WLD Guide to Facilitating_UMass Amherst 1 | Page 10

10

Best Practices for Troubleshooting
A workshop can involve unexpected and difficult situations that you’ll need to deal
with. Sometimes these are unforeseen practical problems, like fire alarm practice in
the building. At other times they’re down to group dynamics or behavior. We can’t
include every possible scenario here, but we have provided some general rules, as
well as tips for dealing with common situations.
Give yourself time to think
Don’t forget that as the facilitator of a workshop you can ask for what you need in
order to better serve the group. If things a re going wrong then don’t feel you have
to think entirely on your feet while you maintain a smooth ‘performance’.
Acknowledge that things aren’t working the way you planned and offer the group a
quick break while you think it through or chat to your co-facilitator.
Ask the group...
As well as checking that you’re
meeting their expectations, you
can use the group to solve other
problems. If a session isn’t going
as smoothly as planned, or
energy levels are low, you could
ask the group what they want to
do about it. Be aware though
that working out what everyone
wants isn’t always
straightforward – sometimes
presenting them with a narrow range of options can be easier than asking open
questions. Never be afraid to admit your fallibility, and move on to the next exercise
if the group isn’t engaging with the current one.
...but don’t blame the group
It is easy to get frustrated when your workshop isn’t going as planned, especially if
you feel that it is being derailed by the behavior of one or two individuals. In this
situation it is vital to remember that the problem is someone’s behavior and not
them as a person. It’s also important to realize that they’re rarely deliberately
making life difficult for you or the group.