I’d like to take a moment to reflect with you on the true nature of Meetings That Rock.  True meetings that rock are also cultural competent meetings.  Those two things are not mutually exclusive.  For me a meeting that rocks is one that is incredibly inclusive and diverse so I want to clarify that up front.  If you weren’t from the dominant culture, what I described as the 5 characteristics of Meetings That Rock could be interpreted as Meetings That Stink (except for those in power).  So let’s go over those 5 points again and make those clarifications.  And by the way, here is the link for the new video that covers information about our full virtual summer intensive course.  At the end of the video, we’ve included four brand new “Tips of the Day”.

The first point I said about that Meetings That Rock was that:

• Everyone that you want to show up, shows up.  Now, reread this from a meeting participant who doesn’t have much power in the organization or society.  They might not have been invited to the meeting because no one “wanted” them to show up.  If you are the person in power, that original phrase probably sounded pretty good.  You only got the people that YOU wanted.  But whose voices might you be missing if you are not reaching out to many members of your organization that typically have less power or whose voices are marginalized?

What I might have said instead is:

“Everyone who has a stake in the meeting is invited and shows up.”

 In a more equitable organization, you want diverse voices and perspectives to be heard at your meetings. So, in addition to this new phrase I would add:

 “You welcome people to your meetings even if you’re not completely comfortable with them or their views yet.”

The second point I said about Meetings That Rock was that:

• Everyone shows up on time.  Now, reread this coming from the perspective of someone who does not follow the time oriented mode of behavior of some countries.  Showing up on time might NOT be an important characteristic for a meeting that rocks for them.  So to be more inclusive,  I would say instead:

“Everyone shows up in timing that is appropriate to your culture.”

If you are the facilitator it is good to show up early and spend whatever time is appropriate and relevant to creating the conditions of safety and comfort  for your group needed. This might include warmly greeting  people as they come in, undistracted and present for whatever mood or energy they  show up with.

Thus the importance of cultivating presence practices with yourself such as  constructivist listening, meditation, singing, prayer, journaling, emotional freedom technique (EFT), other emotional healing modes, etc. See suggested modules below for more on these or do a internet search on these terms to learn more.

The third point I said about Meetings That Rock was that:

• Everyone makes relevant and timely contributions. Again, from someone who rarely contributes because of the power imbalance in the room/organization, the part about “relevant and timely” can also be viewed as a dominant culture perspective.  Who decides what is relevant and timely? Usually the meeting leader!  Scenario: A person whose voice has never or rarely been heard in your organization tries speaking up. You as the facilitator don’t understand it. You might pretend to understand and then move on. In other words, on the spot, you decide this is a not a relevant or timely point of view. The person once again experiences that the “dominant culture” prevails and in their mind they decide that they may as well give up trying to contribute.

So one easy and quick tip.  Just ask at this point, “Can you say more about that?” in a neutral and interested tone of voice.  Then, just listen. It could be the most valuable moment in the meeting and you just created space for it with this question. To sum up, I might say the more culturally competent  characteristic of Meetings that Rock is:

“Everyone knows they can offer an idea and be respectfully heard”.

An ICA[2] ground rule says it all too: Everyone will hear and be heard”.

The forth point I said about Meetings That Rock was that:

• Everyone laughs and has a good time. I would say instead:

Everyone laughs and has a good time but NOT at anyone’s expense. Often meeting humor can be a thin disguise for racism, ablism, ageism, or some other form of institutional oppression. As the meeting leader, you need to notice when a joke might be “off”. A tactful way of checking is by saying “There is something about your joke or story which I am not sure about. Can I check something out with you?” And then, even if no harm was intended, at least the person who shared the inappropriate joke or remark is now aware that those types of remarks will be questioned in the future.

The fifth point I said about Meetings That Rock was that:

• The meeting is over in less than an hour and everyone walks way knowing exactly what to do.  For many business meetings in various parts of the world, this may be an appropriate length of time in most instances. Sometimes though, the heart of the meeting is never allowed to emerge if you always end them at 1 hour. Again, use your judgment. If something really important starts to surface toward the end of the meeting, you can ask – “Can we all agree to stay a bit longer as something very important seems to be happening. It would be a shame to not hear it fully now”.

In summary – there is no one way to have a Meeting That Rocks. It is important to create a meeting atmosphere that encourages every voice to be heard. It is why I entered the profession of facilitation.

Our second webinar on May 3, 2013, Moving from Monologues to Dialogues, talks about power imbalances in the room and ways to deal with it.  You can access the recording here after May 3rd here.  Please keep thinking about this topic with me.  I welcome your insights.

Cultural Competency/Presence Resources

You might enjoy these e-learning modules to learn more. Please put the one on presence and two on cultural competency/ multi-cultural etc.

 And this TedTalk by Nanci Luna Jimenez on the concept of Power and Dominance.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRHOfm4mRpI

Are you making the right kind of “splash”
with your brainstorming technique?

We suspect you have seen poor brainstorming technique by people not trained.  Typically here is how brainstorming goes:

• The meeting person says: “We have problem x. What can we do to solve it?”
• They write down as many ideas as they can get from whomever has an answer on a flipchart or whiteboard.
• Their writing is not legible or visible to everyone in the room.
• They thank everyone for their ideas.
• The end product is a number of flipchart sheets hanging around the room.

Danger!!!  We hope you have never experienced this bad a session but we are reluctant to say we have seen it many times. Please do not be “guilty” of this frantic, competitive, unbalanced type of brainstorming technique.

What Meetings Leaders Fail to Do

• They do not have the right balance of experience and knowledge in the room
• They do not acknowledge the power dynamics of participants
• They do not recognize different styles of participating and taking in information
• They do not provide a clear focus; everyone may not understand and agree to the problem
• They do not tell people why they are spending time on this topic
• They do not give enough silent thinking time for each individual prior to sharing ideas out loud
• Not everybody gets to share their ideas

Here are our top tips to improve brainstorming technique:

Tip 1: Give clear focus and instructions.

Decide what is the question you want addressed and test this question out on several participants.  Write out your instructions for brainstorming so everyone can see them.

Tip 2: Set the stage for creative brainstorming

People need warm up time to come up with their best ideas. It is always good to have some kind of creative activity to get the juices flowing.

Tip 3: Follow this sequence: Individual – Small group – Whole group

Always give people individual uninterrupted time to come up with their own draft list of answers. Then they can share it in dyads or triads. Finally, they can share the small group’s best ideas with the whole group.

Source: Adapted from a handout written for the 5 Elements of Facilitation Design course by Barbara MacKay, Eunice Shankland and Mari Mizobe Chu.

Comments? Please leave them below.  We’d love to hear…

We’ll cover amongst the top 3 issues that I’ve encountered with many small facilitation (and other service based) businesses.

Top three issues of having a facilitation practice…

If any of these three phrases below are true for you, you are what I am calling either ‘underwhelmed’ or ‘overwhelmed’ by your practice – i.e., you don’t have enough work, it is boring you, or you are working so hard, you can’t feel the passion any more.  I’ll review each phrase below and offer you a few inspiring tips and stories.

• I can’t afford to hire help but am spending all my time on marketing and administration.
• I’m not sure how to get the clients/groups I really want.
• I wonder why I’m working so hard (and … nobody appreciates me ).

1. I can’t afford to hire help but am spending all my time on marketing and administration

Let me paint the picture for you…when you first thought about starting a facilitation business or being one of the in-house facilitation gurus, you had stars in your eyes.  You imagined all the great groups you’d be working with and the amazing interventions that you would plan.  You saw yourself really being a change agent. BUT…you are instead spending a lot of time trying to find clients, setting up systems, bookkeeping, and other sundry tasks or facilitating a lot of really boring meetings.  None of these appeal to you. However you say, “I can’t hire someone or get someone to help me because I’m not making any money yet.” Or if you are an in-house facilitator you might be saying, “I can’t ask for support because I’m not really doing enough in-house meetings yet.”  This is a common myth that I have encountered with most newer entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs.  The year I hired more administrative assistance, my net income increased by 50%. This happens because you have more time and energy to devote to getting and keeping clients. Start small. Perhaps you can find someone at a rate that is affordable for you and only hire them for 3-6 hours per week.  Imagine, that’s probably many hours a week less of doing administration work or setting up the meeting room yourself because they will be so much more efficient than you are.  And, there is nothing like having a fixed expense to get you out hustling for more clients.

2. I’m not sure how to get the clients/groups I really want.

Whether you are an in–house facilitator or an external one, try imagining exactly what type of client and what type of work (i.e. subject matter) you’d LOVE to have. I am talking about the clients you’d gladly stay up all night for because their mission is so enticing or they are just so collaborative, fun, etc. You will be amazed that once you get clarity on this, these types of clients start showing up. If you think these types of clients/groups need a little nudging to come into your practice, ask all of your colleagues and friends, “Who would be a good decision making person to speak to in this field of expertise?” Then systematically set up interviews with 3 to 5 of the key people you have been given and prepare yourself well for what you want this person to know about your services. It took three months for me to get an interview with one CEO of large national Not for Profit Organization (NPO). She hired me that very day for the biggest job I had ever had. I am glad I had the courage to go see her.

3. I wonder why I’m working so hard (and … nobody appreciates me ).

Isn’t being in business for oneself or having a facilitation practice supposed to be joyous? Once we have worked hard to gain credibility and found that our energy is not needed to market ourselves, we still wonder why we are working so hard.  Sometimes it’s because we are afraid we will lose the business. Sometimes it’s because we just feel well loved and appreciated and we don’t want to turn anyone down that says they need us. If these are true, list all the ways you are working really hard for little reward. Take a few hours each month to analyze where your energy and effort is going and decide which pieces you can drop. And, other colleagues might really welcome work that you no longer wish to accept.  Do you really need to take that underpaying, highly challenging client job that will cause you to lose sleep? Maybe someone else would gladly do it for you with a little behind the scenes support from you.

 Is your facilitation practice rewarding, balanced and joyful?

Now available for immediate download – $18.95

A great meeting is “designed”.  Most people put together an agenda that consists of a few topics and the timing for each topic.  That is not a designed agenda.  I think of a well-designed agenda as one that helps people ease into the meeting, connect with each other, is intentionally creative and playful and results in committed action.  Yes, that takes some pre-thinking!  How do you intentionally integrate each of these aspects into your meetings or facilitated workshops?  This blog (and upcoming facilitator café series)  offers you a framework to do that (i.e., we’ll explain the 5 elements of design).

	The first element is earth.  What do you think of when you think of earth?  I think of beauty, firmness, solidity, potential for growing things…Your job as facilitator is to think about how you can design for these things.  For example, if you want to create the potential for “growing ideas” in your group, you want to set up the space so that it feels productive, safe and creative.  If you want to bring in beauty and the actual earth element, you might bring in a beautiful potted plant or vase of flowers that everyone can see and admire throughout the meeting.
	The second element is water. What do you think of when you think of water?  How about flow? Transparency? Clarity? Dilution?  How would you design for any of these aspects?  Does your meeting have segues (transition elements)? Do you know how to help the group think sequentially?  Have you got your instructions well thought out and in written form so that they are understood, by being seen and heard on the first delivery?  Finally, have you developed your style so that when things are challenging, you can name them in a transparent way?
	The third element is fire.  You know what the question is!  The characteristics of fire include hot, exciting, visually changing colors, and potentially can be destructive.  When I design for the fire element, I think about ways to increase a group’s enthusiasm for the topic or the problem to be solved.  I think about raising their energy when they are discouraged by their challenges. You might also welcome the fire of conflict and “hold people’s hands to the fire” so they will come to terms with long standing issues. How else might you fire up the group and avoid destructive comments and activities?
	The fourth element is air.  Air has the ability to cool us down, clear out the clouds, and blow us around.  Air is a very subtle thing.  Think about your breath.  Your breath comes in and out without you thinking about it and yet it is an essential part of our moment-to-moment survival.  Designing for “air” in a meeting might mean that you bring awareness to a group’s behavior that is subtle and yet has a powerful negative or positive impact on their work.  You might design activities to help them clear out “debris” – i.e., that which no longer serves them well.
	The fifth element is space or ether.  We talked about that in an earlier blog (read here).  Space is the least solid of the elements.  You can’t see or feel it.  Yet it may be the most important thing to design for.  Think of a page.  We all know a well-designed page has a lot of white space.  It’s because we have space on the page that we can see the words on the page.  A meeting is like that as well.  When we have space in our meetings, we allow for the group to see its content or issues in a new light.  So space might look or sound like — silence or pauses.  Space might be when you allow for intrapersonal reflection before you ask people to speak. Space might mean that you better allow for the under-heard voices in the room to speak.

More on the five elements of design to come!

We hope that you find this to be a thought provoking framework to think differently about your meetings and workshops. It obviously is only one way to design for meetings.  You could use this same framework to design curriculum, proposals, training events, conferences, mediated sessions, etc.  A recent speaker I heard who also spoke about the 5 elements was Michelle LeBaron, University of British Columbia  (Vancouver, Canada) Program on Dispute Resolution.  She re-inspired me to write and teach about the 5 elements in relationship to facilitation design. I have found that facilitation agenda design is a topic that few people write about or teach and yet it is so critical to know how to design meetings well.  When you start being very intentional about your meeting design process, you will find it incredibly inspiring and creative work.  To inspire you more, I am going to offer a series of facilitator café’s in 2013 to plunge more deeply (no pun intended, I guess that is a use of the water element) into the 5 elements of design.

As a reminder, this is the last in the series and here were the other parts:

• In Part I we highlighted “Facilitation Style”. If you missed it, access it here.
• In Part II we discussed “Facilitation Tools”. Check it out here. We also offered you a great self-assessment tool to check the number and types of facilitation tools in which you are currently competent. Get your assessment here.
• In Part III we focused on “Facilitation Methods”, what the difference between a tool and a method is, and why we should even care to know the difference. Read it here.
• In PART IV Section 1 & 2 covered “Facilitation Approaches” – Why should I master a particular facilitation approach and can I combine facilitation approaches?  Read Section 1 and Section 2.

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How do we ensure impact?

Everything is in place.  Your client has chosen you as the facilitator because they like your style and experience.  You have decided what approach you are going to use.  You’ve chosen some great tools and methods to execute your agenda design.  Now what will your impact be? Have you been very intentional about this or is it just happening? Sometimes it can be both – ideally it is always thoughtful and intentional.

Almost always, we are called to help an organization to make a change – big or small.  When we are specifically called to help design and implement a very large change, we may be entering the realm of an organizational development (OD) or community development (CD) consultant. So how do we ensure impact and positive change while staying in the landscape of facilitation.

Both the facilitator and the OD/CD practitioner are engaged to create change and have a positive impact. However, the OD/CD consultant may be hired and expected to facilitate but also to give advice/expertise on 1) what changes are needed and 2) how to execute the change.  As a process facilitator, you can be intentional about staying in your role but still create the impact and the changes sought. So you do not advise, but you ask provocative questions and set up enough deep dialogue and thoughtful activities that the group clearly sees the changes that need to be made and the way to do it.

My experience with Impact…

Sometimes I have been hired initially for a single event thinking it is just a planning workshop or a team-building session. Then I realize several years down the road after many repeat engagements, that I am in the midst of helping create a large culture change. One example of this is a government organization I worked with in Canada dealing with northern Indigenous peoples in more remote communities. Initially I was asked to work with conflict within the staff of the government agency. Surprise : ) – the Non-Indigenous and Indigenous staff did not always understand each other or have the same perspective on how to deal with the communities they served. They were not clear on their roles. There was a fair bit of tension in that event and I was not sure we had accomplished much. But I was hired again. : ) This time,  the contracting client told me they wanted the staff to be more facilitative in their leadership in the communities – that they had been there a long time and had been used to “hand-holding” and doing too much for community members.

This signaled a culture change intervention to me. I was now entering the realm of OD and CD and yet I wanted to remain very facilitative to model what they were actually striving to do. Several meetings later, we held a huge event with both members of many remote communities and most of the government staff. It was fantastic. The staff members and community members had collaborated in designing this event; the staff facilitated many of the breakout workshops and the community members were able to tell the government staff how they wanted to proceed in their new partnership together. The work that came out of that single final event has been used as the agency’s guide for many years. Recently they consulted with me to offer a similar workshop, and they did it entirely on their own. That much capacity had been built that they felt they could facilitate a complex meeting. They were very satisfied with the results too.  That is IMPACT. You show them how to be facilitative – you teach them through modeling and practice how to do it and you let them know you are confident in their ability to proceed.

Another Example…

My second facilitation impact example involved knowing right from the start that the group sought a large culture change. It was with a private for-profit organization in the USA. The executive leadership team felt that the next level of management was not taking enough responsibility for seeing the company grow. They felt there was too little communication between the two levels of management and for some reason the senior managers were reluctant to share what was going on in their area of responsibility. Now, based on this request,  I could clearly see what they needed from the start. I used the organizational mapping tool designed by ICA Canada (see module on this if curious about how it works). I asked them if they were trying to become more collaborative in their work together. They said “yes – that’s it – that’s what we want!”. So we worked first with the leadership team using the mapping tool and helped them get clear about where they wanted to be more collaborative. Then we did the same process with both the executive leadership and senior management teams. The product was an action plan in two areas of collaboration which they wanted to expand: communication and leadership (note there are 8 areas on the mapping tool they could have chosen from).  In communication they wanted to move from communicating from the top to sharing information freely. In leadership, they wanted to shift from managing through objectives to visionary empathetic leadership and encouraging innovation.

Really Great Resources for More Impact

If you want to have more impact as a facilitator or even an OD/CD consultant, you may want to really learn how to create effective change interventions. Two of  my favorite older books (so cheap) are Managing Transitions by William Bridges, and Whole Scale Change Toolkit by Dannemiller Tyson Associates.

     

You might also appreciate learning more about facilitation impact by reviewing any of the following modules which run at $14.95. (note price going up in 2013).

Did you find the last blog on five common facilitation approaches hard to read? It was! In this blog, we’ll try not to “bore” : ) you. Rather, we will try to exuberantly re-infuse you with a renewed appreciation of the creativity that is inherent in any of facilitation approach, and why you might want to consider mastering one.

The 3* more approaches we review in Part B of this blog on facilitation approaches are:

• Graphic Facilitation (North America)
• Future Search (North America)
• The Essence of Facilitation (New Zealand)

*Last time, we said we would cover 6 more but that seems in retrospect like too much for one blog – maybe we’ll cover a few more in future blogs…:)

I’ve got great tools. Why should I care about learning different approaches?

Ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I working with a particular approach? (The answer is – if you are a facilitator that uses just tools like flip charting, asking questions, breaking into small groups, using ground rules, dot-voting … then, no, you are not working in an approach. Or, if you almost always mix and match a tool from one approach and a method from another, then again no, you are not likely working in a particular approach.)

2) Am I working in an approach that complements my particular style and the typical clients I work with?

3) Do I deeply understand the underlying values and impact of the approach I normally work in?

4) Do I know how to select tools or methods from different approaches and combine them in a harmonious way?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you may want to learn more about what each facilitation approach does, and then choose one or more to learn and practice in depth. By doing this, you move toward mastery in facilitation, better serve your clients, and make your facilitation work more interesting and fulfilling to you on a long term basis (reduce boredom factor!) .

Remember in Part II and Part III of this blog, we talked about the difference between facilitation tools and facilitation methods. In those blogs, we pointed out that methods represent a framework upon which to hang your facilitation tools. Similarly, an approach is a mega perspective upon which your entire facilitation stance, tone, style, tools, methods all coordinate together. If we use the carpenter metaphor again; it would go like this:

• a facilitation approach is similar to the entire workspace (work-shop) the carpenter uses to produce his or her products. It is organized in a certain way to facilitate the harmonious flow of the work and likely includes many of the same brand of tools (e.g., Black and Decker; Stanley)
• a facilitation method is similar to the chisel set (i.e., wood-caring instruments) – many variations of different sized chisels to use in different circumstances and in different sequences on the same product
• a facilitation tool is like the hammer or pair of pliers – useful in many circumstances
• a facilitation style is like the carpenter’s brand of furniture – e.g., classical versus contemporary

So if you are the facilitator and you work in a particular approach, you have a universe of tools and methods that already coordinate together – you don’t have to think about how to blend them to make them work harmoniously together.

Let me share an example of badly combining approaches with you. You decide to set up a 1 day agenda and in the morning you use a highly structured consensus workshop method from the Technology of Participation (ToP®) approach. In the same morning you then throw in a conflict resolution method from the freer flowing, highly charged Dynamic Facilitation approach. The result is your participants may experience a jarring effect because you have mixed two different approaches without understanding the tone, quality and outcomes that each approach creates for a group. I’m not saying you can never mix tools or methods from two or more approaches in the same session. I am saying you really need to understand the values embedded in each approach and the tone that each creates for a group. You would also need to understand how the brain thinks and provide just the right segue between two different approaches. Then, you are more likely to be masterful in mixing tools and methods from different approaches.

Are you still with me? : ) If yes, here is a brief overview of 3 more approaches that you might want to consider either as your main way of facilitating or as a beautiful compliment to an approach that you already know well.

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Graphic Facilitation

Description:  Graphic Facilitation (sometimes called Graphic recording and graphic facilitators are called Visual practitioners) is a facilitation technique that utilizes the power of visuals to help groups of people see their thinking and really ‘get their head around’ their particular situation. It’s a way of ‘doing a meeting’. The person leading the group (called a Graphic Facilitator) impartially helps people see what they currently know using graphic images and words on a long piece of paper, and from there, make better informed decisions and conclusions.  It is fairly common, in North America at least, to have a graphic facilitator chart the words of plenary sessions at a conference. The graphic facilitator chooses the right mixture of words, illustrations, colors and shapes  to capture a subject and make it memorable.   The Graphic Facilitation approach can be used both as a stand-alone methodology or as a compliment to other approaches.

What people say is unique:

• Often there is both a graphic recorder and a verbal facilitator who work closely together (akin to a dance) to draw out the wisdom of a group.
• The entire focus of the event is to capture key themes emerging in drawing format – using color, shapes and images (not just verbals) that tap into participants’ internal sense of the topic being addressed
• The graphic facilitator is often in what I call an altered state “channeling information” and also using intuition and creativity to hear the words of the participant(s) and create an image with words that says more than the words.
• Graphic facilitation is a good example of an approach that can be used as a compliment to other approaches. In other words, I would encourage every facilitator to learn as much as they can about graphic facilitation and combine it with their particular approach.

Here is an example of a graphic recording by a colleague who worked with us for an event where 120 countries were represented.

Graphic Facilitator: Paula Hansen, www.chart-magic.com, (415)  302-2105
You may also want to watch her video here

Helpful Resources:

• http://scriberia.co.uk/what-is-graphic-facilitation/ ( this is a great overview article!)
• http://www.makemark.com/graphic_facilitation/services/

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Essence of Facilitation

Description:  This approach aims at building the skill of noticing what is missing in a group’s interaction (also called distinguishing) and finding a way of introducing the missing elements. Typical distinctions that are often missing according to NZ authors Hunter, Bailey and Taylor in their book “the Essence of Facilitation” , speak of include: purpose and culture; powerful listening and speaking; fearlessness and ruthless compassion ( e.g., saying hard things, intentionality) ; intuition; affirmation and celebration; safety and trust; intentionality; emotional competence; completion and authentic community. the “essence’ of facilitation focus on working in the moment and is especially useful as an approach when your plan does not go the way it is supposed to (i.e., almost always : ) )

Guiding Principles (implied from the introduction to this approach in book “the Essence of Facilitation- Being in Action in Groups”)

• The whole cannot be separated from the parts
• At different points, different sections (distinctions) of the “room” (group/topic) will become more important and need more focus
• The room and everything in it are dependent on language. It is through language that we create the world.

Helpful Resources:

• http://www.zenergyglobal.com/docs/books/essence.htm
• The book “the Essence of Facilitation- Being in Action in Groups” – now available in Kindle form

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Future Search

Description: The Future Search approach is generally structured as a planning conference around a complex system issue. It has been used in organizations to explore issues around the future of schools; investigating site-based management and addressing housing issues in communities. It was originally designed in the 1970’s in North America to bring large groups of people together to solve and plan for a different future. It typically takes about 16 hours over 3 days and consists of a day to focus on the history and the present situation of the group or issue; a second day to discuss “proud’s and sorry’s” and common futures; and a 3rd day to focus on action. Ideally 70-80 people participate in the process but it can be done with several hundred people using different breakout rooms.

The assumptions or conditions for success include the following:

• Get the “whole system” in the room. Invite a significant cross-section of all parties with a stake in the outcome.
• Explore the whole before seeking to fix any part.
• Focus on the future and common ground rather than problems and conflicts.
• Self-manage small groups and action planning.

What people say is unique…

• It is focused on the future
• It is designed specifically for larger groups (n=70-80 ideal)
• It focuses on participants who are directly responsible for implementation
• It has shown to work well in many different cultures and countries as long as the language is adapted for the audience.
• It is highly suited to sharing power and engaging both the workforce and management in creating a clear and compelling future

Helpful Resources

• http://www.futuresearch.net/
• http://www.clevelandconsultinggroup.com/articles/future-search.php

• In Part I we highlighted “Facilitation Style”.  If you missed it, access it here.
• In Part II we discussed “Facilitation Tools”.  Check it out here.  We also offered you a great self-assessment tool to check the number and types of facilitation tools in which you are currently competent.  Get your assessment here.
• In Part III we focused on “Facilitation Methods”, what the difference between a tool and a method is, and why we should even care to know the difference.  Read it here.

What is a Facilitation Approach?

I would call a facilitation approach a comprehensive system of how to facilitate.  They include underlying values or beliefs which make them unique.  They have typically been developed over a long period of time and include theory, a set of tools, guiding principles and methods that hang together on a similar framework and set of values.   In brief, I think the following 5 things are attributes of an approach (in other words, if you learn about a particular system of facilitation and it has these 5 attributes, I would call it a unique facilitation approach):

1.) It usually includes many tools, techniques and methods all under the same “banner”.
2.) It has unique bias or style.
3.) The underlying values or philosophy become apparent as you work with the approach – sometimes the values are explicitly spelled out as a list of principles, assumptions or guidelines.
4.) The tools and processes can be combined in many ways to create unique agendas.
5.) They typically work well for many varied situations, cultural context, group sizes and topics.

As we did this research, we came across 10+ possible approaches so we have broken this article into two sections, each one covering 5 approaches.  There are some we did not cover!  We’ll send you section two of this article in a few weeks.  In this section, we briefly cover what we think the essence of several well known and less well known approaches to facilitation is and give you a few web references to go further.  We asked both the founders and/or users of several approaches to help us out with this (regrettably we did not get to do this for every approach).  In today’s section, the following approaches are covered. (Apologies for the heavy USA centric list this time. My exposure is biased – please let me know of non-USA approaches.)

• Appreciative Inquiry (AI) (Pioneered by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva), USA
• Dynamic Facilitation (DF) (Pioneered by Jim Rough), USA
• Mutual Learning (earlier known as The Skilled Facilitator Approach) (Pioneered by Roger Schwarz), USA
• SMART Facilitation (Pioneered by Michael Wilkinson), USA
• Technology of Participation (ToP) (Pioneered by a collaborative group called The Institute of Cultural Affairs), Global

Appreciative Inquiry

Description:  Appreciative Inquiry works on the assumption that whatever you want more of, already exists in all organizations.  It generates images that affirm the forces that give life and energy to a system.  It was developed at an Ohio, USA University in the 1970′s.

The assumptions of AI are:

1) In every society, organization or group, something works.
2) What we focus on becomes our reality.
3) Reality is created in the moment and there are multiple realities.
4) The act of asking questions of a group influences the group in some way.
5) People have more confidence and comfort to journey to the future when they carry forward parts of the past.
6) If we carry parts of the past forward they should be what is best about  the past.
7) It is important to value differences.
8) The languages we use creates our reality.

–Quoted from Sue Hammond in an article noted in resources below.

What people say is unique…

• is deeply co-creative
• involves participants in working from their heads and hearts
• is systems-oriented
• assumes groups move toward what they study so if the positive or best of an organization is studied, groups will move in this direction. Known as the “affirmative topic choice”
• typically agendas are structured as a four day process; Day 1 – discovery; day 2- dream; day 3- design; day 4- destiny, although aspects of the approach can be used in many other ways

Helpful Resources

• http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/
• http://www.thinbook.com/docs/doc-whatisai.pdf

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Dynamic Facilitation

Description:  Dynamic facilitation follows the energy of a group without constraining that energy to agendas or exercises.  Since dynamic facilitation depends on group energy, it is most effective where there IS group energy.  Group energy will tend to be present in situations like these:

• There’s conflict in the group.
• The group shares a passionate interest in something.
• They are immersed in a common problem.
• They work or live together all the time.

Implicit assumptions:

• We take time to listen to each person indepth
• We welcome any concerns that people may have about one another’s ideas and solutions
• We attempt to record and post all the words of every participant
• We assume that people will come to some deep understanding and agreement if we keep listening
• We are seeking and expect “breakthrough” options

What people say is unique…

• Is focused on finding creative and practical approaches to difficult issues, even those that seem impossible
• Facilitator does not use rules, guidelines, predetermined sequences of steps or agendas. This can feel a little risky to both the facilitator and the group
• Seeks to bring a group together and reach unanimous conclusions in a relatively short timeframe (e.g. 2-4, 90 minute meetings)
• Facilitator involved on the micro level providing empathy, respect and support for each participant’s contribution

Helpful Resources

• http://www.wisedemocracy.org/breakthrough/DynFacil.html
• http://www.co-intelligence.org/P-dynamicfacilitation.html

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Mutual Learning Approach (Skilled Facilitator)

Description:  At the core of the Mutual Learning approach is a simple but powerful notion: How you think is how you lead. Your actions as a leader and a team member stem from your mindset — which consists of your core values, the key assumptions you make and your feelings. When you start with a Mutual Learning mindset, your behavior – what you say and do – leads to stronger results.  The Mutual Learning approach defines mindset, behavior and results in specific ways. Using these concepts in a precise way makes them work.  When you change the way you think, you change the way you lead and get results that you can never get just by trying to use new techniques.

The 5 Mutual Learning values are:

What people say is unique…

• The values and assumptions (noted above) are explicitly shared with the group
• The facilitator strives for authenticity and transparency (e.g. if you sense conflict you name it out loud for the group)
• You use the same specific behavioral ground rules every time
• Offers a six step diagnostic- intervention cycle that is consistent with the core values and help identify and solve problems that can undermine the group process
• Integrates “why to” and “how to” so the group is able to operate consciously and consistently from a set of values that tell them what to do in any situation, not just predictable situations.

Helpful Resources

• http://www.schwarzassociates.com/innovation/what-the-mutual-learning-approach-is-not/
• http://www.rogerschwarzassociates.poweredbyeden.com/files/106/8403.pdf

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SMART Facilitation (The Facilitator’s Methodology )

Description:  The Facilitator’s Methodology is based on ten principles and includes over 90 tools  that provide facilitators with a clear vision of facilitation excellence. Supporting the principles are specific strategies and techniques that demonstrate how to put the principles into practice. Together, the principles and techniques constitute a comprehensive methodology that can be used to produce consistent, repeatable results.

The 10 principles are:

1) Preparing for Success – Cover all the bases
2) Getting the Session Started – Inform, excite, empower, involve
3) Focusing the Group – Establish the course; avoid detours
4) The Power of the Pen – Use it, don’t abuse it, make it theirs
5) Information Gathering – Know your tools and how to use them
6) Managing Dysfunction – Conscious Prevention, Early Detection, Clean Resolution
7) Consensus Building – Create and maintain a consensus-focused process
8) Keeping the Energy High – Set the pace, anticipate the lulls, react accordingly
9) Closing The Session – Review, evaluate, end, debrief
10) Agenda Setting – Adapt your agenda to address the need

What people say is unique…

• Focuses on producing consistent repeatable results regardless of the process you are using
• Consistently strives to keep group energy high
• Creates high levels of group engagement
• Generally relies on strong preparation on the part of the facilitator (as opposed to less formal facilitation)
• Assumes more effective results when solutions are created, understood and accepted by the people impacted

Helpful Resources

• http://www.leadstrat.com/resources/free-articles/259
• http://www.leadstrat.com/what-we-do/webinars

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Technology of Participation (ToP®)

Description:  The Technology of Participation assumes that everyone can participate at some point in the process of generating solutions or making decisions.  ToP processes are based on the natural way of thinking.  They recognize the internal images a group or organization holds of itself and work to co-create more helpful images that will enable moving forward. The methods intentionally weave polarization, conflict and diversity into meaningful consensus and well considered decisions.

ToP Assumptions:

• Everyone here is wise
• We need everyone’s wisdom for the greatest results
• Every idea is valuable
• There are no wrong answers
• The sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
• Everyone will hear and be heard

What people say is unique…

• Questions are asked and agenda is structured based on a four-step natural way of thinking
• Philosophy of “everyone’s wisdom is needed” is modeled in both style of facilitator and in tools/methods
• Facilitator seeks to move group from surface to depth level thinking together (keeping them focused and tracking)
• Tools and methods adaptable to unique and multi-cultural situations including simultaneous languages, non-literate, very large groups, etc.
• Heavy emphasis on visuals and creativity but also embodies aspects of other approaches to ensure full participation , e.g., Multiple Intelligences, Appreciative Inquiry, Future Search, Root Cause Analysis, Graphic Facilitation, and others.

Helpful Resources

• www.ica-usa.org
• http://www.icab.be/articles/index.html

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As always, I welcome your comments and feedback!

• In Part I we highlighted “Facilitation Style”.  If you missed it, access it here.
• In Part II we discussed “Facilitation Tools”.  Check it out here.  We also offered you a great self-assessment tool to check the number and types of facilitation tools in which you are currently competent.  Get your assessment here.

Why should we even care whether we are using a tool or a method?

In short, I’d say it is all about enhancing your ability to design impactful agendas.  For example, a less experienced facilitator is likely to “grab” a tool they’ve heard about and try to apply it wherever they can.  That is a great way to learn a tool in depth. After you gather and master a few tools however, a more experienced facilitator will know that a beautifully designed agenda is not full of tools, but rather a series of carefully crafted methods or processes.  So it is important you know some “full-bodied” methods (sounds like a good brewed cup of coffee versus instant coffee, right?)  that you will also want to put into your so-called ‘facilitation toolkit’.

By the end of this article, I hope you will be motivated to learn more methods.  And, that you will learn them deeply enough to  know when and how to dissect them into their component parts and skillfully apply different parts of them depending on the situation.

So first, what is the difference? The beauty of a method vs. a tool

Please note that although I’m attempting to neatly separate out tools from methods, it is not easy to do so.  There is a lot of overlap.

We might also illustrate the difference of using tools vs. methods when comparing it to a painting project.  Your living room table has been through 25 years of heavy use and it’s time to give it a new look.  You can either:

1. Repaint the table using 2 tools – a gallon of paint and a paintbrush! (The table may be a different color now, but it won’t have the high quality finish of going through the process of refinishing.) Professional painters may call this a slightly amateur way of painting, leading to poor quality results.

2.  Refinish the table using a method of steps – using your tools in a process of steps such sanding, priming, painting, and sealing. (The end quality will be a beautiful finish).

In my mind, a tool is a distinct stand alone activity that can be used in a variety of different scenarios.  For example, the primary tool for dialogue is questions.   A single question or even multiple questions do not lead to a finished product, decision or result. A tool on its own rarely leads to a polished result.  A method often does because it is a series of activities or steps designed to lead to a polished result. Methods often differ in that they are multi-faceted in their application. They consist of a series of steps often sequenced in a particular order for maximum effect. Yet each step is a discrete process that can be used on its own or in conjunction with other tools, allowing for facilitator creativity in designing events that are customized for each client group.

Examples of Methods:

I’m going to lead you BRIEFLY through 4 processes to help you understand why methods are so effective in helping your groups move or transition from an old way of being to a new way of being.  The 4 processes are:

Focused Conversation Method – For our first example, we will highlight the Focused Conversation (Method) which we also we mentioned as a tool in the last blog. It was developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs (see book The Art of Focused Conversation: 100 Ways to Access Group Wisdom in the Workplace (ICA series) or take the training here!).  It is a method because: 1) it has many steps and it is important that these steps occur in a particular order; 2) it is ALSO a structure not only used to facilitate brilliant dialogue but also as an underlying structure for an entire agenda, and 3) each part of the process or method can be used as a stand-alone piece.  The four steps of the Focused Conversation Method are actually mimicking exactly how our brains process information. Thus, it is a beautiful method that one can apply to create a flowing, sequential agenda design. See our PDF interactive module on several features of dialogue methods including the Focused Conversation Method, “Leading Focused & Productive Discussions: Facilitator Tools for Sharing Ideas in Meetings”.

ToP^® Strategic Planning – Also from the Institute of Cultural Affairs, this strategic planning method consists of 4 main parts and several pre and post steps as need demands. We can use them all together to produce a stellar strategic plan. Or, we might use only two parts for a client group that is not ready to go further. This might look like doing an environmental scan and the vision for a group but not covering the other parts of ToP® Strategic Planning, i.e., obstacles, strategic directions, measurable accomplishments, success indicators, and detailed action plans. Another example of using only one part of this particular method, is using use the ToP® contradictions (obstacles) workshop to get at root cause analysis.

There are many other strategic planning models and all are essentially methods. For more information on strategic planning, see our PDF module “Secrets of Strategic Planning”.

Six Thinking Hats – developed by Dr. Edward de Bono could also be called a tool of dialogue but is also a method because it is composed of six distinct thinking modes which can be used in any sequence. It can also be used to design an agenda or to ensure that all the appropriate modes of thinking are incorporated into a decision or problem-solving session. I might, for example, only use four of the thinking modes to diagnose an issue. E.g., white hat questions to get at what we know and don’t know about a situation; the red hat to elicit our gut intuitive thinking on the problem; a green hat to generate ideas about ways to solve; and a blue hat to summarize the themes that are emerging from our creative idea generation. See our PDF module on this method, “Group Problem Solving – Dr. de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Technique”.

Gradients of Agreement – this is a decision making method developed by Sam Kaner. It also has many steps including 1) the divergent thinking zone (relative brainstorming of solutions), 2) the groan zone (involves analysis of options and this can involve “push and pull” as people vie for their preferred options; this is a time for building understanding but often it is frustrating – thus the name “the groan zone”), and 3) convergent thinking zone (where facilitator allows the group to see commonalities and choose the best options).  It is a process used all together to really enhance decision-making and yet we often have seen these three phases show up in many other methods. Thus the method can be used as separate component parts also. See PDF module, “Consensus & Decision – The Gradients of Agreement Scale”.

Comments are welcome and l’d love to have this blog generate a flurry of idea offerings of other facilitator’s preferred methods or alternate insights about differences between tools and methods. As always, thanks for being with me on this fascinating facilitator journey.  : )

• Do you know what type of tools you need? (read more below)
• Do you have enough of each type of tool? (assess yourself below – you may be pleasantly surprised)
• Do you know the difference between a tool, method, approach, model or system? (stay tuned for more in this series!)
• Do you know when to use a particular tool? (read more below and access more information on the internet or through our  PDF modules focused on distinct tools available for purchase

Guess what? Today, in Part II of this blog series, we talk about our cherished tools – the next level of detail in the landscape of facilitation – “Facilitation Tools”. In Part I, we described 5 possible components of the facilitation field and highlighted the first component, “Facilitation Style” – i.e., what you as the facilitator or facilitation team brings to the event (e.g., energy, creativity, sense of humor, logic, profundity, productivity, etc.). If you missed it, access it here. Each part of the next three parts of this series gets broader in scope: facilitation methods/processes/models; approaches and impact.

What are Facilitation Tools?  (Seems like too simple of a question, no?)

Tools are exercises or single processes/activities every facilitator uses regardless of how they have been trained. Typically, we use tools to ensure a group is engaged and to solicit participant input (e.g., two commonly known tools are the five finger consensus tool and the dot voting tool).  Also, tools help the facilitator achieve certain things at a certain point in the intervention (i.e., making a decision, reaching agreement, resolving a conflict, etc.).

Below we list 10 generic thinking processes (this list co-created with colleague Ruth Nicholson of Nicholson Facilitation) and give you examples of specific tools within each generic category.  We’d love to hear about other examples of tools that you use for each category.

This is not a perfect process category list nor a prefect categorization of the tools. L Some tools repeat in some categories because they aid several thinking processes. Some I know who the author is; others I don’t. You may not agree with some categorizations. Let us know!

How to Use This Facilitation Tools Checklist

I recommend you look over the ten overarching tool categories and self-assess.  Ask yourself, “Do I have a few tools I know and use well in each of the categories?”.  I recommend that you know at least two or three tools within each of the 10 process categories below. Add any tools you already know but are not listed in the blank lines offered.

A description of most of these tools can be found by doing an internet web search.  If you cannot find a specific term and are curious about it, please email me and I’ll give you a specific reference where I can.  We’ve also given you a hyperlink where applicable to our product page where you can purchase a low cost PDF module that provides a complete description of the what, why and how of many of the tools listed below. Each module provides step by step instructions on how to use, scenarios of how we’ve used, supplies you need, etc. We don’t have modules on every tool yet but more are coming! And last note, we don’t necessarily agree with all these tools. (Another subject all together but see that all those noted below generally give good results if a) you set the context well and note cautions b) do it correctly and c) use it under right circumstances/timing).

1.    Inviting Deep Dialogue and Surfacing Conflict

•  Focused Conversation (ICA*)
•  Non Violent Communication (M. Rosenberg)
•  Deliberative Dialogue
•  Ladder of Inference (C. Argyris)
•  Coaching Tool for Crucial Conversations (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler)
•  Round Robin or Structured Round

2.    Team-Building

•  Herrmann Brain Dominance Diversity Game (N. Herrmann)
•  Constructivist Listening (J. Weisglass)
•  Team Responsibility Matrix
•  Trust survey (C. Feltman)
•  Get to Know You BINGO
• Team Charter

3.    Analysis & Trend Identification

•  Historical Scan/Journey Wall (ICA)
•  The Wave Trend Analysis
•  Environmental Scan
•  Retrospective Review
•  Mind Mapping (T. Buzan)
•  Plus/Minus/Interesting (PMI) (de Bono)
•  Flow Chart/Diagram

4.    Consensus-Building

•  Gradients of Agreement Scale (S. Kaner)
•  ToP Consensus Workshop Method (ICA)
•  Five Finger Method
•  Affinity Grouping Method
•  Delineation (M. Wilkinson)

5.    Idea Generation

•  Brainstorming
•  ToP Consensus Workshop Method (ICA)
•  Nominal Group Technique
•  “What Is This?” (a warm up to “thinking outside the box”)
•  Lateral Thinking Technique (de Bono)
•  Stick ‘em Up (posting ideas on the wall) Brainstorming
•  Reframing Problems into Opportunities
•  Divergent and Convergent Thinking

6.    Planning

•  SWOT Analysis
•  Guided Visualization
•  Mission Statement Creation
•  Goal Setting
•  S.M.A.R.T. Objective Setting
•  Force Field Analysis
•  Priority Setting – can use dot (multi) voting or decision matrix for this

7.    Organizational or Team Assessment

•  Organizational Development Journey Map (ICA)
•  Herrmann Brain Dominance Team Assessment (N. Herrmann)
•  Wilder Nonprofit Life Stage Assessment (J. Sharken Simon)
•  Drucker Foundation Self- Assessment Tool (P.F. Druker)
•  Team Dysfunction Assessment (P. Lencioni)

8.    Decision-Making

•  Dot or Multi-Voting
•  Decision Grid Matrix/Criteria Diagram
•  Consensus Decision Making (S. Kaner)
•  Harvard Business Review of Decision-Making
•  Decision Tree

9.    Problem-Solving

• Fishbone Diagram
• Six Thinking Hats (de Bono)
• 5 Ordered Steps of Problem Solving
• Contradictions Workshop (ICA)
• The 5 Why’s Pairs Exercise
• Force Field Analysis
• Reconciling Differences (F. Trompenar; Hampden-Turner)
• Metamorphic Sculpture Exercise (B. MacKay)
• Mind Mapping (T. Buzan)

10. Building Common Ground

• Setting Group Norms/Rules/Guidelines
• Hall-Tonna Values Inventory Exercise
• Mission/Purpose/Vision/Values Statement Creation
• Guiding Principles Creation
• Story, Song Symbol Workshop (ICA)
• Cognitive (Values) Mapping (Ackermann, Eden and Brown)
• Team Charter

*Institute of Cultural Affairs developed the Technology of Participation (ToP® suite of tools in USA www.icausa.org; In Canada – www.ica-associates.ca

Total Score: How many boxes did you tick?

Download PDF version of this self assessment of tools here.

What are the component parts of the facilitation field?

Combining both Alisa/Sherwood’s and Annie’s great thinking about this topic, I am thinking there are 5 main component parts to the field. Going from the most detailed to the least detailed, they could be called:

• Facilitation Style – This first article will deal mainly with facilitator style.  In brief, it is the way you present yourself to a group.  Each of us has a unique style and yet there are some key generic qualities one can cultivate to have an effective facilitator style. (e.g., tone of voice, your personal energy level, etc.)

• Facilitation Tools – In Part II of this blog series, we will talk about the most common facilitator tools.  These are the things every facilitator, regardless of how they have been trained, typically uses to ensure a group is engaged and to solicit their input. (e.g., consensus building, dot voting)

• Facilitation Methods/Processes – In Part III we’ll talk about some of the common processes that have been developed by different groups and tend to include a sequenced set of steps leading to a specific result. (e.g., strategic planning, team building)

• Facilitation Approaches – Part IV will discuss some of the well-known overarching approaches that have embedded within them values and assumptions that guide you in your overall practice. (e.g., Skilled Facilitator Approach, ToP® – Technology of Participation)

• Facilitation Impact – Part V is really about societal, community and organizational change. It includes the larger field of Organizational Development (OD). We’ll talk about what facilitation can do when viewed at the mega scale and give some examples of mega change when seen in our practices.

Part I – Facilitator Style

In this blog we will first talk about the most basic part – you!! And your facilitator style – the things you need to cultivate in yourself to effectively  solicit meaningful participation or group engagement. Below I distinguish two parts to style- your ingrained or embedded style and your intentional or cultivated style.

Embedded Style – your authentic self as you bring it to the group

How would you describe yourself when you’re facilitating?  Are you serious, high energy, full of humor, talkative, peaceful, thoughtful?  These are traits or qualities that characterize what I’ll call your general authentic style.  These things don’t change a lot from one group to another.  They are what you have cultivated over a lifetime as what some people call personality, personal qualities  or others call embedded patterns of behavior.  To be simple, I’m not going to talk too much about these general qualities that you carry around in all aspects of your life.  I do, however, think that even some of these general qualities that are part of your authentic self  can be modified when a group needs something different from you.  That requires a fair bit of intentionality on your part to do that.  For example, my style is often characterized as calm, well organized, depth of knowledge, and welcoming.  Generally, these qualities serve most groups well.  However, being super calm wouldn’t work well for a group that just learned they received $1M in new unexpected funding.  In this case, I’d probably have to pull out my secret stash of high energy and enthusiasm and  be ready to “party” or celebrate with them!

Intentional Style – qualities cultivated to be effective

There are a host of really important qualities that you do want to cultivate beyond your embedded style if they are lacking.  Below we outline a few keys ones and create a scenario for each one for you to get an idea about how you can adapt your style to the group.

Pace and energy

The scene:  Imagine you are facilitating a group of scientists who are methodical and love spending a lot of time analyzing facts and data.  You only have 3 hours left and they said they wanted to make a decision.  At their current rate of analysis, it looks like it will take 3 weeks to get to the decision!

The style needed:  This is where you adopt a firm, fast-paced, and energetic style.  You give them a series of provocative series of questions with only 3-5 minutes to answer each one.  You reassure them that they will get a reasonably high quality result.  You remind them that they have the collective wisdom of all these great scientific minds in the room.  You have just modified your style to handle the crisis of getting “stuck in the data mud”.

Tone of voice/ facial gestures

The scene:  You are completely frustrated with some members of the group.  They have been ignoring certain minority people in the room.  You are not sure how to interrupt this pattern of dominant behavior.

The style needed:  You use your tone of voice to be playful and non-judging.  For example you might say, “I notice there are certain good, loving people in this room that we’ve heard from quite a lot.  I’m wondering if those people could look thoughtful rather than speaking for the next little while.  I’m pretty sure there are some other great thoughts in the room that all of us would love to hear.” I am now inviting someone who has not yet had a turn to speak, to do so.  (Put on your most welcoming smile and look at some of the non-dominant participants with great anticipation.  Keep your tone light.)

Content neutrality

The scene:  You are an internal facilitator to your own organization. You have a great amount of knowledge about the topic that the group is discussing.  You feel like they maybe are missing a key point.

The style needed:  Option 1 – you step aside and say, “For a moment, I’m taking off my facilitator hat and I would like to give you a piece of information that has not been offered yet in the hopes that it may contribute to the discussion.”  Option 2 – You tell the group that you have a strong opinion and can no longer be neutral.  Ask if someone else will facilitate this piece.  Option 3 – You maintain an interested, calm face knowing that the group is wise and eventually they will come to a decision that will include the best thinking of the group.  In other words, you let go of the notion that you have a better answer.

Preparation

The scene:  You have just learned that you are facilitating a meeting in 2 days (or 2 hours!) and the subject matter is not one you are familiar with. You normally prepare a great deal for events.

The style needed:  Be sure to talk to a few key people who will attend the meeting and find out what results or outcomes they expect to achieve.  Gather up a variety of props that would cover a number of different methods and tools that could help you be successful in achieving these outcomes.  Remind yourself that you are a good thinker and you can rely on the group when you are unsure.  During the meeting use these phrases often, “I’m wondering what the rest of the group thinks will be most helpful here”; “Let’s take a break” (and take this time to solicit ideas from trusted group members about how to handle a situation); or say, “I have two ideas that I’d like to run by you as process options – tell me which will work better for you as a group.”  In other words, be flexible and trust yourself and good process.

Transparency and honesty

The scene:  The group seems to be avoiding talking about a particular issue you know is important to them.

The style needed:  Try saying, “I’ve heard you talk about this issue before and I’m wondering why no one has raised it thus far.  Can anyone tell me what is really going on?  I’m guessing that if this issue does not get addressed many of you will leave this room feeling discouraged and that this meeting was a waste of time.” Then sit down, be quiet, look expectant, calm and relaxed and wait for someone to say something.

Confidence

The scene:  You have been asked to facilitate a topic or a group which you are nervous about.  You feel that you will be unable to understand their organizational terminology on the topic or understand their field in general.

The style needed:  Admit to the group up front that many times you will not know what their acronyms are or what the topic is about.  Reassure them that you do not normally need this information because you are the process expert.  And, tell them  if you are not sure, you will ask the group whether you need an explanation to follow the discussion.

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Feedback

What additional scenes would you add and how would you adapt your style to deal with your own “scene”?  Please share your comment below or add to our Facebook page.

For more information on Facilitator Style, check out these Facilitator Learning Modules:

	Importance of Facilitator Presence
	Neutral & Impartial Facilitator – Are You & How Do You Remain So?
	Working with Group Spirit