The Art of Facilitation

The word facilitation may mean different things to different people. Recently, I had an opportunity to clarify and crystalize my understanding of facilitation. Being one of the 22 participants who attended the first module of the Facilitation Training Programme organized by CRI, it was a time of initiation into a whole new field which I had never explored before.  The first phase of the training programme commenced on 26 October at CRI House, Delhi.   During the following days, the participants were introduced to the basics of the art of facilitation by an excellent resource team. As I participated in the training, I realized that it was a spiritual experience. It is not merely possessing a set of skills to interact with a group. Below are some of my key learning from the first module of the programme. 

What is facilitation?

Broadly speaking, facilitation is a process of collaboration and discernment and in this sense, a deeply spiritual experience. It involves guiding and accompanying a group in identifying its goals and creating a collaborative process to achieve these goals. It is absolutely important to clarify the purpose so as to achieve the desired goals. Facilitation helps the people to work together by creating an open, respectful and productive environment. It is not about dominating or deciding for the group, rather empowering  the group by creating a conducive atmosphere for them to express their views and opinions freely.

The role of a facilitator

The role of the facilitator is to offer a frame, a container, which will be filled by the group during the course of the event or meeting. A good facilitator encourages and empowers the group and ensures maximum participation by all, by creating a safe environment. He/she fosters collaboration by building trust, cooperation and understanding among the participants. It is the role of the facilitator to guide the process so that the desired outcome is achieved. Differences of opinion and conflicts of ideas must be managed with sensitivity and skill by the facilitator so that the group moves from a space of divergence to convergence.

Qualities of a facilitator

Empathy is a quality that the facilitator should posses to know the pulse of the group and to act with sensitivity and neutrality. Deep and attentive listening while suspending judgment and being open is another quality a facilitator should possess. Deep listening involves hearing the whole person, not just the words spoken but the unspoken words by means of body language, gestures, feelings, tone of voice etc. because words communicate only 30% of what the speaker wants to convey.  It is important to reflect back what is spoken to check out the meaning and to gain more clarity. It is vital to ask appropriate, clear questions with definite purpose in mind so that the participants are able to respond effectively. A creative facilitator keeps the sessions more interactive and interesting and thereby keep the participants active and involved throughout the session.  Above all, I have come to realize that facilitation is a deeply spiritual experience. The facilitator, therefore, needs to be a God-centered person, attentive to the movements of the Spirit both within oneself and among the participants.

Like me, the other participants also found the sessions effective and highly beneficial as all of us some time or the other will have the opportunity to interact with and guide groups in our areas of ministry. Below are some of the impressions of the participants following the first module.

“The facilitation training program of one week changed my concept and understanding of facilitation from managing a meeting and reaching a majority consensus to becoming a channel of Spirit movement where inner voices of every participant are brought into light, resulting in fruitful relationships and conclusions.”

 “The workshop helped me to realize that facilitation is all about deep listening and becoming more aware of ourselves and the pulse of the group; we are navigating to a deep spiritual awakening.”

“The facilitation training program was well conducted. The engaging sessions, expert guidance, and interactive activities were well appreciated. The training team's enthusiasm and support were invaluable. Overall, it was a valuable experience that I'll make use of in my practical life.”

“This first segment of the Facilitation Training Programme was very enriching both in terms of knowledge and skills. We were led through the understanding of basic facilitation competencies like presence, attentive listening, reading the room, etc. along with creative ways to introduce the process. I found these extremely useful while practicing the small tasks in groups on each afternoon. By the end of the week, a general realization dawned on all the participants that we were called to facilitate in a spiritual way. We are sure that this will lay the context for the next segment of the training.”

“This facilitation programme gave me a deep understanding of myself as well as the techniques to be used while facilitating a program. I took it for granted that it was all about inculcating tools and techniques. But I was partially wrong, because it begins with deep-rootedness in God. It has a spiritual dimension. Listening deeply becomes most important during facilitation. Thanks to the entire facilitation team, who helped me understand the value of this workshop.”

Personally, I found the first module of the Facilitation Training Programme very informative as well as engaging. It enabled me to clarify my own understanding of facilitation. It further generated an interest in me to gain more insights as to how to be an effective facilitator. I look forward to the upcoming sessions with an inquisitive mind to discover what more is going to unfold for us.

Blurbs

Facilitation involves guiding and accompanying a group in identifying its goals and creating a collaborative process to achieve these goals. It helps the people to work together by creating an open, respectful and productive environment.

Empathy is a quality that the facilitator should posses to know the pulse of the group and to act with sensitivity and neutrality. A creative facilitator makes the sessions more interactive, keeping the participants active and involved throughout the session.