Sue and I were facilitating a workshop recently on community renewal and 165 projects were raised.
We managed to reduce the number down to 10 projects.
It was Sue’s expertise as a facilitator that transformed this group’s mammoth list into something manageable.
My role in this process was energizing the group using specific Tai Chi exercises.
After the session one of the participants came up to us and said, “That looked easy, I’d like try that.”
I smiled and thought to myself “it looks easy, but what you saw is a ‘duck’ in action.”
What’s a duck?
Well, when you see a duck swimming in a river you see a calm creature gliding through the water. What you don’t see is its little feet paddling like mad under water.
And that is what experienced facilitators do. On the outside you usually see very calm people guiding the process of whatever issue/s a group is tackling.
And their ‘little feet below the surface are paddling away’ – thinking, observing, deciding what to do to keep the process flowing.
Often we see professionals in action and think their jobs look easy.
What we don’t realise is the many years of practice, mistakes, embarrassments and effort required to become a ‘duck.’
Which reminds me of an old joke.
’ How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
‘Practice!’
So if you want to be a ‘duck’ in your profession – practice.
And then practice some more.
Only then will you become a ‘duck’ that glides effortlessly through the water and is admired by many.
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