It is to be expected that some of the participants, especially at the beginning of the training, will view the trainers as teachers who will ultimately tell them what is correct and what isn’t and what they need to take away from the workshop. However, since the point is that there is no dogma, no predetermined or ulterior motive, and that the point of the exercise lies in whatever each individual finds for themselves through the process of interaction – a process that is always unique because it reflects the relations within that particular group – it is important to communicate this to the group and provide examples. Try to identify the aspects unique to that group and that moment in time, and point them out as an example of learning from current experience instead of looking for confirmation of a point that is predetermined. When you sense that the group wants the trainer to give them ‘the point’, refrain from long speeches, focus on procedural guidance and questions instead of insights or conclusions. Indeed, if there is a ‘point’ then it is getting people accustomed to seeking out their own conclusions, checking their perception of events against those of others, and retaining their right to be different.
