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Asking questions and listening are the primary functions of an effective facilitator. They replace giving answers, assuming the group's needs, or providing solutions.

A facilitator believes that the group establishes its own purpose and is capable of achieving its own outcome. In every situation, the facilitator believes the solution is possible any time before, during, or after an event. The facilitator assumes the group's perspective rather than maintaining his or her own.

By listening to the group's discussion and particularly to the language used, the facilitator discovers both the surface and underlying issues in the group. Only after the issues are clarified does the facilitator make decisions about how to resolve the issues.

Using a variety of strategies, the facilitator guides the group in examining the issues, generating alternatives, and selecting a course of action appropriate for this particular group a this time. Believing that the group has its own best solution and that it will emerge at the best time, the facilitator supports their interactions that lead the group to discover that solution. When facilitators live by this belief, they do two things:

• Ask questions and listen. Asking questions and listening are the primary functions of an effective facilitator. These replace giving answers, assuming the group's needs, or providing solutions.
• Recognize that when it's time, it's time. All issues can be resolved if the time and conditions are right. Similarly, change occurs when the time and conditions are right. For example, when the climatic conditions of temperature, moisture, and barometric pressure are right, thunderstorms occur.

In facilitation, there are both external and internal conditions that affect the movement of the group towards its goal. When group participants reach a level of understanding, acceptance, and openness, resolution occurs.

When the facilitator models the productive behaviors of respectful listening, maintaining personal safety, honoring various perspectives, sharing, trusting, risk-taking, and disclosing, then group members will mirror these behaviors.

The facilitator strives to create and/or adjust the conditions for the group to be successful. Sometimes this means structuring communication systems or permitting adequate time for the group to establish the conditions. It might also mean acting as a catalyst to alter the conditions by speaking the unspoken, offering suggestions, or hypothesizing about the reasons for the group's, behavior.

Belief 2: A sense of community creates a forum for group work.

"Community is a group of people who have learned to communicate honestly with each other, whose relationships go deeper than their masks of composure, and who have developed some significant commitment to 'rejoice together,' and to 'delight in each other, make others' conditions our own'... " (Peck, 1987, p 59)

"Once a group has achieved community, the single most common thing members express is: 'I feel safe here. ' " (Peck, 1987, p, 67)

A facilitator believes that a community provides a forum for meaningful interaction, which in turn leads the group to its own solutions. When facilitators live by this belief, they do five things.

• Model attitudes and behavior. Group members' attitudes and behaviors are strongly influenced by the facilitators' attitudes and behaviors. When the facilitator models the productive behaviors of respectful listening, maintaining personal safety, honoring various perspectives, sharing, trusting, risk-taking, and disclosing, then group members will mirror these behaviors. Through this process, a nurturing environment emerges.
• Reveal their thinking. Facilitators further the development of community by revealing their observations about behaviors within the group. The facilitator may also offer possible reasons for these behaviors, discuss potential interventions and the reasons for them, or suggest various strategies.
• Foster independence. Building the group's independence is another way the facilitator furthers community. This is accomplished by providing opportunities for all group members to be leaders, thus equalizing everyone's sense of power. In essence, the facilitator is responsible for helping group members develop comfort with one another so that meaningful interaction occurs.
• Stay in the here and now. The facilitator needs to stay in the present in order to focus clearly on what is occurring in the group. The past and future do not exist for the facilitator. The only information or interaction that matters is what is current.
• Trust their intuition. Facilitators operate not so much from knowledge of "how to" but more from "gut feelings." This is particularly difficult for facilitators who feel more comfortable with specific plans, clear directions, and precise outcomes. Facilitators develop a "seat-of-the-pants" feel for what is happening and what needs to happen next. That feeling will be blocked if facilitators are not in tune with their "knowing place."

Belief 3: The facilitator has no preconceived notions.

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need... My best work is done when I forget my own point of view; the less I make of myself, the more I am... This is the wisdom: to let go in order to achieve." (Heider, 1985, p.43)

Facilitators believe that groups will generate their own best solutions. Facilitators give up the need to be right and to heal, convert, solve, or fix the group. Facilitators take a backseat to the process and allow the group to drive itself. This behavior is antithetical to the trainers' role of directing the group toward specific outcomes.

Facilitators need to let go of preconceived notions about how "it" should be and allow the group to shape its own future. To do this, the facilitator has to be flexible, egoless, and confident of the power in the group. When facilitators live by this belief, they do three things:

• Go slowly to go fast. In any situation it is necessary to go slowly to build relationships, a common knowledge base, awareness of other viewpoints, and an understanding of one another before any tasks can be accomplished. To rush into a complex situation and resolve it quickly is like putting a band-aid on a crack in a dam. According to Kouzes and Posner (1990), "There are two ways to bring about change: you can force it or you can let it happen naturally. The former is faster but it increases resistance... The latter is slower but it tends to receive greater acceptance" (p. 236). Facilitators recognize the importance of letting go of time constraints. Spending time up front to establish well-grounded relationships will ensure efficient work later.
• Use the energy. Facilitators need to recognize the energy in group settings. We typically are more comfortable with those members who are overtly positive and supportive. However, negative energy is a symptom that deeper, sometimes more significant issues are not being faced. If these issues are not addressed, they may sabotage resolution attempts. Facilitators often avoid the negative energy in a group out of fear. Letting go of the fear associated with negative individuals or issues, acknowledging those issues, and appreciating the underlying negative energy frees facilitators to listen more carefully and use the negative energy as a valuable energy source for moving a group forward.
• If unsure what to do, do nothing. The facilitator needs to be comfortable with not taking action. Whenever the facilitator is unsure about what to do, he or she should choose to do nothing. By not intervening, the group is provided with an opportunity to determine its own next step or to provide additional information which will clarify what the facilitator's choice should be. While choosing to do nothing is often difficult, it can be a powerful intervention.

Recommendations for Learning Facilitators

Acquiring the skills, practices, and beliefs of an effective facilitator is a process of evolution and internalization. We find the following example of internalization from science particularly illustrative:

"Suppose, for example, that we deposit a drop of black ink into a glass of clear water. Initially its presence is quite ordered. That is, all the molecules of ink are located in one small area and are clearly segregated from the molecules of water. As time passes, however, natural molecular motion will cause the black ink molecules to steadily intersperse with the clear water 5molecules until they are distributed evenly throughout the glass, resulting in a murky homogeneous liquid with no structure or order whatsoever... " (Zukav, 1979, p. 221) 

For us, internalization means a change of focus from theories and techniques to the wholeness of the process. There are three stages in this evolution: learning, engaging, and reflection. Initial learning is the result of training in the concepts, skills, strategies, and techniques of facilitation. Armed with these tools, facilitators move next into real-world application. When engaged with groups, facilitators may feel overwhelmed by all that is happening. Facilitators seek to make the "right" choice from among options.

Facilitators must go beyond knowledge and strategies to seek the truth and enlightenment that come only from practice, reflection, and following their beliefs.

At this stage facilitators often face uncertainty and self-doubt. Facilitators might be haunted by questions such as “Did I make the right choice? What if I had ...?”

Eventually this unsettled state is resolved when facilitators fully adopt the Zen of facilitation. Through reflection, questioning, and discussion with other facilitators, the underlying beliefs are crystallized. The role and responsibilities become less frightening as facilitators move from conscious decision making to trusting the underlying beliefs to guide decisions. The facilitator begins to see the murky liquid rather than the ink and water. As Heider (1985) observes,

"Beginners acquire new theories and techniques until their minds are cluttered with options. Advanced students forgot their many options. They allow the theories and techniques that they have learned to recede into the background. " (p. 95)

We have learned that facilitation is not easy and that it requires tremendous dedication to practice and reflection, is not learned quickly, is continually humbling, and is fascinating. For staff developers beginning the journey from training to facilitation, we believe the critical component of success is the understanding of the Zen of facilitation.

If we have learned one thing on our journey, it is that the tools or techniques alone are insufficient for long-term effectiveness. Facilitators must go beyond knowledge and strategies to seek truth and enlightenment that come only from practice, reflection, and following their beliefs.

---

Joellen P. Killion and Lynn A. Simmons are staff development trainers.

Adams 12, Five Star Schools. Staff Development Training Center, 601 W. 100th Place, Northglenn, Colorado
80021.

This article appeared in Journal of Staff Development, Summer 1992, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 2-5.

References

Heider, J. (1965). Tao of Leadership: Leadership strategies for a new age. New York, NY: Bantam.

Kouzes, J. &- Posner, B. (1990). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Oakley, E. & Krug, D. (1992). Enlightened leadership. Denver, CO: Stone Tree.

Peck, M.S. (1987). The different drum, New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Reps, P. (n.d.). Zen flesh, Zen bones: A collection of Zen and pre-Zen writings. New York, NY: Anchor Books.

Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of learning organizations. New York, NY: Doubleday.

Wing, R. (1986). The Tao of power: Lao Tzu's classic guide to leadership, influence, and excellence, New York, NY: Dolphin /Doubleday.

Zukav, G. (1979). The dancing wu li masters: An overview of the new physics. New York, NY: Bantam.