Chapter 11 Self-Development

Self-Development is Self-Accountability.

~ Artie Mahal, Author, Educator and Facilitator

Developing Your Competencies

The justification for developing the competency of Facilitation is well-explained in Chapter 2, Value Proposition. As a reminder, Facilitation includes conducting meetings, delivering training, transfer of knowledge, and group sessions for specific purposes. Those purposes fall under one of the four categories of facilitation needs as shown in the Mahal Facilitation Framework in Chapter 1, Facilitation Framework.

As stated in the Introduction of this book while more and more organizations are formally recognizing facilitation as one of their core competency models, a majority have yet to grasp the concept that facilitation is a critical enabling competency. So, in many cases you are responsible for your own development in facilitation competency. You will develop and grow in your role as a professional facilitator in your organization while preparing for the day when you become a free agent/consultant. No matter what your professional track might be, facilitation skills, which are transferable, will expand your horizon to new possibilities you may not even have envisioned yet.

So, how do you go about self-development? Recall the 70/20/10 learning framework from Chapter 1 where 10 percent of learning comes from formal training such as reading books, attending seminars, and online and formal education; 20 percent comes from others (including one-to-one learning from your managers, peers, and other professionals); and 70 percent comes by doing—applying facilitation tools every time you find an opportunity. And the opportunities are everywhere. Keep a keen eye out to identify them and take charge by volunteering, not only in your own department or circle, but outside of your areas as well.

In the earlier stages of learning facilitation, there is generally a fear of failure in front of your managers and peers. This can be easily managed by the following strategy: Simply start using the facilitation concepts and tools in every meeting or group collaboration work—without making any special announcement that you are facilitating. Just do it.

Also, seek out opportunities in community events where they have similar needs as that of the business organizations, but can’t afford to pay in most cases. Volunteer and take the lead in conducting facilitated sessions pro bono. You will be able to practice in non-threatening and less risky environments. And, giving back to the community generates good feeling and goodwill and can be very rewarding personally.

There are three tools provided in this chapter: A checklist to identify opportunities; a development plan template to formally take charge of your own planning and monitoring your progress in facilitation competency, and a Self-development Mantra, a strategy for developing core competencies to be successful in the dynamic changing work environment. American President Calvin Coolidge observed, “We cannot do everything at once; but we can do something at once.” So, take the first step and plan a road map of development for yourself.

Development Opportunities

Review the foundational skillset list and the checklist of skills in the International Association of Facilitator’s Foundational Competencies found in the Core Competencies section of Chapter 4. Identify areas of improvement and self-development. Use this same checklist when completing Table 11.1.

Next, identify some areas in the list below where you may find or create opportunities to facilitate.

Your Organization/Business	Community
 Meetings	 Non-Profit Organizations
 Focus Groups	 Religious Organizations
 Volunteer in Training Delivery	 Governmental/Political Events
 Workshops for Solutions	 Schools, Colleges
 Lunch and Learn Sessions	 Fraternal Organizations
 Organizational Events	 Toastmasters
 Others?	 Others?

In the opportunities listed above, in addition to seeking the role of leading sessions, consider working as a co-facilitator with an experienced facilitator—to gain confidence and skill. This can be a very effective developmental approach for the beginners.

My Development Plan

To plan your competency development, fill out Table 11.1, and diligently implement actions for development.

Table 11.1 – My Development Plan Template

Development Plan		Competency: Identify Skill/Competency
Goal: Finish the sentence, “I need to change from (current state of behavior, skill or knowledge) to (desired future state).”
From:	I need to change from…
To:	I need to change to…
Learning Events and Self-Help: How can I gain insights about achieving the Goal (reading, courses, self-study, others)? Identify names of books, materials and other resources. (10%)*
Other People: How can I collaborate and learn from others: observation, coaching, mentorship and gaining feedback. Identify names and resources. (20%)*
Assignments: Determine task, project and job assignments that will allow me to gain experience and practice the new behavior, skill or knowledge. State why, what, how, where, when and with whom. (70%)*
Other Experiences: Choose experiences that can build skills and behavior in the desired competency: what, where and how.
Monitor/Evaluation: How will I monitor the progress of the plan? Establish milestones or checkpoints. How will I know I have reached the Goal? State who you will ask and what you will ask.
*Refer to 70/20/10 Learning Framework

This is a snapshot in time. Periodically review your plan and update and maintain an inventory of your skills and competencies.

My Facilitation Journey

Near the beginning of this book, I have included a section about My Personal Facilitation Journey, in which I narrate how I didn’t know what “facilitation” was or how I could initiate that learning. Having been exposed to Gary Rush’s facilitation boot-camp, I came back excited about the possibilities of facilitating meetings and workshops. As I sought opportunities to apply my learning and gain experience in facilitation, I also had the “fear of facilitation”—fear of failing in front of my peers and my managers but, more importantly, the fear of looking like a novice in front of session participants.

To overcome this feeling, I sought opportunities outside of my work, in community organizations where I could practice and hone my skills. I found a few opportunities to lead small sessions, three of which included my Gurudwara (Sikh Temple), a non-profit organization for physically challenged people, and an organization that provided grief counseling to children in need. At these places, it didn’t matter if I made mistakes or looked like an inexperienced session leader. I did this work pro bono, which fed my soul and gave value to those organizations. My big break came unexpectedly in the New Jersey Historical Commission, an entity of the State Government that promotes the history of the State and provides guidance and funds for historic preservation.

I was appointed to the New Jersey Historical Commission by Governor Christine “Christie” Todd Whitman, as an honorary member. Among the ten honorary commissioners were historians, legislators, and community service people. As I was new and not really a professional historian, I was appointed to this role based on my past service, as a member of the Ethnic Advisory Council to the state under two previous governors and I was expected to learn and contribute well.

After the first meeting, I told my wife that I thought that by accepting the commission I had taken on more than I was qualified for—that it was out of my comfort level. In the beginning, I attended the meetings of the commission without saying or contributing very much. A few months after my appointment, the chairman of the commission, a surgeon, called an emergency meeting to tell us that due to budget constraints, several million dollars were going to be pulled back from the Historical Commission, impacting several initiatives that were already underway. We commissioners were very concerned and brainstormed various options for convincing the Secretary of State of the importance of the work we were chartered to do.

As a newly minted facilitator, I knew the processes involved in strategic planning: developing a mission and vision, and the execution of strategies to achieve desired outcomes. I asked a simple question, “Do we have a mission and a supporting vision that defines why we exist and what our objectives are in terms of New Jersey Historic Commissions services?” One or two experienced commissioners replied that there was a mission statement in place but that no vision had been defined in the previous few years. My response was, “Then we don’t have anything to show to the Secretary of State and the Governor that shows the value we are adding and what we plan to achieve.”

It was clear that we did not have a story to tell, so how could we ask for our funding back? The commissioners asked what we should do. I suggested that we hold a two-day workshop to refresh the mission, create a future vision, and show programs and projects in progress. Then we could package this vision and our supporting achievements and present them to the Secretary of State. In other words, we would market our organization to the State in order to preserve the funding.

The commission unanimously agreed and I was asked to prepare the workshop, facilitate it, and produce a five-year plan document. The workshop was a success and the five-year plan was presented and publicized. Based on this effort, the commission did get a portion of our funding back and we commissioners were again working on our planned initiatives. For the first time I felt that I had added value as a commissioner even though I lacked academic history education. The confidence I gained by designing and facilitating the workshop with successful outputs and outcomes helped me engage more effectively in my business workshops. The “fear of facilitation” was diminishing and I now believed in myself and behaved in front of groups as an experienced professional session leader.

After about six months, I received a call from the Secretary of State’s office requesting me to come to Trenton, the State Capital, and meet with the Secretary of State. Upon arriving on the appointed date, I discovered that I was the only commissioner invited to this meeting. I wondered if I was being removed from the commission to be replaced by a professional historian, a professor, or another academic person. The Secretary of State called me into her nice large office, offered me a cup of coffee, and after some small talk broke the news. “The Governor and I were impressed by how you conducted the workshop and led the commissioners to create a vision for the Historical Commission. We are proud of you and would like you to become the chairman of the commission.” (They had planned to retire the surgeon from his term of office.)

I was in shock. Here I was, thinking I was being handed a pink-slip and, to my amazement, I was being offered a leadership role. I told the Secretary of State that I was honored to be asked to head the commission, but that my job consumed extensive travel time and I was not sure if I should accept such responsibility. The Secretary of State asked me to think it over and get back to her in a week. She also informed me that, since there was paid staff in the historic commission’s office, I could delegate to them and ease my share of work. After much deliberation, I accepted the role and conveyed my decision to the Secretary of State. Within a few days (two days before Christmas), a formal invitation to the appointment of chairman of the commission was sent to me. I was in my glory and happy to have been given such an honor at the State level.

On Christmas Eve, I had a pain in my chest and went to the emergency room. It turned out that I had blockage in couple of my coronary arteries, which resulted in heart by-pass surgery. I now felt that between my demanding job and the recovery process from the heart surgery, I would not be able to do justice to the role of commission chairman. I sent my regrets and turned down the position. The Secretary of State sent me flowers along with good wishes for recovery, and expressed that she and the Governor respected my decision. I had missed or, rather, let go of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve in a position of responsibility at that level.

This experience of mine has lessons: To obtain experience, work pro bono in non-profit institutions where they welcome this type of service. As you gain confidence and experience, begin applying the relevant tools in your place of business. The profession of facilitation, which includes consulting, training, and much more, opens up windows of opportunities beyond the sphere of your current job and, possibly, your imagination. As the pioneers dared to travel to unknown areas and discovered new lands, rivers and mountains that were beyond their imagining, you, too, can venture forth and see where your new-found knowledge of facilitation will take you.

Self-Development Mantra

Gary Rush stated in the Foreword of this book: Facilitation skills are the skillset of the twenty-first century for all professionals. In addition to developing facilitation skills, it is incumbent upon facilitators and all professionals, regardless of their industry or practice, to continuously educate themselves on the ever-changing and complex dynamics of the workplace.

Six factors form the foundational imperatives for surviving and thriving in the workforce. I call it the Self-Development Mantra: How to Write, Speak, Learn, Think, Present, and Network.

Learn to Write

The quality of a facilitator’s writing is a reflection of the levels of performance one might expect from him/her as a facilitator. With all of today’s electronic tools, the art and craft of writing using proper grammar has become diluted and casual. While the speed of writing in simple terms may be productive, it does not replace the effectiveness of good and professional writing. Facilitators must write proposals, memos, position papers, document work outputs, and more.

Strategy: Learn to write concisely and clearly. Business writing workshops and classes are very useful in improving this skill. In addition, creative writing skills help in formulating your own stories and anecdotes which can be used in a variety of situations.

Learn to Speak

You are judged by who you are and by how you speak. My father drilled in me this statement: “One of the most important things in life is what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.” Regardless of your accent or ethnic background, your choice of words and vocabulary make the difference in speaking with confidence. Accents represent an interesting variety in the diversity of people in the global work environment.

Strategy: Learn how to speak well and with confidence in meetings and work sessions. Toastmasters International is a good resource for sharpening this skill.

Learn to Learn

Learning to learn is a skill unto itself. Learning is about acquiring knowledge about something and then becoming good at it by application. Through Nature’s tools of our senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing) we learn continuously. But learning for the advancement of our profession requires deliberate and planned reading on a variety of topics, as well as watching multimedia content, taking classes, conversing with others, and deducing your own concepts of knowledge and wisdom. “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.” – Carl Rogers, American psychologist.

Strategy: In addition to reading professional material, read about a variety of topics through books, periodicals, etc. Even reading children’s books inspire concepts and stories which facilitators can use effectively. The 70/20/10 learning framework described in this book is a proven approach for learning by design.

Learn to Think

Critical thinking is another skill for the twenty-first century. To make sound decisions in a complex and dynamic environment, professionals need a methodical approach to deducing meaning or “connecting dots” using the information at hand. Critical Thinking is defined by Anne Pauker Kreitzberg and Charles B. Kreitzberg of Cognetics Interactive thus: “Critical Thinking is the process of understanding a situation, problem, or body of knowledge as deeply and accurately as possible. In an organizational setting, the challenge is to be able to do this with imperfect information and accounting for the ‘human element’ of individual differences, team dynamics and organizational realities. The goal is to use the best information available, given the situation, to make the decisions that lead to appropriate and effective action.”

Strategy: Learn and practice critical thinking concepts, principals and methods.

Learn to Present

Present both yourself and the topic at hand with confidence, integrity and credibility. In Chapter 4 practical tools have been discussed under the Self-Awareness and Style of the Facilitation Leadership Framework. “The human brain is a wonderful organ. It starts to work as soon as you are born and doesn’t stop until you get up to deliver a speech.” – George Jessel, American actor.

Strategy: Practice, practice, practice. And by sincerely valuing your craft, become your own Brand: “Bringing who you are to what you do.”

Learn to Network

Network, Network, Network. In the changing dynamics of a global economy, the work environment has become more challenging, both for getting jobs and succeeding in existing roles. On average, a new person in the workforce is predicted to change jobs five to seven times in his/her career. Gone are the days when organization promoted “job security.” Today, employees feel perpetual “job insecurity” in work environments. Columnist Dr. George Crane made a profound statement: “There is no future in any job. The future lies in the person who holds the job.”

While it is important to possessing the necessary skills and qualifications for getting and sustaining your job, networking with people—both inside and outside your work environment—is critical for ensuring gainful employment. “Goodwill is the one and only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.” Ludwig Börne, German political writer and satirist.

The Network illustration is symbolic of the effort one must put into building meaningful relationships. Individual need to put twice the effort to reach out and “give” something (double arrow) before they can hope to “get” something (single arrow) in return.

Strategy: Networking does not happen by accident. While some people are natural at making connections and connecting the dots to leverage mutual benefits, others must make it a habit to learn how to network with sincerity.

IAF’s Facilitator Certification Program

In any of the facilitation roles—a Facilitator, a Learning Facilitator, or A Facilitative Leader—as a part of your development and professional progress, you may want to consider becoming “Certified Professional Facilitator” -  IAF-CPF©. The following information on the certificate program is sourced from The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) (http://www.iaf-world.org/).

The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) has met the need for standards in facilitator certification. In 1990, an international team of IAF members identified the core competencies required to facilitate group interaction. This team’s efforts resulted in the IAF competency model and assessment process.

The assessment process is based on rigorous peer review of knowledge, experience and demonstration of skills. The IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator designation indicates attainment of these core competencies. The professional facilitator designation offers clients an assurance that those who are certified are qualified to design and provide basic group facilitation services.

What’s in it for you?

As a successful certification candidate you will:

• Receive a certificate that entitles you to use the IAF designation: Certified Professional Facilitator©.
• Test your facilitation skills against a set of professionally developed competencies recognized by your peers.
• Receive individual and confidential feedback from independent professional facilitators.
• Join a respected and developing group of professional facilitators.
• Gain competitive advantage by being listed on the IAF Website as a CPF, a Certified Professional Facilitator©.

Certified Professional Facilitator—IAF-CPF©

Facilitation is a rapidly expanding, worldwide profession that plays a key role in helping shape the world we live in. Today, facilitation plays a vital part in the workings of businesses, governments, and communities across the globe. With facilitation cast in such an important leadership role, a very important question arises: how does an organization assess the capability of the facilitator they hire to do the job?

As early as 1998, IAF recognized that there was no clear way for clients to assess the capability of those who offered facilitation services. With facilitation becoming a crucial tool for accelerating productivity and strategic alignment in organizations, a reliable and accurate assessment tool was needed. IAF, a worldwide professional body established to promote, support and advance the art and practice of professional facilitation, sought to answer that need. A worldwide team of dedicated IAF members identified the core facilitation competencies required for skillful facilitation of meetings and workshops, and upon those core competencies, the IAF assessment based certification program was created. IAF now offers the IAF Facilitator Certification program to facilitators all over the world. Assessments in core facilitation competencies are offered in all IAF regions with the number of offerings based upon demand.

A Brief Overview of the Facilitator Certification Process

• The process begins when you receive your IAF Facilitator Certification Information/Application packet. Within the packet you will find a complete Process Overview, information on the core competencies, and all the application materials and information needed, including the cost.
• Your first step toward certification begins with the completion of an application and the payment of an application fee. This is followed by the submission of a resume, and evidence of your professional training and experience.
• Two Accredited Assessors are assigned to each candidate.
• These assessors review the application documents for evidence of professional experience and the facilitator competencies.
• Successful candidates are then invited to an “Assessment Day” for further testing and demonstration of their skills against the competencies.

During the Assessment Day, candidates:

• Are interviewed by his/her assigned assessors to further explore and test their application.
• Conduct a practical workshop on a preselected issue. This workshop is designed to evaluate the candidate’s practical capabilities in working with the core competencies and is presented for their assigned assessors and other independent assessors.
• Are provided a final interview and feedback session with their assigned assessors after which candidates are informed of the outcome of their application for certification.

For more information about the certification process, read IAF-CPF Certification Process Overview and the Facilitator Core Competencies.

The Professional Facilitator Certification Program provides successful candidates with the professional credential “IAF CertifiedTM Professional Facilitator – CPF.”

Helpful Hints

• As you build your knowledge, skills and competency in your facilitation practice, document the inventory of your learning. This will inspire you to continue progressing. Update an internal or external resume.
• When you meet facilitators through attending seminars or online study, make a contacts list. This becomes a virtual community of peers who can provide valuable feedback, advice and guidance. Even experienced facilitators have a need to bounce ideas off of others in their profession.
• Build your own library of tools for easy access when needed.
• Seek opportunities to make presentations or teach facilitation skills to others. Teaching others helps our own selves to become sharper in the craft.