the same to company and delegate needs seamlessly.
Gained from my experience spanning over thirty years, facilitation is a fun profession, but requires an immense amount of background work to become really good. Gone are the days when you can just “wing it” because you are a subject matter expert – the facilitator role today demands reflection, research and extensive practise. It is founded on a deep respect for the dignity of the human being and looks to create opportunities for creativity, ingenuity and contribution. It assumes that everyone has something valuable to offer and finds opportunities for all to express their ideas.
Becoming a professional and competent facilitator necessitates “ongoing learning” – preferably with a coach or mentor to guide you through the process. With each new assignment, irrespective of your “great knowledge” of the subject matter, research, interviews, learning and collaboration is required. Keep learning – don’t ever stop.
Keep developing as a facilitator and enjoy the stretch journey!
Resources
Stretch for Facilitators
A foundational handbook upon which to build your facilitator stretch journey.
This book has been written following thirty years of experience facilitating in one way or another. So many books exist for facilitators that illustrate practical classroom techniques, games that facilitators can play, flipchart and presentation methodology, etc. – “Stretch For Facilitators” doesn’t aim to duplicate any of these offerings, but rather focuses on the person of the facilitator in order to assist budding facilitators with establishing a credible foundation for their work. “Stretch For Facilitators” examines the roots of the facilitator role and links the same to company and delegate needs seamlessly.
