Comment pouvez-vous gérer des groupes avec différents niveaux de confiance pendant la formation à l’animation ?

I love a good icebreaker to assess the dynamics of a group. I usually start by asking learners three main questions: (1) Where are you from, (2) How long have you been with the company, (3) something out of the box. The purpose of question 3 is to get to know more about the learners' personalities and determine if there are any common threads. When learners bond, we're on a great path. A common question 3 that I usually ask is "Why are you binge watching right now", "What is a food from your childhood you often think about", "If you had to eat one fast food place for the rest of your life, what would it be". An excellent facilitator should allow plenty of time for learners to respond and bond (or disagree) over the variation of question 3.

People often share this 'this is a safe space'. No one can guarantee a safe space for anyone, except oneself. As a facilitator, your role is to ensure everyone feels confident enough to show up as themselves, however that may be and whatever that looks like for them. Emphasise confidentiality and respect for diverse viewpoints. Acknowledge and appreciate the unique perspectives and contributions of all participants, regardless of their confidence levels. Validate their input and emphasise the value of diversity in problem-solving and decision-making.

Balancing the participation is such an important strategy that can take time to really master. If you can do it well, it makes the world of difference in the sessions you lead. One tactic I picked up over the years is to call on people in advance to let them know you're coming for them! Here's what that looks like: "I'd love to know what you guys think about X. I'm going to call on Dan, then Mary, and then Anne. In that order; so go ahead and start thinking about how you want to respond." Another tactic is simply leveraging the chat. Often times your participants would rather engage that way. A facilitator can engage there, too. Here's what that looks like: "Jessica, love what you put in chat. Let me answer that".

Adapting your facilitation style and pace is essential for effective engagement with diverse groups. Flexibility allows you to tailor your approach to the specific needs and preferences of each audience. Whether you're leading a session for a group with varying confidence levels, adjusting your style accordingly ensures maximum participation and understanding. Stay attuned to the dynamics of the group and be ready to pivot between directive guidance and facilitative exploration as needed. By adapting your approach, you create a supportive environment that fosters collaboration and learning.

I love providing recognition in small, yet meaningful ways. My style of facilitation is pretty casual and I like to engage others as often as possible. I like to hand out "Taylor Tokens" when someone willingly contributes to the discussion. Sometimes learners will respond to an activity with a perfect answer, and I will award these "Taylor Tokens". Taylor Tokens don't really award you anything other than bragging rights for having the most of some, but at the end of the session, we can wager Tokens and get conversation moving. It's a gamified framework without actually having to keep track of points. Learners still love it because it's playful.

Try small group shares or journaling. Incorporate dedicated reflection periods throughout the training session, allowing participants to process and internalise new insights. Provide actionable steps and tools for participants to apply what they've learned in their own contexts, empowering them to translate knowledge into meaningful change. Regularly revisit previous discussions and encourage participants to share their progress and challenges, creating a culture of continuous learning and action.

Ont time during a training program, I remember having a participant who was rather quiet both during open discussions and group discussions; however closely observant. One of the activities weaved into the workshop was an art based activity where they had the opportunity to express their thoughts around a particular topic through art supplies that they had been given. It was during that activity, I watched this otherwise quiet participant blossom and express himself with abandon. His hands moved fast across the chartpaper and created a beatiful depiction of the topic. This experience was an affirmation of sorts for the need of difference activities that tend to different types of learners.