The room was alive with energy as I walked in, carrying my notes and the faint nerves that always accompany a new session. The agenda was clear: a day-long workshop on leadership, a topic vast enough to inspire endless conversations yet nuanced enough to trip even the most seasoned facilitator. I knew that like always, no plan could account for the dynamic, unpredictable nature of human interaction. And I was ready to embrace it, flaws and all.
I began with the usual introductions and icebreakers, but a moment soon arrived that brought my imperfections to the surface. During a group discussion about authentic leadership, one participant asked, “How do you lead when you’re unsure of your own direction?”
For a brief moment, I hesitated. In my role as a facilitator, I was expected to have the perfect answer, the flawless roadmap. But I didn’t. And instead of pretending, I chose to lean into my own vulnerability. “That’s a powerful question,” I admitted. “And honestly, there are times when I’ve faced the same uncertainty. Let’s explore this together.”
That simple admission changed the tone of the room. It was no longer just me imparting knowledge; it was all of us embarking on a shared journey of discovery. Participants began to open up about their own struggles with uncertainty - decisions they had agonised over, moments when they had doubted their abilities, and the lessons they had learned from failing. The discussion became richer, more real, and profoundly human.
Later, during an activity designed to highlight the power of feedback, I noticed that one of the teams was struggling to find common ground. Their debate was passionate but polarized. I stepped in, intending to guide them, but I quickly realised that I was inadvertently taking over the conversation instead of facilitating it. Recognising my mistake, I paused and said, “It seems I’ve jumped in too much here. Let’s take a step back. What do you think is the best way forward?”
The group smiled at my candour, and one of the participants suggested a strategy that worked beautifully. As they found their rhythm, I stepped back, humbled and reminded that sometimes the best facilitation happens when you let the participants lead.
By the end of the day, as we reflected on the workshop, something beautiful happened. One participant shared, “This session didn’t feel like a lecture; it felt like a conversation we all needed. Your openness to admit when you didn’t have all the answers made it easier for us to be vulnerable too.” Another added, “Leadership isn’t about always knowing the way—it’s about navigating together, and that’s what today was about.”
In that moment, I realised the profound power of facilitation—not in being perfect, but in creating a space where everyone, including the facilitator, could learn and grow together. My imperfections had not diminished the experience; they had elevated it. They had shown the participants that leadership, like facilitation, is not about having all the answers but about being present, curious, and willing to learn.
As I packed up my materials, I reflected on the quote that had guided my day: "As an imperfect facilitator, I am both teacher and student, learning through the lens of every participant." That workshop had reinforced it for me.
Imperfection, I realised, isn’t a weakness; it’s an invitation—to connect, to grow, and to lead authentically. And for that, I was deeply grateful.
#LeadershipWorkshop #FacilitationSkills #ExperientialLearning #PowerOfVulnerability #LeadershipJourney #FacilitatorLife #LeadershipDevelopment
RK (Rama Krishna) is a Master Coach | Facilitator | Curious Human, with three decades of Leadership, Learning & Organisation Development experience, across industries.
He is Founder of ProventusHR - A Bespoke Learning & HR Advisory
He writes occasionally and can be reached at:
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