A Closer Look

To make matters worse, all this turmoil happens so quickly in your mind that you’re not even aware it’s going on! To make sense of this situation, you must slow it down and recognize that what’s happening is a complex thought process with several steps, beginning with the learner’s behavior and ending with your behavior.

Let’s take a “slow-motion” look at the example, breaking down the process into steps:

1. Learner behavior occurs: challenges facilitator’s expertise.

2. Facilitator thinks, “This learner is being difficult by challenging my expertise.”

3. Facilitator thinks, “I’ve got to save (or, I hope, enhance) my expertise and credibility in front of the group. I can’t let this learner embarrass me.”

4. Facilitator thinks, “I’ll show him or her that I’m right,” and launches into a debate with the learner.

5. The situation (in this case a debate) escalates: The facilitator must now prove he or she is right, or credibility is lost. The learner must prove he or she is right, or humiliation will occur.

6. The rest of the learners become disengaged, even embarrassed at having to witness the exchange.

7. Result: The learning is disrupted, and the facilitator has lost credibility (the main thing the facilitator was trying to avoid).