Facilitation disasters - your stories please

[Annamarie Pluhar]

Such an interesting conversation that you have started Robyn.

My own experience was (gulp!) 15 years ago. My life has taken twists  
and turns away from group facilitation - the fact that I'm on the list  
now has everything to do with a current contract/assignment.  Before  
meeting the client - knowing what they were looking for  "empowering  
the people" "new ideas" "enthusiasm" and "excitement" I thought that  
sounds like OS.  Turns out those are just words.. they only want want  
is safe and familiar and what they did last year.

15 years ago, I was facilitating a two-day annual retreat for a  
smallish company.  Day two was to have been OS.  It was started OK,  
but the owner of the company hijacked the process (I can't remember  
the exact words) - he invited (he's the boss so invited...) everyone  
to go on a hike with him on a trail. When I was invited to go, I said  
"no" on the grounds that I wasn't sure everyone was there and some  
might be looking for the group. I was told that they ended up having a  
very good conversation on top of the mountain.

I think that the contracting process is the most important. what I'm  
holding to is that the client has to choose OS rather than it being  
recommended...




Annamarie Pluhar

Pluhar Consulting
Results through effective group process
802.451.1941
802.579.5975 (cell)






On Nov 14, 2009, at 7:44 PM, Robyn Williams wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> On Friday I was facilitating a 2 hour workshop primarily using Open  
> Space
> principles as requested, and as I would have suggested anyway given  
> the task
> in hand. My own 2 feet did the walking less than halfway through  
> when the
> 'person in charge', who I'd not met before, interrupted the process,
> criticised me, and gave me directions (in public) and not for the  
> first
> time. The agenda items were being announced, and her direction was  
> that all
> the issues should be dealt as a whole group and indicated that I  
> should
> facilitate that. I said no, thanked them for their time, wished them  
> well
> for the rest of the session, and left.
>
> Given the short duration and the task at hand, this had been a long- 
> winded
> arrangement which resulted in more questions than answers. Arranged  
> by a
> delegated person without authority, I wasn't able to ascertain who was
> really 'in charge' (I was told that it was a group project, ie all  
> team
> leaders) or get agreement for a meeting to clarify expectations. The  
> day
> before the workshop I contacted the Director of the department, had a
> pleasing chat, and arranged to meet before the session. That session  
> was
> cancelled later in the day, and a shorter session was re-convened for
> another time (when critical people could be available). Sure bells  
> were
> ringing but I started to think that I was being overly consultative.  
> I mean
> what could go wrong in 2 hrs? Right?
>
> On the way home I reflected on how it had unfolded and my part and  
> felt that
> I'd done as well as I could do under the circumstances despite my
> inner-critic suggesting that walking out was pretty extreme and  
> surely I
> could have done better. Needless to say I've learned lessons from  
> this and
> have damage control ahead of me this week (sigh).
>
> So what would you do, or have you done, when your role is undermined?
> And how did you reach closure with the client/s?
>
>
> Best wishes, Robyn
> Fremantle Western Australia
>
> PS WA colleagues - anyone available to debrief this with me?
>
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