What do you do if your problem-solving skills are holding you back in a career in Facilitation?
In the dynamic field of facilitation, your ability to solve problems effectively is crucial. If you find that your problem-solving skills are not up to par, it can be a significant barrier to success. Facilitation requires you to guide groups, foster collaboration, and navigate complex issues. When these skills fall short, it's essential to take proactive steps to enhance them, ensuring you can lead with confidence and efficiency.
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Dr Ajay Bakshi C Suite Executive coach ,TedX speakerExecutive coach to CEO & C suite,Author ,Independent Board Director & Ex CHRO and Executive Board Director of large MNC
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Gary Rush IAF Certified Professional Facilitator MasterTransforming your workforce by developing collaborative leadership capabilities that increase performance 'n engagement…
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Owen Fernandes Ph.D., MBA, ICP-ACC, ICP-LEA, ICP-ENTBusiness Agility Coach | Author | Leadership Development | ICAgile Authorized Instructor | Certified SAFe 6.0 Agilist |…
Begin by conducting a thorough self-assessment to pinpoint exactly where your problem-solving skills are lacking. This can involve reflecting on past facilitation sessions where you felt challenged or received feedback indicating a need for improvement. Consider whether you struggle with identifying the root causes of problems, generating creative solutions, or making decisions under pressure. Understanding your specific weaknesses is the first step towards addressing them.
Engage with peers, mentors, or supervisors to gather honest feedback about your problem-solving abilities. This external perspective can provide valuable insights into how others perceive your approach to tackling challenges during facilitation sessions. Be open to constructive criticism and ask for specific examples of situations where your problem-solving could have been more effective. This feedback will be instrumental in creating a targeted plan for skill enhancement.
Dive into learning new problem-solving techniques that are specifically tailored to facilitation. This could include methods like the "Five Whys" for getting to the root of an issue, or "brainstorming" for generating a wide range of solutions. Familiarize yourself with various decision-making tools and frameworks that can help structure your approach to complex problems. By expanding your toolkit, you'll be better equipped to handle whatever challenges arise in your facilitation practice.
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I would look to seek professional help from those who are good at it. I would make an effort to attend workshops, courses, or conferences on facilitation and problem-solving. These can provide new insights, tools, and networks to support your growth. I would then try out how my newly learned knowledge works out. Practice is key to developing problem-solving skills.
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Well, to begin with, master a few problem-solving frameworks. These are all learnable skills and no one is a “born-problem-solver”. Here are a few to start with, IDEAL Problem-Solving Method: Identify, Define, Explore, Act, Learn. Six Thinking Hats: White, Red, Black, Yellow, Green, Blue. DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control. PDCA Cycle: Plan, Do, Check, SCAMPER: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse. The 5 Whys: Ask "why" repeatedly. Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Identify underlying causes. Design Thinking: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test. Cynefin Framework: Simple, Complicated, Complex, Chaotic, Disorder domain based problem solving.
Practice makes perfect, and this is especially true for problem-solving in facilitation. Create opportunities to practice your skills in low-stakes environments, such as with friends or in volunteer settings. Role-playing different scenarios can help you apply new techniques and gain confidence in your abilities. Regular practice will not only improve your problem-solving skills but also reduce anxiety when facilitating actual sessions.
After each facilitation session, take time to reflect on how you handled problems that arose. Consider what worked well and what didn't, and think about how you could approach similar situations differently in the future. Reflection is a powerful tool for continuous improvement, and by making it a regular part of your practice, you'll gradually refine your problem-solving skills.
Lastly, embrace adaptability as a core component of your facilitation skill set. The landscape of group dynamics is ever-changing, and being able to adjust your problem-solving approach on the fly is critical. Stay informed about new facilitation techniques and be willing to experiment with different strategies. By maintaining a flexible mindset, you'll be better poised to overcome obstacles and lead successful sessions.
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