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Cynthia Umurungi is a storyteller who gives a human voice to African organisations and businesses.

Her voice is one I have wanted to share on this podcast for a long time - and not only because I have underrepresented voices of African heritage so far on this podcast. Cynthia’s work delicately combines storytelling and creativity with deep empathy and insights.

In this episode, we explore the challenges of facilitating in a culture that isn’t your own, how team dynamics change across cultures, and how Western ideas of facilitation can falter in a non-Western workshop.

Broaden your horizons with this incredibly insightful, energetic episode! 

Find out about:

• Why cultural undercurrents in the room will determine your workshop’s effectiveness
• How to interpret shades of silence and find the thin line between thoughtful and tense
• How language and translation affect our sense of safety
• The need for openness and ‘no foolish questions’ when speaking in a second language
• Why clear language and expectations reduce your risk of unpleasant surprises
• How to use a ‘story wall’ to encourage creativity, sharing, and ice-breaking   

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Questions and Answers

Part two
[00:54] Do you have a favourite exercise?
[02:11] Do you use a lot of drawing and visual facilitation in your workshops?
[04:41] What is your experience with inviting participants to fail and/or be imperfect?
[07:18] Where do you find inspiration for your facilitation practice?
[11:37] Do you find that participants are receptive to finding solutions themselves, or do they look to you for 'answers'?
[18:34] Do we have to be more explicit about silence when we're working online?
[21:39] How do we account for the power imbalance that comes when the context of colonialism pervades the room?
[24:07] What would you consider your number one facilitation challenge?
[31:13] What would be your wish for the future of facilitation on the African continent, and what would be your advice to facilitators who want to keep progressing on the continent?

Connect to Cynthia:

On LinkedIn

On Twitter

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