Five Facilitation Blind Spots: What I Used to Do — and What I Consciously Do Differently Now
Published with the author's permission.
After facilitating workshops for many years, I've noticed that some of the things I once considered signs of good facilitation are exactly the things I now try to avoid.
Not because they were necessarily wrong, but because my perspective has changed. I've become less focused on the facilitator, the method, and the perfect workshop design, and more interested in what the group actually needs.
These are five facilitation blind spots I've discovered in my own practice: things I used to do, and what I consciously try to do differently now.
1. From Heavyweight to Lightweight Facilitation
I used to facilitate quite heavily. Detailed instructions, carefully designed sequences, lots of interventions, and a strong sense that I had to actively guide the group through the process.
Over time, I've moved towards much lighter facilitation. I still design carefully, but once the workshop starts, I try to step back as much as possible. Less explaining, less steering, less me. The group should be doing most of the work.
2. From Clever LS Strings to What the Group Actually Needs
I used to be quite proud of designing elaborate strings of Liberating Structures. Finding surprising combinations and fitting lots of structures into a workshop was part of the fun. I still enjoy that puzzle, but it has become much less important.
The starting point now is much more simply: what does this group need? Sometimes that results in an interesting LS string. Sometimes it means using only two structures all day. And sometimes the best option isn't a Liberating Structure at all.
3. From Facilitator Perspective to Participant Perspective
For years, I mostly looked at workshops through the eyes of a facilitator: Does the design make sense? Are the instructions clear? Is the timing right?
More recently, I've deliberately participated in workshops facilitated by others. That has reminded me how different a workshop feels from the other side. As a participant, you notice things you easily overlook as a facilitator: too many instructions, unnecessary switching between activities, insufficient time to think, or simply the fatigue of being “facilitated” all day. I now try to bring that participant perspective much more explicitly into my own designs.
4. From Trying to Achieve Too Much to Leaving Space
I used to pack workshops with activities. If there was time available, I could always find another Liberating Structure, another question, or another round of reflection to squeeze in. A full program somehow felt like a good program.
Nowadays, I deliberately leave more space. Space to think, to continue a conversation that turns out to matter, or simply to take a longer break. Achieving less on paper can sometimes mean achieving much more in practice.
5. From Constant Activity to Different Ways of Participating
I used to think a good workshop meant everyone was actively engaged all the time. Talking, moving, writing, switching groups, doing something.
But constant activity can also be exhausting. People need different things to participate well. Sometimes that means talking; sometimes listening, observing, thinking quietly, or simply having a moment where nothing is expected from you. I've become much more conscious of designing that variation into workshops.
These are five shifts I've noticed in my own facilitation practice. I'm sure there are more to discover.
What about you? What is something you used to do as a facilitator that you consciously do differently now?