308 - Navigating the Emotional Landscape of Facilitation with Kerri Price
Feb 11, 2025
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Kerri Price, an experienced facilitator, shares her journey from casual workshops to a successful business, revealing the importance of embracing unexpected detours in facilitation. She discusses overcoming imposter syndrome and the joy of rediscovery, emphasizing self-awareness and authenticity in her approach. Kerri also highlights how the pandemic transformed perceptions of facilitation, advocating for inclusivity and collaboration. Most importantly, she explores the emotional landscape of facilitation, urging facilitators to set the right emotional tone and prioritize self-care.
Facilitators often stumble into their roles, evolving from informal gatherings to recognized professionals as they embrace their skills.
The misconception that effective facilitation relies on strict formats limits authentic engagement, highlighting the value of personal style in workshops.
Navigating personal challenges and practicing self-care are crucial for facilitators to maintain energy and authenticity during varying life seasons.
Deep dives
The Journey to Recognition as a Facilitator
Many facilitators start their journey without even realizing they’re facilitating. The shift from informal facilitation to recognizing it as a career can be gradual, often beginning with casual meetings or workshops that evolve into professional commitments. A pivotal moment for many is when they realize the value of their facilitation skills and how others seek their expertise, leading them to formalize this into a business. This transition reflects a broader trend of individuals discovering that what they enjoy doing can also be a sustainable career path.
Misconceptions About Facilitation
A common misconception is that facilitators must adhere to strict guidelines and templates, such as using slides, to conduct effective workshops. However, effective facilitation is more about creating an engaging environment rather than strictly following a format. This belief can lead to significant pressure on facilitators to conform, overshadowing their unique style. Understanding that engagement can stem from various methods allows facilitators to embrace their authenticity and deliver impactful experiences.
The Importance of Acceptance in Facilitation
Facilitators often struggle with the unpredictability of group dynamics and the pressure to maintain control over the session outcomes. Acceptance plays a crucial role in managing this unpredictability, allowing facilitators to adapt and respond to the needs of the moment. The ability to remain flexible and not get bogged down by rigid expectations creates a more inviting atmosphere for participants. Being the 'thermostat' in the room, where facilitators manage the energy rather than dictating it, can notably enhance the overall session effectiveness.
Balancing Self-Care and Professional Life
As facilitators encounter various personal and professional challenges, especially amid significant life changes, establishing self-care routines becomes critical. Many facilitators find themselves navigating energy shifts while maintaining their professional integrity, particularly during challenging periods such as menopause. Ensuring that personal well-being is prioritized can lead to more authentic and effective facilitation practices. By recognizing the importance of self-care, facilitators can sustain their passion and energy, ultimately benefiting both themselves and the participants.
Co-Facilitation and the Power of Community
The role of co-facilitation has gained prominence, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among facilitators. This approach allows for shared experiences and perspectives, enhancing the overall effectiveness of workshops. Recognizing that facilitation does not have to be a solitary endeavor enables facilitators to learn from one another and complement each other's strengths. Building a supportive community where facilitators can share techniques and insights contributes significantly to individual growth and fosters a more inclusive approach to facilitation.
The journey of the facilitator is rarely linear. It’s often happily accidental, a little squiggly, and punctuated with moments of imposter as we take it from the side-hustle shadows, to big centre-stage business.
And Kerri Price can attest to this - after facilitating for what felt like a lifetime, she found herself pressing pause - only to return to the facilitation world with fresh, mindful clarity.
Kerri joins us to generously share her facilitation story, the lessons she’s learnt in business, and the beauty she found in breaking away to rebalance her priorities. From finding our facilitation happy place, to finding our way through the seasons of life, episode 308 is all about the bits that bring us joy!
Find out about:
The common misconceptions about facilitation and starting a business
The importance of asking: what is the most generous thing I can do for the group right now?
Why facilitators must embrace acceptance and learn to be ok with the unexpected
How to navigate the energetic demands of facilitation - and life’s seasons
The importance of setting the right emotional tone for the group
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