When unexpected hurdles arise in a facilitation session, adaptability and focus on the core objectives are key. 1. Address the challenge openly with the group, ensuring transparency and collective awareness 2. Identify the must-achieve objectives and focus on those 3. if a group discussion stalls, pivot to smaller breakout discussions 4. Empower participants to contribute ideas on overcoming hurdles 5. Keep the group’s energy up with quick re-energizing activities Overall, stay calm and adaptable

When unexpected hurdles arise during a facilitation session, take a brief pause to assess the situation and engage the group in problem-solving. Reframe objectives to align with the current situation and leverage technology to bridge gaps. Introduce creative elements like games or storytelling to re-energize the group. Be flexible and ready to iterate on the fly. After the session, send a follow-up email summarizing key points and adjusted objectives. Embrace agility and creativity to turn challenges into opportunities for deeper engagement and learning.

Flexibility is one of the key attitudes of a good facilitator. What enables me to confidently adapt when unexpected situations arise is having a broad "toolbox" of exercises and strategies that can achieve the same objective through different methods. I believe this "toolbox" expands with ongoing research and hands-on experience across diverse settings. Additionally, inviting participants to share their thoughts on how to proceed, or offering them choices, not only fosters a sense of inclusion but also helps sustain their motivation.

One of the program, we faced unexpected hurdle of power cut . But we continued with the session, as it’s all about accepting the change & also listening abilities . Everyone was engaged & it turned out to be the most powerful learning session for all . What was the prime objective & we need to focus on the same irrespective of circumstances.

Firstly need to Anticipate Challenges which include alternative activities, time buffers, or backup facilitators. Secondly need to have well-structured agenda to adapt as needed with clear objectives. More precisely to be active listening and be adaptable the situations with effective communication and concentrate on problem-solving and decision-making by following self care and stress management.

☆ Facilitate to reach a consensus on how "hurdles" will be handled. ☆ Create a safe environment of openness and trust. ☆ Establish the boundaries to allow the conversation to remain on track to the agreed objectives.

My bag of tricks: Always Have a Backup Plan for Major Activities Be ready to pivot with Plan B and Plan C to ensure seamless transitions. Use Quick Activities to Refocus and Reenergize the Group Break the Group into Smaller Teams Sentiment Checking and Polling - Use sentiment checks and polls to gather additional feedback and insights. Reframing and Redirecting Focus - If discussions go off track, gently steer them back to the main objectives. World Café Style for Energy and Flow - Implement World Café techniques to foster collaborative dialogue, allowing participants to move between groups, share diverse perspectives, and build on each other’s ideas. This style brings fresh energy and continuous flow to the session.

This one might depend on the context - I remember complex impediments faced in agile team plannings (with the product owner included). The team, encountering severe obstacles, not able to decide in the session, had a great idea: let's estimate as far as possible; let's label the obstacles for a moment as "to be researched"; after lunch and a timeboxed (estimated in team!) research break, team entered planning session no. 2, having done some research, how the problems could be approached. So, finding solutions together is a good way to cope with obstacles.