This is the second blog post on the topic of „space holding“. This second part deals with the specific activities of facilitators and provides an overview of the challenges of space holding in organisations.

Hold the space

The now widely used English term facilitation (Enabling) appears to be a suitable role background for holding spaces. Usually, the task is performed by one or two people, but it also happens that the group as a whole consciously takes on this task. Holding space requires certain skills from the facilitators.[1]:

1. Conscious handling of strong emotions of those involved, as well as one's own trigger points. In order to accept the feelings of others, a certain degree of self-acceptance is required. For example, those who reject their own feelings of helplessness will find it difficult to deal appropriately with the helplessness of others. The group could possibly step in here, but an idea is needed as to how facilitators can make this possible. A certain awareness of one's own issues and personal trigger points (including their physical and emotional signals) is essential so that they can be recognised and responded to when in doubt. Ideally, personal issues will already have been worked on to some extent.
2. Knowing what to do in an emergency. Facilitators need the tools to maintain the boundaries of the space. Even minor transgressions can lead to a great deal of uncertainty if no action is taken. If the rules of the space are broken, a facilitator needs ways to respond appropriately and bring the unstable space back into safe waters. At the same time, they must be aware of their own boundaries. The safer a space feels, the more likely it is that previously hidden facets of the participants will emerge, possibly accompanied by strong emotions and conflicts. If the facilitator is overwhelmed by this, they must be aware of it and need to find an appropriate way of dealing with it. It also takes confidence to venture into no man's land when treasures are hidden in places beyond the existing maps.
3. Enable all users of the space to move around safely and competently. Respectful interaction with one another, basic rules of feedback, etc. are not necessarily familiar to everyone, and there are not always commonly used terms for these concepts. Facilitators should take care of this and, if necessary, provide assistance if any of these concepts are forgotten. This does not necessarily mean that ideal communication conditions must (or can) be created in every room. Even dealing with failed communication in a reflective and respectful manner can yield important learning effects.
4. Being able to give the room the right shape and fit. Does the space need a clearly defined objective? Does it need clear boundaries (who and what belongs inside, what stays outside)? How much openness is possible and sensible during the session? How much regulation and joint agreement does the space need at the beginning? These are questions that once again demonstrate the diversity of held spaces. If the space is suitable and thus designed to promote trust, the question of personal safety recedes into the background and the actual processes are given their space.
5. Presence, centring and emptiness. In order to provide a secure anchor for the space and the participants within it, facilitators need the ability to be present for extended periods of time. Often, the facilitator's presence is only noticeable when they are suddenly absent. Their presence helps to maintain the space so that participants do not have to worry so much about their safety and can venture into „dangerous“ areas. If facilitators are in touch with all their senses and are at peace with themselves, they can ensure this presence.
   To do this, they also need a certain inner emptiness, i.e. the ability to accept and engage with whatever is happening in the room at that moment. If, on the other hand, the facilitator is preoccupied with an urgent, emotionally charged issue or feels under time or performance pressure, the participants will notice this and intuitively sense it.
6. Perceiving weak and subliminal signals. Holding space also involves paying attention to subtle, possibly unconscious signals and emotions from the participants. These can indicate underlying group and psychological dynamics. In this case, the role of the facilitators is to reflect on their observations, if appropriate, and to point out any inconsistencies. This requires being able (and allowed) to name things that are present in the room as moods and discord, even if they only appear as vague gut feelings.
7. Reconciling differing needs for trust. Different people need different settings in order to feel comfortable. One person may need an explicit invitation to contribute, another may need protection from well-intentioned but misplaced advice or help in communicating their needs, and yet another may need reassurance that they can leave the room if it becomes too much for them. Needs are often expressed in different ways, and it helps if facilitators can interpret the clues. Whether and how people use the space provided is not the responsibility of the facilitators – such spaces represent a high degree of personal responsibility. It is therefore important to defuse the widespread belief and stress factor that facilitators bear sole responsibility for results.

Of course, there are many other components of competence and expertise that could be listed. However, our consulting experience has shown that the saying „everyone gets the space they can hold“ rings true. We intuitively sense how much trust a space grants us and open ourselves up accordingly, from slightly to fully. Deep psychological transformations, with all their accompanying effects, will usually only happen in the spaces of those who can hold these spaces. Of course, there are individual exceptions to this rule.

Attitude of the facilitators

Reserved rooms each serve a specific purpose, thus enabling change around the room's purpose. To prevent change from becoming imperative and leading to defensive reactions, it is helpful to keep in mind the paradox of humanistic psychology and to bring this attitude into the room: accepting what is (and thus the status quo) makes it possible to take a step towards change. Translated, this could mean a lack of intention, coupled with an openness to whatever may arise – anything is possible, nothing is mandatory.

Such attitudes are more difficult to develop and need time to become effective. However, once the attitude is consistently embodied by the facilitator, it can enrich spaces and also temporarily change the attitudes of the participants. We find the following attitudes particularly significant.

• impartiality. Everyone in the room has a right to be heard and to their own perception; none is better or worse than any other. By facilitating exchange, dialogue and reflection, facilitators can create a fruitful exchange in which all participants can express their views and diversity is allowed to exist. An impartial attitude also implies setting aside personal opinions for the duration of the session and engaging with different perspectives with curiosity and empathy. Otherwise, the facilitator may end up pursuing an unclear and uncommunicated personal agenda, thereby unsettling the others.
• eye level. The role of facilitator gives the person holding the space certain rights, but it does not elevate them to a higher position. Those who remain aware of their own vulnerability and weaknesses while maintaining faith in their own abilities create a balance that maintains equality with others. Especially in organisations with hierarchical structures, it is a major challenge to push the usual power differences in the room into the background. If the facilitators themselves succeed in establishing contact on an equal footing, they also enable others to temporarily detach themselves from the power imbalances that exist within the group.
• Everything is allowed to be there. If the participants realise that all aspects of their personality are allowed to be revealed and experience that they do not have to expect exposure, resistance, devaluation or similar reactions, but instead receive appreciation for showing a hidden side of themselves, many unexpected treasures and potentials can be uncovered. Achieving an attitude that can see the valuable even in seemingly negative things is a great enrichment for the effectiveness of a space.
• Invitation to failure. Making mistakes, failing and trying things out – we know that we can learn a lot from this, but there is rarely a trusting environment in which failure is consciously encouraged. Those who make mistakes themselves and deal with them in a forgiving, confident and responsible manner enable others to behave in the same way. An error-friendly attitude can relieve partners of a lot of pressure to perform and prove themselves, creating the necessary trust to try things out and face fears.

Space management in organisations – Special challenges

The qualities of dedicated spaces in organisations and their potential uses have not yet been adequately mapped out. Although there are growing calls for such spaces, there is still little structure, clarity or guidance on how to create and maintain them in organisations. If the above-mentioned challenges are not already significant enough, organisations face further complications.

• In order to build trust and allow people to reveal themselves, safe spaces require equality among all those present. The organisational power differences between people who enter a room together can be a tough nut to crack, especially when the differences are very large. If the facilitator role is performed by a manager, it may conflict with other roles involving instruction and control. In this case, an external facilitator can be helpful, offering a suspended level and consistently modelling the attitudes outlined above.
• A second challenge is the question of how the voluntary nature within the framework of organisational settings. Learning and development processes cannot be imposed; a space that invites change must remain an option. However, an „offer“ to open up can also lead to pressure and uncertainty about expectations in situations of dependency. On the other hand, if the space provided remains a purely optional personal space, its potential to transform the organisation is weakened.
• Thirdly, there may also be friction between the agenda of the space and the production logic and strategy of the organisation. The appealing idea of bringing all aspects of one's personality into the organisation is not always easy for either side. Let us assume, for example, that someone decides to share a fear that constantly arises in their everyday work in a trusting environment. Will special consideration now be given to this, even if it means that certain results are not achieved? What happens when small teams or parts of an organisation set off in a new direction and reveal more of themselves? Friction and communication problems with the rest of the organisation are inevitable, and yet the explorers' tasks must still be fulfilled.

We need to break new ground, because the promise of safe spaces – including in the context of leadership and organisations – is too great to be ignored. When people find trusting exchanges, can show more than just a part of themselves, and creativity can flow, many synergies and potentials arise that have not yet been possible in many areas. We therefore want to explore how we can create a space for learning how to hold space. A space for spaces, so to speak. This will require a great deal of skill and a tolerance for mistakes – we will see whether we succeed in fulfilling this aspiration we have set for ourselves. And if we fail, well, then we will still have gained something. A good starting point.

[1] Since, in our view, there is currently no suitable German term for the English word ". facilitator , we follow the practice of translating the English word into German.