Roots & Wings
Honouring the ones who seeded the movement.
Celebrating the ones who gave us flight.
Post 15 | Yateen Gharat IAF CPF – Master Facilitator (CPF-M) and much more !
What happens when the facilitator leaves the room… and the process still holds?
November 2018.
My early days in the world of facilitation.
A room full of accomplished facilitators at the IAF Conference in Lonavala.
And then Yateen Gharat stepped in.
He spoke briefly.
Laid out a set of cards on the floor.
Gave a few simple instructions…
…and then walked out.
For the next 20-25 minutes, the room continued.
Conversations flowed.
Insights emerged.
The process held – beautifully.
That’s when he walked into the room for next set of questions to navigate us to the next round.
And in that moment, I experienced my first powerful lesson in facilitation:
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦… 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧.”
Over time, I began to understand what I had witnessed that day.
Yateen doesn’t just facilitate – he architects group experiences.
There is a quiet precision in the way he designs flow.
Every transition feels natural.
Every activity has intent.
Every silence… is deliberate.
His strength in Group Process Facilitation is exceptional.
He trusts the process deeply.
He trusts people even more.
And because of that, he is able to step back –
allowing the group to think, feel, and arrive at their own insights.
What looks simple on the surface…
is actually a masterful orchestration beneath.
That is not technique.
That is CRAFT!!
And beyond the craft – he is a thinker, a philosopher, and someone with a large heart of gold.
My Profound Learning from Yateen:
“When the process is designed well, the facilitator can step back – and the group steps forward.”
From Yateen, I learned that facilitation is not about being visible –
it is about being intentional.
About trusting the design.
Trusting the people.
And allowing conversations to unfold without interference.
Over the years, our interactions have moved beyond sessions.
We’ve become friends – sharing ideas, challenging perspectives, and deeply endorsing each other’s journeys.
Yateen, thank you for that moment in 2018, and for everything that followed.
For the roots you strengthened through your philosophy and craft.
And for the wings you offered by showing what true facilitation looks like.
Grateful. Always.
Chander
Rooted in Process. Growing through Trust.