Imagine you are facilitating an empowerment process in a neighborhood or a rural community. As a facilitator, you need to equip yourself to guide a series of preparatory and collective activities. One essential reminder: pay attention to observation.
A facilitator must cultivate deep, holistic observation—and at the same time invite community members to observe with you, to practice seeing together. In other words, part of your role is to enable collective observation, or “seeing together.”
There are several important points I want to share. Of course, these are not the whole story. Observation as a skill for learning and understanding the environment is much broader than what I can cover here. It is not a side activity but a core part of empowerment: a tool that helps us notice signs, discover opportunities, and bring hidden capacities of the community to the surface. Each act of observation is a step toward deeper understanding and, potentially, more effective action.
1. Observation works with other senses—especially listening
Active listening is never just about the ears; it is about ears and eyes working together. In a community meeting, when people share their concerns, we don’t only listen—we also watch. How participants sit, whether they take notes, how they look at each other, who they whisper to, even their silences—all of these are signals.
This combination of listening and seeing helps us grasp not only the content of words but also facial expressions, body language, and collective reactions. As a result, the facilitator can better manage the atmosphere, recognize signs of trust or hesitation, and guide the conversation toward genuine participation. Observation alongside listening deepens communication and reveals hidden layers of social reality.
2. Observation beyond conversations
Observation is not limited to dialogue. During visits, walks through the village, games, or ongoing sessions, we must observe carefully—both the environment and participants’ responses.
To strengthen this skill, it is best to write down observations each time. Writing prevents details from being forgotten, reveals patterns, and turns scattered experiences into a coherent picture. (I often carry small notebooks to workshops so participants can practice observation and writing together.)
Recording observations strengthens the facilitator’s memory and enables collective reflection. Later, these notes can be revisited with community members, discussed, and transformed into new opportunities for empowerment. Writing is the bridge between seeing and acting.
3. Observation without bias
True observation means seeing reality as it is—without adding personal judgment or taking a stance. If a facilitator imposes their own interpretation while observing, they unintentionally steer the group toward their personal view, limiting free participation.
Neutral observation, on the other hand, allows for a more accurate understanding of the situation and gives the group space to decide based on their collective experience. Such observation is not about taking sides but about clarifying reality—a foundation for trust, constructive dialogue, and shared decisions.
4. Encourage observation constantly
This is part of my own practice: I keep saying, “Look, look.” A facilitator should continually invite the group to observe. Observation is not an optional extra; it is part of the ethics and method of facilitation.
I believe that neutral looking opens a window to fresh understanding. As one friend put it, every time we truly see, we discover something new. The more participants are encouraged to notice and pay attention, the greater the chance of building shared understanding and making informed decisions.
5. Observation for holistic understanding
Observation is not only about details; it must lead to a broader perspective. Whatever we see should be placed in a larger context.
For example, noticing a plant growing near a village is not just about the plant itself—it is part of the local ecosystem. Being served tomato stew in a rural home is not just about the tomato—it connects to daily life, agriculture, and culture.
This holistic lens pushes us to ask questions and seek connections between small elements and the larger whole, leading to deeper insight into reality.
6. Observation as shared interaction
I insist that part of interaction is “seeing together.” We must practice this: observe together, complete each other’s images, talk about what we see, and draw a collective mental map of observation.
Here, the facilitator plays a crucial role in enabling this process. Shared observation can spark creativity at any moment.
7. Practice observation continuously
We already observe all the time, but the challenge is to do it consciously. Write down the results. Try to identify opportunities while observing—and encourage others to do the same. Continuous practice makes observation a living skill.
