ABSTRACT
Facilitator self-awareness includes having an idea of the impact we make on individuals and groups through our personal presence. Presence is drawn from the combination of our own personality, energy, enthusiasm and magnetism. It is a suite of qualities that needs careful attention and honing and, of course, continuous personal development. One of the traps into which facilitators fall and which takes away from their personal presence occurs when they have an idealized view of what a facilitator should be. Ways to power up our presence are: consciously choose to go as far as we can with all that we have; build awareness of our strengths and weaknesses; be physically present; and work on the way we speak. The creative activity helps people to experience their blocks to personal presence. It is an exercise which also helps people define what is distinctive in their facilitator style.
