Can An “Old Dog” Learn New Tricks?

I have been working as a freelance facilitator and coach for almost 17 years and thought myself pretty effective in this space.? I have even been privileged to train, coach and mentor other facilitators for several organisations.

Then Covid hit! Suddenly, all my classroom expertise was challenged as the world transitioned to online learning.

Several of the companies I facilitate for were able to transition online very quickly, one already had an online learning platform setup. The other company went straight to Zoom and arranged tutorials for all their facilitators.?

This was a godsend for me as I had never facilitated completely virtually before.?

The tips and shortcuts given on that first tutorial have been invaluable over the last 4 years and encouraged me to dive deeper into everything that Zoom could offer.?

Knowing how the tech worked was only the first step.?

Virtual facilitation is very different to working with people in a training room! There were some seasoned, experienced facilitators and coaches who were not able to transition into this space. Again, I had the advantage of working with 2 very professional global organisations who offered coaching and supervision to help work through this transition.

It has been interesting to be on the receiving end of learning again!

It has also been quite humbling!? As someone who always had high classroom ratings and feedback, receiving some harsh criticism from a few delegates was difficult.

As the organisation I was working for take feedback very seriously, as do I, I was given the opportunity to work with a facilitator who was getting rave reviews for their online facilitation of the same programme. They happened to be working in the US which meant a significant time difference from South Africa.?

As this was a large, global client and a long-term contract, it was definitely worth the time investment for me. I learnt so much from observing how he worked.

From his preparation and setup, to his ability to involve every delegate during the programme and the stories he used to illustrate key learning points, it helped me to see what I needed to change and integrate into my online facilitation. ?I also received great coaching and mentorship from the programme manager who was able to help me with timing and breakout room activities.?

Without this guidance I would not have improved, been rebooked for this client every year since 2020 and grown the number of workshops I am trusted to facilitate every year.

This learning journey has also benefitted my coaching clients, as this is mainly done in the virtual space now. I have learnt a lot about ‘facilitating’ online learning and growth in the past 4 years that I didn’t know I needed to learn prior to the global lockdown.?

Thanks to the generosity of talented, patient colleagues who were willing to give their time and experience to teach an old dog some new tricks!?

How have you learned to adapt and survive over the past 4 years, especially as a coach and facilitator in the virtual environment?