L&D Strategy • Feb 3rd
What makes a great facilitator?
Written by Claire Coughlan
I come from a background in performing arts, so when I started doing stand-up training delivery at the age of 24, I naively felt it was a natural transition; I had my ‘audience’, I knew my ‘script’ and I was able to ‘entertain’….not a problem…or was it…?
Something was missing…on the surface I was saying and doing all the ‘right’ things, but I could feel a massive disconnect between my intention and how it was received.
Over time, it dawned on me where I was going wrong…I was spending so much time focusing on my needs, how others perceived me in the training room and this perpetual fear of being an expert, that I had forgotten who was most important in that space (I’ll give you a clue, it wasn’t me!!!)
You do not always need to be the expert in the room. People attend training with their own knowledge, skills and perspectives. Honour that through your ability to ask great questions, listen and involve the whole group.
I was 26 when I made that discovery and that was when I truly started to learn my craft in a much more meaningful way and be truly present for those who took part in training sessions. This early lesson is one that I am truly grateful for and there have been many others along the way including:
- How to feel comfortable in my own skin
- The importance of empathy in the training room
- Why asking better questions and listening harder to the answers are a gift
- Training design is the roadmap, but delivery is the key to impact
If you’d like to learn how to develop the skills of great facilitation within your business, contact us to find out about how we can help