DEFINE: Facilitator Confidence Voting Results

A few months ago, we played a game that identified "confidence" as a primary characteristic of effective facilitators. We then invited our players to provide definitions of this concept. We polled all players for their choice of the three "best" definitions. Here are the results.

We received votes from 63 people. Each first-place vote was worth 3 points, each second-place was worth 2, and each third-place was worth 1 point.

Here are the Top Five definitions:

First Place: (60 points) Confidence is expressed in the facilitator's ability to be present in the moment, to go wherever the group needs to go, knowing that whatever the path or destination, the facilitator can support participants in the process and help them discover value along the way. (Cindy Stynchula)
Second Place (tie): (52 points) Definition of confidence for a facilitator: The belief that no matter what the group throws up, (s)he has the ability to help them deal with it, to move on, and to progress towards their stated objective. (John Keeble)
Second Place (tie): (52 points) Confidence (of a facilitator): non-judgmental communication, empathy and commitment that comes from a clear knowledge of the facilitator's own values, behaviors and experiences. The ability to know when to say "yes", "no" and "I don't know". (Lou Russell)
Fourth Place: (47 points) Complete trust and belief in one's capabilities to work with a group and lever each individual capabilities, competences, and talents for the good of the group. (Frances Montes)
Fifth Place: (35 points) Confidence as a facilitator is the willing to focus on your attention on the group and their needs. To truly "make things easier" one needs to encourage, elicit and enthuse the group to reach their goals - to do this requires focus on them and their needs. (Kevin Eikenberry)

And here are the rest of the definitions, in order of decreasing score:

Confidence is the freedom to think and act creatively and innovatively when enabling groups to realise their goals at all times (especially when challenged). (Alan Thomas)
Confidence is a feeling that a facilitator has when they are sure enough about their own abilities to be flexible in how they handle learning processes. (Vicki Hollett)
Confidence: The comfort level in which one exhibits that is directly proportional to the level of skill(s), knowledge, and/or preparation they have at their disposal in order to facilitate the session. (M Siegrist)
Definition: Confidence is a facilitator's self-assurance level that he or she can assist a group in identifying and working through issues to improve the group's efficacy. (Les Lauber)
On defining confidence, golfer Tom Watson once said, "Confidence in golf means being able to concentrate on the problem at hand with no outside interference." That works pretty well for facilitation, too. (Gil Kinnunen)
Confidence is the facilitator displaying adequate knowledge of the subject, and displaying the presentation skills needed to foster a learning environment. (Mary Downs)
Confidence is the delicate balance that makes CEO's listen to what I have to say, without giving them reason for confrontation. (Mollie Tobin)
Confidence is the way a facilitator influences participants so that they feel sure that he or she has the knowledge and skill to perform professionally. (Susan Robinson)

Thanks to everyone who provided definitions and voted on them.

We also asked a panel of experts to perform a content analysis of these 13 definitions.