Here's where I've noticed facilitators in technical spaces get it wrong: Injecting their opinions. It's hard to leave your expert opinion by the wayside. I get it. But you're there to PULL thoughts, not push them. Where's this tendency come from? From being told we're supposed to know the answer. OR Only answers get rewarded. We don't want to feel inferior, so we add our opinions to the mix OR we overemphasize the opinion of "experts" in the room. This ignores or straight shuts down valid thoughts from at least half the room most days. I've seen it. 👉 Here's the thing: Everyone else can see it and doesn't like it! If you're facilitating with expertise bias, my recommendation is to use the TWO HAT METHOD. One hat - Facilitator Two hat - Expert Take one off to use the other. BE CLEAR about when you change hats. You'll see better engagement and you'll still feel heard.

I was leading an improvement event with a team of 2nd and 3rd level supervisors, customer representatives, and other experts. As a group, they were making decisions which impacted millions of dollars of assets and expenditures, and dozens of employees. Yet, in that room, for 5 days, they deferred to my leadership. - They did what I said - They answered my questions - Yet, I was the least vocal in the room - Yet, I only asked questions, reframed, or summarized I realized after the fact: - Even leaders beg to be facilitated - Facilitators are naturally viewed as leaders - Facilitation can be extremely simple and easy What's the point? 💎 If you'll adopt just a couple simple tools and principles, you'll have a skill set even senior leaders respect and are influenced by! Let's go! 💪