Shared Leadership

We strongly recommend that the facilitation of the course be shared between two individuals; one acting as the ‘leader’ and one as the ‘anchor’. On a traditional hike along a path, the leader stays in the front of the group and points the direction, while the anchor stays at the back of the group and makes sure no hikers stray too far from the path. In our paradigm, the leader is focused upon presenting the material, whereas the ‘anchor’ is focused upon making sure the participants are connected and getting the opportunity to be heard. You may alternate roles or hold the same roles throughout each of the sessions, as suits your preferences. Either way, sharing the tasks between two people greatly reduces the workload. In addition, if an emergency arises, you can each ‘cover’ for the other.

Facilitating

Note that the course is ‘facilitated’ and not ‘instructed’. There are no ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’ thoughts, ideas, beliefs or statements to be taught or corrected. By and large your role as a facilitator is to allow the participants to respond to the materials and each other in an organic way. Remember that the purpose of this course is to grow in HECK; the participants that signed up already have an interest in modelling that behavior. The ideal group is one in which you can simply get out of the way and ‘let it happen.’

Containment and Care

The course is not group therapy, but it can surface old wounds. Your job is not to avoid emotion; it is to hold the container so that emotion does not become unsafe or dominating.

Practical tools:

  • Normalize passing and stepping out.
  • If someone is overwhelmed, the anchor can quietly check in outside the room.
  • If the group shifts into “fixing,” gently redirect to presence: “Let’s stay with listening rather than solving.”
  • If a participant seems at risk of harm to self/others, pause the session and seek professional care.

Planning

We recommend that the facilitators meet in private for at least one planning meeting, a week before the first session. During that time, you should discuss the facilities, equipment, and the schedule to make sure that all arrangements have been or will be ready. You should also discuss how you will work together and play off each other’s strengths.

Communicating

Between the sessions, we recommend that the facilitators over-communicate about the previous session and the upcoming session. What went well during the last session? What did not go as well as it could? Are the extroverts dominating the introverts? Is everyone feeling positive about the experience to date? What should you be prepared for in the next session?