The ‘toolbox obsession’ and why it’s only the emerged part of the facilitation iceberg…

I keep coming across this obsession that many people seem to have when they think about facilitation: They think it’s all about the ‘methods’ or ‘structures’ or ‘participation formats’, or all that matters in it and is fun about it is just that. Here’s a sample of some of the related statements I’ve heard: Let…

I keep coming across this obsession that many people seem to have when they think about facilitation: They think it’s all about the ‘methods’ or ‘structures’ or ‘participation formats’, or all that matters in it and is fun about it is just that.

Here’s a sample of some of the related statements I’ve heard:

(5 minutes into the first process design session) “Which activity formats should we use for this?”
“It’d be great to have a toolbox of all the facilitation methods we can use, available at hand” (and I pointed out that SessionLab already does that better than anyone else already)
“I don’t feel confident facilitating because I don’t know enough facilitation methods to do this”
(when still hatching the why of a certain gathering “Shall we do a world café about this?”
“A facilitator is someone who brings cool exercises and conversations to a group”
“Wow, I envy you for knowing all these cool structures, that’s what I miss to facilitate”

Let me get this straight: I’m not attacking any of the statements above, they all make sense for whoever has spoken them at a point in time. They all have a place to be and to be handled.

What I’m reacting about here is the fact that all too often, that toolbox fascination is indeed an obsession. So much so that it eclipses all the other important stuff that happens in facilitation.

Just to name a few other crucial elements of facilitation beyond the ‘methods’:

The mindset of facilitation and of a facilitator (curiosity, empathy, suspending judgment, patience, humour, play etc.)
All the process design phase that according to seasoned facilitators is upwards of 50% of the job (some say even 60-70% of it)
All the mental models that help understand the job of a facilitator and the way facilitation plays out (think group dynamics, group psychology, group decision-making, dealing with tensions / confusion / frustration / conflict etc.)
All the active listening skills that help support everyone in the group do their best thinking – and in my eyes this is a BIG PART of the job
All the stuff that goes into the logistical aspects of facilitating (from the props and equipment you need to setting up the room, downright to logistically organising an event with venue bookings, tech checks etc.)
And yes, the ‘facilitation methods’ (e.g. World café, Open Space Technology and the likes) and ‘facilitation tools’ (the Menti’s, Miro’s, Zoom’s, Jamboards etc.) are part of that picture, but only one small part…

The real magic in the world of facilitation lies behind the ‘methods stage’

The periodic table of facilitation (Miro board link) that we co-created in NeverDoneBefore looked holistically at all (ok, many of) the things that are involved in facilitation, and it turns out the tools, formats, structures, methods are just the emerged part of the iceberg.

Here’s the thing: when you first come across facilitation, what you see is someone in the room giving some guidelines for everyone else to have a conversation, and bringing a lot of playfulness and interesting methods to get a group somewhere better. So it’s only natural that we fixate on the tools and first believe that THAT is facilitation.

But it remains a red herring.

What can we do about opening that mindset?

There’s myriads of things that can be said and done about elevating that perspective on facilitation. Here’s what I can think of right now:

Whenever a comment as above is made, acknowledge that tools and having a toolbox are helpful – being devoid of any usually leaves budding facilitators with the feeling of being ‘naked’ and inapt. But point to the fact that they are certainly not the starting point. Perhaps this is even a good hook to reflect together on what it is that a facilitator does?
Build the observation, analysis and interpretation skills: get everyone to notice that the most conspicuous manifestation of facilitation is the toolboxes, but encourage them to observe what else a facilitator says or does. They may end up seeing the use of active listening skills, the thinking out loud, the change of dynamics, the observation skills of the facilitator, their logistical sense etc.
If it’s members of your design team who tend to look at facilitation from the toolbox lens, get them to notice, in the process design and in the ‘in-the-room’ facilitation, how much emphasis you’re putting on everything else, in addition to the methods and tools. And perhaps add extra emphasis on not addressing the facilitation formats in process design until the very last minute. In my experience that’s the logical order anyhow. Form follows function, right?
Remind everyone that the tools relate to the ‘how’ and as Simon Sinek would say, it’s full of sense to start with the WHY. There is no point in knowing how to do something when you don’t even know what it is you do it for.
Show how playful and satisfying it is to focus on all the other things than the tools. Using active listening skills, seeing the recognition of someone for accurately paraphrasing them is a privilege. It makes them feel seen and heard, and in addition it helps others understand their point better.
Point to how fascinating the process design phase is with all the big questions and overturning assumptions. It reveals so much about the state of relations, trust, power and so many other things.
Highlight the coolness of facilitation logistics to create a special atmosphere, from the way the seats are arranged, to using charts that are neatly drawn, to having cool little props that people can use, to even bringing healthy or indulging treats…
Go meta with your group, after you’ve braved the treacherous waters of a groan zone, to show how enlightening, innovative, liberating and trust-building it is to negotiate disagreements together and come to a point of convergence…

There is so much more to facilitation than the methods. So if you’re fascinated by the methods and tools yourself, go on to that SessionLab library, and make sure you also take that opportunity to learn about all the other cool aspects of facilitation…

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