Puleng Makhoalibe: Confessions of a Facilitator

Name: Puleng Makhoalibe

Location at time of writing: South Africa

A bit about me...

I am an African enthusiast who loves working across the continent with diverse groups, industries and cultures. I have a background in Computer Science but have spent the last eleven years transitioning completely to being an educator, facilitator, coach and consultant. So I still carry multiple identities in my professional life that manifest as and when needed. 

Being a facilitator gives me an opportunity to work across cultures, continents, disciplines, races, genders, diverse communities every single week. Therefore I remain curious, aware, engaged, and forever learning. I call myself an alchemist of the human minds, creating atmospheres for people to tap into their humanity and co-create magical solutions that emerge when people are just ushered to simply “being.” 

I didn't expect facilitation to teach me…

Humility. One of my best facilitation assignments, one that fundamentally shifted my view of facilitation, was the African Science Leadership Programme. In my excitement to meet my fellow African Science leaders from all over the continent, I realised very quickly that as a facilitator, I was there to create space for them to think together, to co-create, and have leadership conversations. The facilitator role meant constantly being aware that I am in this place to serve; and to be focused on the delegates and to create as many serendipitous experiences as possible for them. Developing the ability to be 100% present and obsessed with the their experience was the game-changer for me. Being absorbed to the present moment - in service to the thinking environment, and participant’s experience - means also being aware of every opportunity to accelerate the experience and leverage the energy in the room. It also means being aware of the negative energy and understanding that you are a custodian of all the energy. Not only your energy but most importantly the energy of x number of people in the room. 

The heart I carry into every facilitation assignment is that of selflessness, and being in full service to humanity. My ultimate goal is ultimately for each participant to leave a workshop feeling, “I am great, I am a thinker, and a problem solver who is creative. And I am transformed.” I often leave, physically exhausted, but emotionally full  and happy from seeing my energy invested in making others feel amazing and doing amazing work. 

In my part of the world…

In Sesotho, we have a saying "Ho ithuta ha ho fele" meaning: Learning never ends. I often use this to connect, have conversations, and remain curious about other cultures. Because I work across the continent in Africa and run programmes that ignite cultural curiosity, Inclusive Innovation gives me an opportunity to explore, enjoy, and experience other people’s approaches. Our colleague Leo, from Chile, once took us through his unique approach on facilitating divergence through a dance. I found this to be a powerful way to embody diverging principles. Tee, one of facilitators from Malaysia, also introduces the most extraordinary ice-breakers, and I always make sure to learn from him. We also work with scientists across different fields, from across the world, curiosity is ignited with every conversation. Creativity, as much as curiosity, are crucial in facilitation. Being genuinely interested and immersed in the experience of participants, but also of fellow facilitators. I have also learnt to laugh a lot with my fellow facilitators. Have loads of fun: work hard and play hard and enjoy each other. 

One time, everything went sideways…

I learned from creative people that they call mishaps “beautiful mistakes.” I have encountered several of those in my two decades of facilitating. One distinct moment that sticks out is when we were facilitating a wonderful, artistic experience of painting trees. Our lead facilitator for that activity couldn’t facilitate it and we needed to fill his big shoes. This resulted in a complete rethink of this activity, spending more time on how to make it contextually relevant to Africa. Eshchar Mizrachi and Alisa Govender did a great job of researching and sharing insights about African Artists and positioning the activity from that perspective.

My weirdest / most wonderful tool is…

My weirdest tools are energisers; thinking about an ice breaker that links to the next stage of the process. Designing a short activity to unblock brains for the different activities we do in a workshop has been quite intriguing for me. The most wonderful tool that prepares the room and without fail brings a giggle and lightheartedness to the room is one of our standard opening activities: Picasso in a Bag. I love the way the element of surprise creates a fun atmosphere that immediately brightens everyone’s face and brings joy. I am yet to see a participant that does not giggle through this activity that brings out a child in everyone. 

If I could change one thing about how we work together on this planet…

If people could create a space for each person to reflect, share, and be acknowledged. Everyone in this world needs to know they matter and their thoughts and contributions are valued. If we could create psychological safe space for people to tap into their imagination and unleash the inner child. I think it’s important for facilitators to fully understand the power of divergence and encourage and equip participants to apply divergent thinking before converging. And take every opportunity to impart the knowledge of the creative process so that people can feel equipped to use the tools after our workshop, we would have carried the legacy of our Creative Problem Solving Process (CPS) founders, Osborn & Parnes.

If you could copy & paste one facilitation skill from anyone you know, whose would it be and why?

It would be Tim Dunne’s way of being fun, yet stern, but also very aware and open-minded to tweak a process to what serves the energy in the room, in that very moment. 

My question to our next up, Lydia Mosi, is:

How did you end up as a facilitator?

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