Here's how you can effectively respond to behavioral interview questions as a facilitator.

You are not only to throw-in common situations that a facilitator usually encounters in his sessions. Cite the most peculiar or unique difficult situation, how you addressed it in actual, and how every facilitator should address it and why you should use that strategy or method to resolve the concern.

Another element I suggest adding when reflecting and then sharing is what you learned--that ultimately improved your skills and abilities in your facilitation.

1. Handling a Difficult Participant In a training session, a participant kept interrupting. I acknowledged their input and suggested a Q&A later. During a break, I addressed their concerns privately. This reduced interruptions and led to positive feedback from others. 2. Adapting Facilitation Style For a diverse group, I used visual aids, hands-on activities, and discussions. Encouraging participant insights fostered collaboration. The session was praised for its inclusivity and effectiveness. 3. Motivating a Team Facing a tight deadline, team morale was low. I held daily briefings, recognized contributions, and added team-building activities. Morale improved, and we met the deadline with positive client feedback.

Agree on the STAR which is rather elaborative. But at times, that is also what the interviewer is expecting. Usually, it is much better to go beyond the expectations by using a more simplified and concise way of answering questions. Consider using the Problem - Solution format. Simply relate the what problem you encountered and how did you solve it. You may add insight by adding lesson learned from the situation, what to avoid or what needs to be done to avoid, mitigate or anticipate such concern.

As you select which situation to share as your response, consider what is the interviewer looking for--which skill or technique are they seeking to see how you perform-then make sure that the situation clearly demonstrates that and be clear about that in the retelling as well

True. Flexibility and the skill to easily digest and understand on-going situation while facilitating a course, and the nimbleness of your mind to process immediate, effective and reasonable approaches to address the situation is absolutely a requirement. Usually, one simple situation has the tendency to expand and branch-out to a more complex one while you are doing your fire-fighting. Certainly you don't want to stir the hornets' nest but rather use a method that immediately and quietly settles the situation. At times, facilitators will just tend to evade questions that may possibly grow into a forest fire by saying, |I'll come back to that later."

In addition to that, I encountered trainers who are a bit sarcastic and try to emphasize that he is THE AUTHORITY to the subject matter. Just a reminder that we are dealing with adult and we build our content and methodology based on principles of adult-learning. Having said this, facilitators should only be facilitators. You lecture only when you introduce fresh knowledge into beginners mind, when you present a subject, concepts and practices that is entirely new to your audience. Your manner of communicating should be always on the level of your participants, not going higher so as to emphasize that you are the champion or lower so as to allow doubt among your audience. In both ways, you are just boring them.

Again, state how difficult and impossible the situation is, but put emphasis on the positive results. This may give you edge in championing the interview.