21 Essential Insights for Facilitating
Introduction
Two experienced facilitators Dr Laurie Maslak and Dr Stephen Hobbs met and shared a conversation re: their insights about facilitating a meeting or a gathering to draw ideas from the participants. .
They’ve worked together on various corporate, community and government projects. Many of which were framed by appreciative inquiry.
For one corporate client, they prepped and delivered a Facilitation-Facilitating workshop. During the preparation process they sat down and taped their conversation about 21 facilitating insights important to facilitators of meetings and staff learning processes.
21 Insights
What follows is a highlight summary of that conversation. And in no particular order:
1. Always ensure you have the necessary equipment to facilitate … carry with you pens appropriate for flipchart paper, whiteboards, paper, masking tape, extra pens and pencils, sticky notes, paperclips or stapler, etc. Never assume that what you need will be provided.
2. As appropriate, record group memory (on flipcharts) that serves as visual reminders and/or complete 5 Minute Minutes using the headings Accountability à, Collaborate and Responsibility à Inform. Each decision assignment made during the meeting is categorized as Accountability (ability to account for) and who to Collaborate with and Responsibility (ability to respond to) and who to Inform. Then the minutes are distributed immediately at the end of the meeting
3. As you facilitate, facilitate so as not to facilitate … work yourself out of a job.
Facilitating a Group Development Activity
4. Be Comfortable with Silence – Learn to walk a fine line between meeting the client’s objectives and allowing the group to go where they need to go. If there is silence in the room – respect that – don’t try to fill it in with unwanted or unnecessary information. If the silence becomes uncomfortable for the group or prolonged – you can provide a “process check” to determine the cause or perceived change of energy in the space and ask for individual feedback on this.
5. Be intuitive: Let your “gut reactions” or “sixth sense” be your guide. Be able to read what’s not visible, as well as what’s visible in the group. You may need to do “process checks” to validate these intuitive sensations. Be prepared to be flexible with where you are going and how to get there.
6. Be Participative: A good facilitator encourages the group to speak for itself. In recording words of the group, ensure you record THEIR words and not your interpretation of their words. Help them to clarify any confusion or disconnects they are communicating. Don’t just act as an observer, be part of the introduction exercises, provide information about yourself that is engaging and relevant (your stories, your examples, analogies etc) to help reinforce your points. Engage with participants at breaks and lunches.
7. Clarify or Brief the reason for the facilitated session and gain acceptance for participation – as you may not get agreement for participation.
8. Creativity: In the design of the session and “in the moment” don’t be afraid to be creative and use new ways/exercises to provide an analogy or a simulation. Sometimes people do not “see” the learning only through text or a direct application – sometimes their learning is facilitated best through an indirect or seemingly unrelated activity. Here their defences get masked and their natural behaviour surfaces.
9. Decide where to stand and sit in the room to facilitate the type of gathering you are attending. Can persons enter and exit gracefully; are you standing with your back to a window, etc?
10. Engagement: As the group starts to enter the room, ensure that you welcome them to the session and ask some “safe” questions as a means of introduction and initial engagement (weather, what division they work in or company they represent? how long have they been there? Any difficulties finding parking? etc.) Incorporating an ice-breaker or innovative way to initiate introductions starts the group off on the right foot. Providing some background as to why this session is happening is also useful – especially if someone has come to the wrong session (it’s happened!)
11. Ensure a quick evaluation of the meeting … ask what were the plus, minus and interesting aspects of the meeting. Take notes and improve at least one element of the meeting for next time.
12. Flexibility: Use an agenda only as a template – be prepared to let the session be con-constructed “in the moment”. However, make sure two topics are covered at minimum – What items are to inform? What items are to request insight?
13. Focus on Application: Theory and rhetoric may be a quick way to impart information but it is not lasting. People need many structured opportunities throughout the session and following to apply the theory to real life situations or simulations and learn from doing (praxis). It is through debriefing activities many “ahas” occur for individuals.
Because of Facilitation Working Together
14. Follow-through and Follow-up: One of the most important features of any good facilitation is the attention to follow-up and evaluation of the impact of this session on future behaviour, attitudes, initiatives, etc. An opportunity to review learning, commitments, and shifts noted, or to provide a summary report on the session, must be built into every planned facilitation.
15. Preparation: Prior to the session research who is attending, the purpose of the session (the stated and the unstated), any current issues between participants and prepare appropriate materials/exercises based on this information. Also ensure you know what to wear!
16. Setting up for Success: Ensure that the room set up is conducive for the type of session being held. Never scrimp on attention to detail such as ensuring for refreshments and lunch, plus access to materials and AV aids. Allow for dialogue in smaller groups or dyads, as well as open space for large group discussion and set-up so everyone has visual access to the AV equipment being used. I also like to vary the room set-up throughout a longer session (full day or longer) to encourage movement and more extensive dialogue.
17. Use collaborative learning techniques … to increase participation and creative flow. Brainwriting is an example; each person is given the same or different question on a sheet of paper. They answer the question within a set time. Then the paper is rotated one position clockwise and the next person answers the question through adding to the first response and so on. Works best in groups of 3 to 5 people.
18. Wait through the silence when a question is asked … wait until one of two things occur … a person asks for clarification or an attempt is made to answer your question
Working Together, Experiencing Business Success - We Made It!
19. When needed, use your own life experiences to illustrate points … your presence sets the mood and tone for the meeting.
20. When persons challenge other persons, encourage the challenge in the form of a question rather than as an ‘attacking’ statement.
21. Because Silence was mentioned twice (#4 and #18) here are two additional ideas. First, silence is not consensus. Everyone’s opinion matters, everyone needs to be heard! Second, silence is part of reflection. Some peoples’ learning and personality preferences require time for reflection. In all ways, use silence to your advantage.
Two Important Questions
Which insight calls to you – and why?
Which insights are 'before you facilitate', 'as you facilitate' and 'after you facilitate'?
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(c) 2011 March … If you use this article to educate others about business facilitating or facilitating in general, a reference to its location and/or www.wellthlearning.com is appreciated. For more information about management/leadership excellence, organization mapping and organization culture, and the importance of guiding manager-leaders to their awesomeness Use the Contact Page, Email info@wellthlearning.com or Call 1-403-875-0449. We look forward to hearing from you. Comments are appreciated below.
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Authors:
Stephen Hobbs, EdD founded and serves as Master Navigator with WELLth Learning Network and WELLth Academy. With the assistance of a group of dedicated WELLth Educators, they guide organization development staff and manager-leaders and their staff to create workplaces where they enjoy what they do and do what they enjoy. Steve’s interests and contributions include management excellence, leadership excellence, organization mapping, organizational culture, workforce learning, workplace educating, experience-based learning and visual mapping. He has written and self-published books like Creating the Well-Living Workplace (WELLTH, 2010), Living YOUR Great Life (WELLTH, 2010), and Co-Creating the WELL-Living World (2010). His newest eBook Help Them Help You Manage-Lead is due for release in February 2012. He balances his life with online instruction at a university plus writing, hiking and keeping fit.
Contact Coordinates:
www.WELLthLearning.com/academy
info@WELLthLearning.com
www.wellthlearning.com
1.403.875-0449
Laurie Maslak, PhD is a senior HR leader, practitioner and educator, widely known for expertise in areas of OD/OE and leadership development, change management, Appreciative Inquiry, and team enhancement across a spectrum of industries and sectors. She’s passionate about people and creating strong workplace cultures that attract and retain top talent. Peer recognized for an ability to provide excellence in HR practices, and an exceptional ability to build and retain high performing teams at all levels of the organization.
Contact Coordinates:
www.EdgingLeadership.com
edgingleadership@shaw.ca
1.403.875.4722
