facilitation 101

Facilitation 101

Ilias Bartolini ibartoli@thoughtworks.com

Facilitator

What are your experiences as a facilitator?

End of Role Game!

Facilitator

What went wrong?

What could I have done better?

Facilitator

Diplomat Referee Cop Comedian …your own style

Objective

Goal & Deliverables

Process

Visible Agenda

Ground Rules

Parking lot

Prime directive

Switch off cell phones

Body language

•  Open & Centred •  No hands in pockets •  No leaning or sitting Your posture and tone convey confidence and excitement

Body language

Move “in” or “out” of the conversation Get physically “too close” with dominating or argumentative participants

Shepherding

the group

•  Sensitive to the group: validate and legitimise •  Defuse uncomfortable moments •  Encourage dialogue •  Provide air to quiet folks •  Help to develop consensus •  Active listening •  Watch group dynamics

Types of quest

ions

•  Open: “How, What, Why” •  Greater Response: Probing, describe, tell,

explain •  Redirect: What do the rest of you think?

Helen, what are your thoughts? •  Clarification: Where are we? Will someone

summarize our position? •  Closed: check agreement, also for clarification.

Can we move on now?

Difficult types:

“the Mummy”

The person who won’t participate in discussions

•  Be patient •  Ice-breaker, check-in question •  Give the mummy a major role in subgroups •  Ask direct question to the person on topics you

know he or she had expertise •  Talk after the meeting and encourage them to

speak up: their opinion is important

Difficult types:

“the Windbag”

The person who dominates discussions

•  Establish a process to limit the Windbag’s discussion.

•  Target questions to other members by name •  Use nonverbal signals, e.g. no direct eye

contact, focus on another part of the room •  Do not assign subgroup leadership roles to this

person

Difficult types:

“the Rambler”

The person who gets off-track discussions

•  Help them by listening and quickly summarizing •  Preface the Rambler’s remarks with “Give me

your short version of …” •  When they pause, say “Thanks Joan, but we

need to get back to the agenda.” •  Do not assign subgroup leadership roles to this

person

Difficult types:

“the Homesteade

r”

The person who takes a position and is reluctant to change •  Ask or provide more alternatives •  Ask to evaluate trade-offs, pro-cons •  Give hints on team alignment building •  Over whelm them with facts! :) •  Postpone the conversation to a separate meeting

Whiteboard clar

ity

•  Strive to use participants’ exact words: if you rephrase check for correctness “Does this capture what you said?”

•  Use capital letters •  Print as legibly as possible •  Use abbreviations liberally •  Switch colors and check markers

before the session •  Draw!

Tips

•  Know names and use them •  Ask someone else to help keep time •  Breaks, special food for long meetings •  Increase your self-awareness with help of a pair

credits

Thank you!

Dennise Openshaw – Facilitation 101 https://my.thoughtworks.com/docs/DOC-13090 Thoughtpedia page on Facilitation https://thoughtpedia-public.thoughtworks.com/display/KBPUB/Facilitation Creative commons pictures – by-sa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lessio/370136797/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulk/27206695/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/compujeramey/2378562709/ ? lost link of comedian pic? ? lost link of agenda pic? ? lost link of group facilitation pic? http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobiastoft/3209409590/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/ol1/5539623423/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/oberazzi/318947873/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/spaterson/5184530931/

h"p://crea*vecommons.org/licenses/by-­‐sa/3.0/  

Print the following cards for the first 10min role game

(1) Be quiet and withdrawn. Please have no involvement in the session.

During the first 10min of this session

(2) Please participate heavily in the session, to the point of dominating views at times

During the first 10min of this session

(3) Make a slightly confusing point

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(4) •  Ask the facilitator if you can come and

illustrate your point •  Come up to the board and take the pen

from me •  Illustrate and expand on your point on the

board

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(4b) When someone from the group comes to the board to explain a point, get involved ensuing the discussion goes on for a short time (20-30 seconds)

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(5) Engage in a side discussion with someone in the audience for a short time (20-30 seconds)

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(6) Open your laptop and start typing being uninterested at the session.

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(7) Argue a little against a point someone puts forward using sarcasm and offensive tone.

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(8a) •  Take the cell phone number from the

person on your right. •  During the session call them, you can

hang up when it rings.

At some point, during the first 10min of this session

(8b) •  Give your cellphone number to the

person on your left. •  Have your cell phone sound on. •  Take the call when they ring you. •  In a not entirely soft voice, say hello,

pause and ask if you can call back as you are currently in a workshop.

At some point, during the first 10min of this session