Sasitorn Srisawadi: Confessions Of A Facilitator

Name: Sasitorn Srisawadi

Location at time of writing: Bangkok, Thailand

"A bit about me..."

I’m a research team leader at Thailand’s National Metal and Materials Technology Center, working on 3D printing technology and advanced composites. With a PhD from NC State, I enjoy turning complex research into practical impact, while supporting young scientists along the way.

“I didn't expect facilitation to teach me…”

how powerful it can be to respond to a question with another question. It wonderfully opens up space for people to explore their own hidden ideas. I learned this from Maggie and at first it was a bit challenging. (With an engineer/researcher mindset, I was trained to provide solutions and be the knower.) Little did I know that this simple shift can beautifully spark self-reflection and leads to insights that are far better than the answer I could have given.

“In my part of the world…”

shoes come off at the door, no discussion. Before we enter a house, we stop to take off our shoes and hope we don’t wear smelly ones that day. It’s a small habit, but it subtly reminds us to be considerate and enter someone else’s spaces with care.

“One time, everything went sideways…”

during one workshop when we spent far too much time identifying gaps in every possible scenario. Little by little, we could feel the negative energy creeping into the room. It was like asking people to dig deeper and deeper into their worst nightmares. I wished we had built in more time for activities that could lift people up – that’s one BIG lesson for me.

“My weirdest / most wonderful tool is…”

walking. I love to walk while I talk or give instructions—between tables, to the back of the room, and along the sides. My step counts reach 10k/day every time I run a workshop. For me, this simple movement helps create a sense of equality: no one is placed at the front as the most important person, and everyone in the room feels equally seen and valued.

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

it would be how we give feedback. I wish we were better at being honest and kind at the same time. Once, in a meeting, I shared my thoughts without realizing I was using the PPC/o framework, starting with the plus and ending with the concerns and overcome. My colleagues later told me they appreciated how I framed my comments and that reminded me how powerful a creative feedback structure can be.

Esh asked: "What would you say is a unique cultural aspect that you feel proud to bring into your facilitation?"

For me, it’s the smile.

Coming from Thailand, known as the land of smiles, I use a smile to help people feel relaxed and welcome. At the same time, it’s important to use it thoughtfully. It has to be at the right moments and not too much, especially in online events, where it can easily feel unnatural if overdone.

My question to my fellow facilitator up next is: If you could copy & paste one facilitation skill from anyone you know, whose would it be and why?