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Personality Dimensions Facilitator;

Dual Role, Dual Responsibility

By: Carole Cameron

 

 

Ramping up your effectiveness as a PD facilitator requires continuously building upon two competencies:

 

  • A solid knowledge of PD theory and application, and

  • Effective facilitation skills.

 

These are two very different skill sets! We've all been to lectures or workshops with speakers who were absolutely solid subject matter experts; well respected, well written, but were less adept at communicating, teaching or running an interactive and engaging session.

 

You may have been to a workshop (on any topic) with a talented facilitator who respected all participants, accounted for differing learning styles and personality types, managed time well, used various and interesting learning methods, communicated artfully with the audience, but fell a little short on actual subject matter expertise. Of course you want to fall into neither of these categories!

 

 

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing...

 

You may have attended a Personality Dimensions workshop and fell in love with the whole thing, as I did. You then decided to add it to your tool kit for helping others understand themselves and others better and all the other good stuff that comes along with it. Awesome! Be sure to continue your PD education. Here are a few ideas:

 

Become a certified PD trainer

  • Read everything you can on temperament theory and application

  • Attend/participate in your PD colleagues' workshops, and see what they do/don't do

  • Strengthen your understanding of Introversion and Extraversion and how these play out in the colour groups

  • Share your challenges and brilliant moments with other PD facilitators

  • Learn about the type instruments such as the MajorsPTI™ (Personality Type Instrument) for deeper insight into type and temperament

  • Attend PD/OAAPT events to broaden your knowledge and expertise

 

Be sure not to go along with (or inadvertently foster) your participants' assumptions or stereotypes of any of the colour groups. Arm yourself with examples of non-stereotypical folks; for example, a flexible Gold, a fast-paced Green, a quiet Orange or a business-like Blue.

 

 

Fabulous Facilitation...

 

Running a top notch PD session (or any kind of workshop) requires well-honed facilitation skills. Let's talk about that more in an upcoming article.

 

 

Carole is the President of Creative Performance Solutions, which specializes in providing customized training design and facilitation, focused in the areas of management effectiveness, communication skills and team building. Her workshops receive rave reviews for providing powerful learning experiences, and are remembered for being positive, interactive, practical, and fun!

Carole is the author of the critically acclaimed book, SPLASH An Introvert's Guide to Being Seen, Heard and Remembered. Splash reached the #2 spot on the Globe and Mail's best selling business books list.

 

You can reach Carole through her website, www.creativeperformancesolutions.ca

 

 

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