2.  Facilitator comes from Latin word meaning
“the one who makes things easy”.
 Facilitation is the art , not of putting ideas
into people’s heads, but of drawing ideas
out.
 A good facilitator is one who talks little.
When the work is done, the aim fulfilled,
they will all say, “We did this ourselves”.

3.  I am nervous
 Be prepared
 Practice, practice, practice
 Participants in their underwear
 Greet everyone when they
arrive
 Start sitting down/hide your
nerves
Fail to prepare &
…. prepare to fail!

4.  People have experiences to share
 Offer praise & encouragement
 Get participants to answer questions
asked by other participants
 Silence is ok. You don’t have to fill it!
 NOTE: Not everything can come from participants –
share your knowledge/deliver content

5. We have one tongue and two ears
so that we can listen
twice as much as we speak
 Nod you head
 Yes, I understand, OK, tell me more
 Eye contact
 Facial expressions
 Check Understanding; what you are
saying is …

6. 4. Your energy = their energy
5. Time Management (balance with process)
6. Stay focused on the topic
 “Parking Lot”

7.  Pairs, buzz groups
 Supportive group
 Encourage within and outside the group
 “You look like you wanted to say something”
 Ask direct question: tell me about your
experience with …
 Praise & refer back to their ideas
 No one speaks twice until everyone speaks once

8.  give them something to do
 Take notes & summarize
 Write on the flipchart paper
 Thank you … like to hear from others
/ gender / age / location
 Same group together
 Talking stick
 Speaking cards – if desperate!
 Talk to them outside. Group Rules

9.  Don’t take sides/be objective
 Bring out as many ideas as possible
 Participants will disagree!
 Your job = summarize at the end
 Correct facts, not opinions
 Your opinion not that important

11. Get to know each other
Pass the pen
Discuss and agree roles and
activities
Pay attention to small group
work

24. PREPARATION
LISTEN
ENERGY
PARTICIPATION

25. STATEMENTS
Most important is that group reaches clear decision
A good trainer speaks more than listens
Anyone can be a facilitator
The key job of a trainer is to pass knowledge
Good facilitator answers all questions
Definition of a facilitator is “one who teaches others”
A good facilitator corrects facts, not opinions
A good facilitator changes sessions or ends early if group too tired
A good facilitator communicates clearly their position/view on issue
being discussed

26. Flexible Encourages humour
Patient Humble
Confident Inclusive; gender sensitive
An encourager An enabler
Affirming of everyone’s knowledge Sensitive to needs of others
Willing to learn from mistakes Dynamic, a motivator, energetic
Summarising other peoples ideas Accepting
A good, clear communicator A good listener
Says when they don’t know Watches non-verbal communication
Makes participants feel valued & encouraged

27.  slideshare.net
 flickr.com
 Deloitte & Touche, 2010
 Whitmore/Stevenson: Strategies for
Engineering Communication, 2011