What are some strategies for handling unexpected situations as a facilitator?

Take a deep breath and a moment, breath out, relax yourself. Work to not personalize whatever is happening Always keep your eyes on your ultimate goal -- care for the participants -- and proceed from there even if it throws you off your agenda.

In my experience preparation is key to being organized and not letting anything slip through the cracks. Every day I check if my processes are seamless or if I'm missing something. A great tip is to have a notepad and write out your daily activities and check them off as you go. This has been a major game changer for me as I'm relentlessly following up with purpose and direction. As you prepare for meetings or events think about how you want to be perceived in a professional manner. This will help you set the stage for your audience as well! 🏆

Some great tools for your Facilitator Tool Kit are what I call, Peak, Track, Time and Parking Lot. Peak = If the group has reached the limit of a discussion on a point and it is not moving forward then the facilitator or any other member of the group can call Peak. Track = When the group discussion has gone off track and is not serving the purpose of the meeting objectives facilitator or any member of the group can call Track Time = A good facilitator should always estimate and put a time limit on each meeting agenda item in advance of holding the meeting. A group member is assigned the time keeper and they can call time if over the time limit. Parking Lot = any discussion or question get put in the Parking Lot if it isn't relevant

Yes! by preparing for potential challenges, such as technical issues or misunderstandings about the session's goals, you can mitigate many problems before they arise. Ensuring clear communication with all stakeholders and familiarizing yourself with the participants' backgrounds and interests can also preemptively address potential issues.

Pause, breath, and look across the entire audience, no matter how big or how small. In part to gauge how they're responding to the question. There are times when you'll have folks who are steering for their own personal purposes away from the focus or intent of what's being worked on and discussed. Remain professional, polite, respectful and if it's not part of your expertise or the focus of the meeting you can direct it to the highest ranking individual in the group for a response, or respectfully state that it's outside of this gathering. Most importantly, pause and collect before speaking. What you say and do next will impact the rest of the time together.

Knowledge of the subject delivering in a wider scope than the material delivering is far more beneficial that knowing word for word a manual. Unexpected questions can be answered and given a genuine response sometimes clients know when they are being fed lines to answer the question and move on. Open honest and knowledgeable of subject is one of the main things.

My answer came out at 5873 characters. I have summarized and added as a document. I discuss a situation that has not formed part of our preparation, is by definition unpredictable, or we are at an event (such as Open Space), where we have been asked to facilitate without warning. Golden Rule: we are facilitating a group arriving at their solution to a problem. Not for us to allow OUR or powerful lobbies to take over nor to end with more problems than when we began. All needs the constant validation of the group. I have used: agree ground rules up front, open space, brainstorm, fundamental learning, parliamentary debate, vote, delphi, pipe of peace, change layout, six hat theory, change topic, break into different groups, use coffee break

When things go awry even after you've planned carefully, I like to remind folks there is nothing perfect in the world, and it is best to rely on our resiliency, creativity, and humor to rebound. It can actually gel the group more, so long as you stay open, relaxed, and confident. It can be especially powerful to find teaching moments in the face of unexpected mishaps. Perhaps you can seek out greater meaning and significance of what is happening... look for ways it be interpreted as valuable. In other words, loosen up, stay centered, trust the process, and work with what is.

In my experience, any conflict or tension that arises within a large group is due to frustration or a sense of futility, of not being heard, of ideas or inputs not being respected. The key to solving a situation such as this is to respond with empathy. Demonstrate empathy for the person or persons exhibiting behaviours that lead to negative outcomes. Open the floor to listen to the concerns of the person or party and acknowledge and affirm those concerns (even when others in the group believe them to be unjustified). Allowing the space to air grievances or disagreements is an important step in resolving issues. Bring the conversation back to the evidence, 'name' the problem, acknowledge it as a difficult conversation and take a break.

Absolutely, in unexpected situations, flexibility is key. Adjusting your approach on the fly, maybe with a bit of humor or a quick game, can keep things light and maintain focus :) Don't hesitate to lean on co-facilitators or organizers for support. It's all about staying adaptable and thinking on your feet.

Throughout my career, I've noticed as professionals we always will have unexpected situations such as life, work, meetings, etc. It's important to slow down and intently listen to what's happening around you. I have witnessed many leaders who have the incredible ability to acknowledge and adjust to hard situations. In these moments take a moment to watch their body language, their tonality, and how they use their hands as these are all methods great leaders use to improvise. Many professionals in the workforce today seek encouragement and empathy as we never know what's happening behind closed doors. I hope this helps as once you see it a few times you gain an understanding of how to help others in need! 😊

Impt to set the classroom commitment in beginning itself that sessions may have a scope of ambiguity/variability and to expect disruptions (especially tech related if hybrid or remote mode). Setting the right mindset that facilitation is not about chasing perfection but a collective learning process, that's the crux to any sort of improvisation or adaptability that follows.

In situations where the audience maybe tense and or equipment malfunctions it is always great to gauge the audience via a story or role play. Move with the Wow factor in mind and my rule of thumb is to think of worse case scenarios (depending on location/environment) and write down some ‘if-then’ scenarios. It is similar to having an elevator speech that is already prepped and ready.

Oftentimes, the unexpected occurs. In the middle of group, I have acknowledged the occurrence without panic. I have adjusted with humor and if necessary explained the need to pivot due to an unexpected occurrence, as it has encouraged others to be able to do the same. If a change affects someone on an interpersonal level, I have found it useful to check in with them, to provide a safe space to express their concerns with the abrupt change. And offer skills they could utilize to move forward.

Many things in life are about understanding perspective. That things aren’t perfect and that feelings or emotions can often interfere with enjoyable experiences. So when these things happen, determining the trigger, or underlying issue and create a solution for the best ability to resolve and move forward. This often provides experiential examples during educational trainings as well, validating skills, abilities and providing case study examples.

I like to remind myself and others who facilitate. 1. The audience does not know your content, so they most likely won't know if things go sideways. 2. Respond according to the needs of the group as a whole. Be fluid and fun. This helps with engagement and learning. 3. Always stay focused on the desired outcome. Not all presentations are linear, just be sure to get to where you want to go in the allowed time.

The most powerful thing as a facilitator is to demonstrate reflective and reflexive learning IN the moment it is occurring. It’s real life, not a tv show. When we expect people to behave as we predict and get shirty when they dont, we are demonstrating the opposite of behavioural flexibility. I always go with Ghandi - be the change” so do as you want your client to do when things dont go to plan. Additionally, i am a Huge fan of giving the work back to the group - so if there’s an unanticipated thing that comes up, what resources in the room can we use to deal with it - and that includes the people themselves.

In the life of Technical Recruiting, there are always unexpected situations that come up. It took me some time to understand & learn this. I've had many scenarios where things were out of my control but having the GRIT and the right mindset to guide others with grace has led to much success recently. We all have areas that we can improve on which is why it's important to have high communication and direction. I wholeheartedly believe that surrounding yourself with the right leaders/mentors can change a person I'm a prime example thanks to Greg Lagan - VP of Sales at Paragon IT Professionals. 😊🏆

Welcome the unexpected and prepare for it. Every group is unique. As a facilitator you are not there to solve problems but guide the conversation. When unexpected happens you have a couple of choices: 1. Create learning for everybody in that moment 2. Trust that any disturbance is what’s needed in this moment for this group 3. Stand in the fire and get curious vs defensive 4. Ask questions like what was your intention when you made that offensive comment?! What were you trying to achieve?! 5. Admit when you don’t know what to do or what to say and ask if anybody else has any suggestions. Be a human. Don’t be the “know it all” because nobody likes that.

Regardless of the tactics employed to manage the unexpected any event or intervention should have clear objectives. When the unexpected occurs being able to assess and pivot should be based on those objectives, desired outcomes, and the expectations of your partners / clients. Sometimes the unexpected offers opportunities for you to focus on one or another of those outcomes with greater clarity and through applied or experiential (albeit unplanned) learning. Go with it!

Las situaciones inesperadas son inevitables, pero la forma en que respondes a ellas puede marcar la diferencia en la efectividad de tu facilitación. Adaptarte y mantener una actitud positiva son elementos clave en la gestión de estas situaciones. -Anticípate a posibles contratiempos y prepárate con planes de contingencia. Tener un plan B puede ayudarte a gestionar situaciones inesperadas de manera más eficiente. -Conserva la calma en situaciones imprevistas para transmitir confianza y estabilidad a los participantes. -Sé flexible en tu enfoque estar abierto a ajustar tu agenda o métodos según sea necesario. -Desarrolla habilidades de improvisación la capacidad para hacerlo puede ser invaluable.

Navigating surprises is both the beauty and challenge of facilitation. As humans, we understand that absolute control is an illusion. Confronted with the "unexpected," I deploy a few secret strategies: Letting Go: When crafting the process design and guiding a workshop, it's natural for facilitators to have biases. Swiftly relinquishing rigid expectations allows us to refocus on the present moment. Dancing with the Group: The spotlight rightfully belongs on the client group. As facilitators, our role is to guide, not take center stage. Ego Check: Facilitating workshops isn't about proving our prowess. Using a group to fulfill personal needs is unjust.

Being creative and adapting to the environment can contribute in making a significant difference. Creativity in the classroom allows the minds to be more open and receptive to the curriculum being presented. Listen and allow the students to be more involved and share their opinions this gives a more inclusive approach. As time changes so must today facilitators if we want to continue to be impactful in today world.

Stories, real or fictional, always hold a surprise. If there isn't one then the story is unfinished. So, expect surprises and make the most of them #Aristotle #Aristotele