For all the facilitators out there who have been hindered by time constraints, by the topic going off the rails, by the negative mindset in the room, and all the other challenges that may present which see the intended learning outcome being turned on its head:

I have seen these challenges time and time again in almost every workshop, meeting, in field coaching conversation. In fact in almost every scenario you could imagine. As has anyone, no doubt, who has had the pleasure of leading or facilitating human beings. It is in our nature to challenge, to have independent thought and to defend our mindset to a ‘stranger’ who has come to ‘tell us how it should be’.

So how do we combat a situation where we feel we may be losing control of the situation? Where the pesky candidates are determined to keep taking us off track, to argue with our concepts or to generally waste our time with ‘irrelevant’ sharing, off topic and not helpful to our intended learning outcome.

The best armour I have found is firstly to expect it.

Many, if not most participants have been ‘dragged’ into the session with little or no warning, even though the company had plenty if notice. The groups who do arrive in a positive frame and eager to absorb the learnings are a blessing, yet they too can be led up the garden path by one determined independent thinker who dares to speak their mind.

I have been lucky enough to have had mentors who have shown me how they can ‘turn a room’ how they allow all of these interactions occur up to a point. How some of the discussions which we may see as ‘off topic’ are actually extremely value adding and perhaps more important than the topic we are supposed to be addressing.

It takes many baptisms of fire and years to master, but once you do, you will never be afraid to totally change direction right in the middle of the workshop and in fact abandon the plan entirely and open up the floor to the matter at hand. That is right you heard me.

‘You will never be afraid to totally change direction right in the middle of the workshop and in fact abandon the plan entirely and open up the floor to the matter at hand.’

I do not advise this lightly.

There are many factors to consider before even contemplating this. You will have already established trust with your client, they will already know this may occur when you are running the show. How? Because you have explained to them the value of the open honest rapport you will establish in the room and that anything may happen. That you are experienced enough, and acting in their best interest to make the decision at the time, to actually call the process to the candidates. I have said to a room full of leaders and frontline workers.

“O.K. this discussion is extremely value adding, and although it is off topic and we have limited time, I think we should explore this more deeply, with your blessing.”

The outcome and feedback from the session was always outstanding and every single participant could not believe they were given the freedom to speak about cultural, safety, organisational (or whatever the theme) challenges - the elephant in the room that no one usually allows then to address.

The intended workshop topic and learning outcomes were always rescheduled and were more engaging and value adding than they ever would have been otherwise.

I could write a novel on this, perhaps I should

The moral of the story is:

Believe in your capabilities as a facilitator/mentor/coach Communicate your ability and intention to the client, honestly and openlyLet go of the rules: lesson plan, learning outcomes, the whole kit and caboodle.

We need these tried and tested tools of the trade yes. Most of the time all will be well and the plan will work with a few minor distractions. However please, please:

BE OPEN TO THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT PRESENTS, TO DELVE DEEP INTO THE CULTURAL CURRENT AT ALL TIMES NO MATTER WHAT THE INTIAL PLAN WAS. THE VALUE OF THIS CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

You only have to see the benefit of this once, and you will never look back. You will be excited at the prospect that this could occur at any time.

Expect it and be ready!

Stay safe and keep smilin’Cheers Drewie