6 Tips to be an Effective Facilitator

1. Find the balance between gameplay and team interaction. 

 

“Leave space for people to simply chat and enjoy themselves. The game is a vehicle for enjoyment, not the centerpiece.” – Caleb

 

“Striking the delicate balance between moving the game experience along and disappearing into the moments of humor and joy requires equal parts art and skill. There is always a point where the room reaches synergy and people start to relax and joke and enjoy the space and my goal as a facilitator is to guide us to that point where the magic unfolds.” – Sarah

 

2. Remember everyone shows joy in different ways!

 

“There are many ways to facilitate joy for all.” – Sophie

 

“We shouldn’t expect one group’s ‘fun’ to look like another’s. There’s no need to judge how anyone experiences joy. Facilitators provide the experience and there is freedom of discovery for each group of participants.” – Caleb

 

3. Be fully present! 

 

“Each event is a new and unique group of people, so anything can – and does – happen! The event is a special time and space that will never happen again in exactly the same way, so it’s an opportunity for discovery.” – Amie

 

4. Lean into the inside jokes. 

 

“My favorite part about facilitating is where everybody starts to laugh, and the group finds an inside joke. It’s fun to have something that only one particular group will understand, it makes the memory really special.” – Caleb

 

5. Create a comfortable environment.

 

“It’s so important to create an environment in which individuals feel happy to participate. I see the cultivation of a warm atmosphere as being incredibly important for people to feel like they can take a risk and experience their own voice being heard in a way that is respectful.” – Amie

 

“I love watching participants open up and start to smile as the games go on. By the end people are laughing and new connections are formed among people who might not have met before.” – Sophie

 

6. Consider the bigger picture.

 

“I love that Kingmakers gets to curate laughter and play experiences which allow participants to let their humanity shine. These are moments that remind us we are more than what we do or produce, that our mere existence brings joy.” – Sarah