What do you do if your facilitation session falls flat?

Fundamentally, if one enjoys the act of facilitation any session is a learning opportunity along with a chance to really enjoy yourself. There will always be times you either aren't prepared, didn't get the brief on time, didn't connect with the audience or aids were shifty. A balance between seeking perfection & not being too hard on oneself when things aren't in your control is imperative. I've kept notes of every session I've facilitated professionally- Things that worked, Things that didn't (and why) I've come back to my notes when addressing similar audiences. They've helped me think on my feet and change gears when needed. 2800 sessions & counting in various capacities throughout my career and this has worked for me so far.

I think if you've been asked to facilitate a group its because they want your help to get to an end goal and that end goal is their responsibility. So as a facilitator I think you have to call out that it doesn't feel like its working and ask for the group to input on options that might change the direction/energy. Facilitating isn't about jedi mind tricks - its about trust and collaboration.

Connecting with empathy is a great way to build trust and deepen dialogue and discussion. If the session is falling flat, pause and acknowledge that the energy doesn't feel right. Take a quick pulse check and determine the best steps forward.

You might have been asked to work with a group who are already having issues so it can be very tricky to get them to engage. One question that nearly always gets an answer is 'if you could make one change(/improvement) to the way this team/project is working, what would it be', and allow people to answer that anonymously. This should give you some suggestions that you can then discuss as a group

Don't assume that a less vocal/active group is a sign of a flat session. I was a facilitator for a group of intelligence analysts and thought the facilitation was falling flat because the room was very quiet. Then I noticed that during breaks and lunch, it was also quiet. The next day, I gave a quick explanation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Introversion/Extraversion scale and asked them (if they wanted) to disclose where they fell on the scale. 100% introverts. Their engagement looked different--good eye contact, active listening, taking notes, verbal engagement when given adequate time to think/write/share with neighbor, robust one-on-one discussions during breaks if they had a question or need.

Yes please! Too many facilitators have a sense that things are falling flat and yet are so committed to their original plan that they stick to it regardless of it not working well. Be nimble and adjust! One quick way to do that is to change the modality even if you can't change the question or topic on the fly -- so...if people are talking, have them write or walk or build... -- it'll change the energy and give you time to think and regroup!

The art of facilitation is “possibility thinking on your feet” to get people from point A to point B. Be clear on the destination, have a planned route & constantly review the groups progress & adjust course subtly or dramatically if required Just like a ship leaving port for a long journey, not all obstacles can be identified until they appear. However, a skilled facilitator should be able to adjust quickly to not just adjust course but to land people safely. The ability to calmly ask yourself questions around the 10 Go MAD possibility thinking areas - tasks, resources, reasons/who to involve, ways to communicate/gain buy-in, obstacles, risks & implications, ways to overcome & minimise, assumptions - whilst observing group dynamics is key.

Facilitation is more of an art than a science. You need to be planned and prepared, which means having some contingencies for the moment when the plan you brought isn't what the group needs. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including the group being aligned on a purpose or strategy sooner than anticipated, participants not understanding a question or an exercise falling flat. Acknowledge what is happening in the moment (celebrate a breakthrough or let everyone know you need a moment to regroup). If needed, give everyone an unscheduled 15 break and rework your plan. It will grant you a moment to reflect and will reignite their energy level and creativity. You're there for their success!

One of the most critical skills a facilitator must possess is flexibility and the ability to creatively adjust with purpose. A plan is merely the starting point. The intent of the program must be continuously revisited as well as what is resonating with the participants. This includes flexibility and creativity in content, facilitation method, exercises, engagement, and pace.

In my experience in classroom training; If your facilitation session falls flat, the key is to remain composed, adaptive, and focused on re-engaging the participants. Quickly assess the situation - is it due to lack of interest, unclear objectives, or a mismatch in expectations? Adjust your approach accordingly, perhaps by introducing an interactive exercise, clarifying the session's purpose, or soliciting candid feedback from the group. Be prepared to pivot your facilitation style or content to reignite interest and ensure the session achieves its intended outcomes. A skilled facilitator can often revive a lackluster session through flexibility, active listening, and a commitment to creating a valuable experience for all involved.

Setting the stage from start to align our audiences with the purpose. Most important, always approach with "Audience Centricity" mindset. Empathize on objectives, concern, interest, benefits, expectation of audiences and manage to link with the session purpose Always engage our audiences through the journey of the session. Make it interactive and learn through together. Ensure to keep checking with our audiences pulse and adjust.

I started as Facilitator in transport industry, teaching people that had more experience that me in a certain field. My edge/advantage was to incorporate/involve them and their experiences in my teachings. by making them part of the lesson and not trying to take away from their experience by teaching them the same thing, rather emphasize how important their experience and knowledge was to todays lesson -RPL>

The tale of two different events. Example One: You have been briefed on the problem to help resolve. You introduce yourself and begin discussion. No one is engaging. If you find yourself in this situation, STOP. Acknowledge your concerns with the group. Re-start with a question - "Hey, I'm wondering if this is hitting the right note, what do you all think?" If you get a few nods, take it right back to asking what is it that they are trying to address. Example Two: You invite the group to stand up and to engage with each other (with hi-energy and music), you ask specific questions to discover what the 'real' problems are. In minutes you win heart and minds, know exactly what the issues to address are and begin facilitating discussion.

Audiences are different dynamics groups because of their background, culture and experiences. Different level power dynamics influenced to create a negative environment within the training center. In this important for a skilled facilitator to bring them back and connect with the learning objectives.

Il est primordial de donner du sens afin de faciliter l'apprentissage. Un apprenant convaincu est déjà sur le chemin d'acquisition de nouvelles compétences.

I find this very helpful. When parties are not moving and stuck on an issue, it is beneficial to remind them of the progress they have made so far. When parties see that they have collaborated or have the capabilities to do so, they become motivated to continue on the same path. Here, parties can be given a moment to reflect on the progress made so far.

Según mi experiencia Trataría de tener una 2da sesión con una nueva estrategia de comunicación. No siempre logramos nuestros objetivos y eso genera tensiones en especial si los objetivos no fueron bien consensuado o fueron muy exigentes. Cada caso tiene sus particularidades aunque no siempre el refuerzo positivo funciona. Hay personalidades muy narcisistas que no reconocen sus debilidades y los errores son siempre de otros o del sistema. Saludos

Always make participants feel important by taking their inputs, asking them about their experiences, by generously acknowledging their contribution to the training etc.

Yes, positivity is key. However, be careful about toxic positivity; sometimes it's also okay to give space to disappointment or frustration. I personally do not like reward systems and prefer a sharing circle in which the group can share what they like/what they have learned/what the appreciate about the session/the rest of the group/the mood etc.

Try a reflection exercise at the end of the day. Ask the group "what did we learn today?" Write it down so they can see progress Tie accomplishments to the objectives. Have the group talk about why an accomplishment was important. If it's a multiple-day facilitation job, ask "is there anything we should bring forward to the next time we meet?" That way you reinforce positive behaviours and accomplishments, and participants feel like they got something out of the day.

Debriefing afterwards (especially if co-facilitating) and gathering feedback is a strong way to up your Facilitation Game. Sometimes we are expecting to only have to adjust to the less-than-ideal feedback when so many times we get amazing enhancement ideas for the next time we facilitate the same, similar, or even different feedback. Our audience's feedback is gold, and we shouldn't just expect to brace ourselves for negative feedback. I'm grateful for all the consistently amazing feedback I've gotten, but each session brings something new and inspiring and don't forget that is relevant feedback too!

Schedule a "facilitation retrospective" with a mentor or a peer group to dissect the session's highs and lows. This reflective practice can provide invaluable insights for personal growth. Additionally, maintaining a "facilitator's diary" where you jot down observations, feelings, and ideas after each session can be a powerful tool for continuous learning and improvement.

Feedback forms are helpful, but first, identify the type of experience you were trying to facilitate. What kind of emotion were you hoping to elicit from attendees? For example, were you focusing on making them more comfortable with sharing their opinion in a public setting? Once you have that, don't be afraid to ask your attendees about that emotion. So, in our example, you could ask: What made you most comfortable in the session we had today? What could make you more comfortable with sharing your opinion in future sessions? Then, you could have a more general question asking them to share their thoughts on the session. I've found this framing around emotions more actionable than generally asking what went well & what could be improved.

Putting yourself in the shoes of your attendees helps. If the audience is experiencing Change it’s important to identify where individuals are at on their journey. If it’s early in the process, engagement is heightened with lots of questions. Resistors may be more evident later in the process when there is a deeper understanding of impacts. Considering the individual’s Change journey can help determine how best to facilitate a session that’s meaningful and effective.

Any ‘failure’ is a chance to learn and grow. Own it. As the facilitator it’s on you to prepare for the session, identify potential showstoppers and be ready for the elephants in the room. If it didn’t go well, it’s ok. Stuff happens! Think about what you’ll do differently next time.

100% follow up with those in your session ask for their feedback through a survey or if you feel brave enough acknowledge the flatness and ask participants what could be better in the session live and direct after you have gone through your content. Have thick skin it’s a possibility that this just wasn’t the correct group for your content but embrace it, adjust, and move forward. Don’t dwell! You’ll be a better facilitator afterwards

This step should always be centered around improvement. How are we making the session better? How are we going to improve individually? It is important to include everyone involved in the creation in this portion to have diverse and differing opinions.

Follow up gathering input and feedback about the participants’ evaluation of the meeting to confirm expectations, outcomes and results were achieved. This is an opportunity to address any lingering concerns and quell negative impressions. Be sure to thank the participants for their partnership in framing the situation and being complicit in drafting a favorable outcome.

When my facilitation falls flat I always try to make sure that no matter what my intentions are met. The reason for that is so the audience can still walk away with something no matter how it went. Also, when it’s happening in the moment I try not to get too flustered because then the presentation will be more about how I messed up instead of what the crowd was there to learn.

There were times I was facilitating my classrooms and it seemed nothing was working. I had to take a step back and ask my students what topics do they want to know about, how can I make this beneficial for them. Once I did that the surveys were another key point in making sure I was delivering and they understood.

I’m not sure I agree with how the question/topic is framed. Facilitation is a living, breathing activity. Every facilitator needs to be aware of how the audience is engaging with the content and be flexible and adjust as appropriate. Is it possible to notice that the audience is not engaging with the content? Absolutely, but I won’t call that failing. I think it puts unnecessary pressure on the facilitator, rather I would impress on facilitators to be responsive to the non-verbal cues of the audience and come prepared with ideas of how to drive more interaction. Because it is almost impossible to anticipate the needs of your audience perfectly, every facilitator, novice or expert, needs to be practice flexibility during facilitation.

You could also change the format of the entire exercise from being a one person's show into a collective one by moving from podium presentation to a panel discussion format or roundtable discussions with table leaders on the topic at hand or by posing specific questions per table and having table leaders give feedback. This could pour fresh energy to the entire group.

It's not uncommon for people to arrive at a training session or event with a preconceived notion about what the tone of it may be, or skeptical about it being the best use of their time. In these scenarios, as a facilitator you face an uphill battle from the outset. That's why I believe investing time in developing your introduction - to yourself, between participants, to the content - is vital. I encourage dialogue, run specific engagement activities (best if these are loosely but creativity tied to the content, rather than standalone icebreakers!) and ask open questions that I answer openly and plainly. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. How are you getting the most out of your first ten minutes?

Trust your experience. This happened to me recently because of a tech failure. I went with my gut and trusted my experience remembering that the art of facilitation is about responding rather than reacting. I know where I’m going I just had to figure a new route to get there which I found made me far more present to the dynamics and energy in the room. The session was much more real.

It might be worth taking the session outside in nature for a while if you can. Putting participants in pairs and getting them to share their thoughts to a question you pose - taking a question and themselves for a walk changes the energy and expands thinking and creativity. It doesn't need to be for long just 10 or 15 mins just enough time to re-energize and return as a whole group with a different energy and perspective.