The power of nothing

A recent group facilitation reminded me how hard it can be to reach decisions collectively.

Watching the group struggle I wanted to intervene, to help. I managed to stop myself (just) because I realised that doing nothing might be more useful.

It’s hard, doing nothing. Watching a group struggle … or unravel. It's hard, especially when you’re being paid to be the professional facilitator. It's hard, not stepping into the ’superhero’ role to rescue everything.

And yet that gap, that gap between nothing and the process, is doing something. It’s creating space. It’s allowing the fire in the crucible to heat itself. It’s giving others the chance to learn. Doing nothing leads to something … something else.

And sometimes that’s the best intervention.