I had an intriguing moment mid-session during one of my training interventions. Allow me to take you through this Aha! moment.
At one of the projects for an Indian Multinational, we were in the middle of the “Human Machine” process. It’s where the team is asked to make a working object, with all its parts and components intact, using only the human bodies (team) as resources.
So, one group made a clock.
And I was trying to garner some group insights by asking them some questions, and the discussion in the room went something like this:
Me: if there’s any one part you can give up and do away with, will this clock function and work all the same?
Participant A: ya ya, it won’t work! Isn’t that the answer you’re looking for? Isn’t that the outcome you are trying to arrive at? We are all a team and we need to work together, that’s your point, right?
Me: well, I would be very happy to know if you have another perspective!
Participant B: well actually, the way I look at it is, you can do without the frame of the clock. Modern clocks have no frames and better aesthetics. This brings me to say, metaphorically, that we need to constantly keep upskilling, keep up with the times and adapt to changes. Otherwise we will be irrelevant, dispensible, and redundant at workplace.
*This was followed by complete silence, some pensive nods and jaw-drops in the room. *
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This is my most favourite part- taking the group from Known-To-Unknown; and then watching The Eureka look on their face!
This is largely what separates trainings and experiential learning from facilitative trainings- There are no rigged outcomes and answers. There aren’t any rights and wrongs.
Each participant is on their own, reflective journey, sharing their two pence with the group. It’s about creating metaphors for the group to reflect on, share pearls of wisdom with the group, and co-create the learning nuggets.
I read this somewhere, and the hat just fits: The true skill of a Facilitator lies not in their ability to bring wisdom to the group; but in their ability to bring out the wisdom of the group.
“Training, Facili-training- same thing, right?”
