Facilitating Constructive Contributions

Dealing with Difficult Behaviors, Helping People Share from a Better Place

Welcome

Suzanne FlintLibrary Programs ConsultantCalifornia State Library

TheChangingRoleofLibraries

Librariesareservingascommunityhubs• Librariansoftenaskedtoassumeroleoffacilitator• Mostare“learningbydoing”

Highlevelofinterestin moretrainingtobuildfacilitationskillsTodayis secondoftwowebinarsformoreexperiencedfacilitators(Feb.7topicwasMulti-DimensionalListening)

Exploringcross-cuttingskillsthatservealibrary’sinternalandcommunity-facingpurposes

LeadPresenter

Susan Stuart ClarkFounder & Director of Common Knowledge Group (www.ckgroup.org)

• Community engagement trainer, consultant, researcher• Research Deputy with Kettering Foundation• Board member National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation

(nccd.org) which is leading Libraries Transforming Communities project with ALA• Recently designed and conducted Libraries Lead the Way

community engagement and facilitation skills program

PollQuestions•Question#1 Whichcommonbehaviorinmeetingsdoyoufindmostchallengingasafacilitator?

a) Dominates,won’tshareairtime

b) Rambles;wandersofftopic

c) Negativeabouteverything

d) Silent

e) Other

PollQuestions

•Question#2Whatisyourexperiencefacilitatingdifficultbehaviorsincommunitymeetings?

a) I’mprettycomfortablewithwhatcomesup

b) I’vehadamixofgoodandbadexperiences

c) I’mtoonervoustotry

FacilitatingConstructiveContributions

Shiftingyourperspective

Designingforinclusiveparticipation

Preparingtofacilitate

SupportingthedialogueThen:Q&Aaboutspecificexamples

I

II

III

IV

Whatmanyofusareafraidwillhappen

ShiftYourPerspective

DifficultpeopleDifficultbehavior

ShiftYourPerspective

DifficultpeopleDifficultbehaviorFearfulorfrustratedcontributor

Foundationalpremise:Everyonehassomethingvaluabletocontribute

FeaturedLibrariansEileen Labrador, San Diego Public Library• SupervisingLibrarian,AreaIII• System-wideleadonHarwoodCommunityConversations,SanDiegoSTEMEcosystemandOutoftheShadowsProgram

• Chair,EmergencyOperationsCommittee

Patrick Remer, Contra Costa County Library• SeniorCommunityLibraryManager• FacilitatingcommunityprocessfornewPleasantHillLibrarybuilding• AdvisortoCSL’s EarlyLearningwithFamilies(ELF)InitiativeandTouchpoints inLibrariesCommunityLevelTrainer

Examplesofcollaborativelearning•“Harwood”-stylecommunitymeetings•LibrariesLeadtheWay•Touchpoints trainingsessions•Informalgroupencountersinthelibrary

FacilitatingConstructiveContributions

• Purpose/Framing• StructureMeetingdesign

• Understandingyourrole• Understandingyouraudience

Preparingtofacilitate

•Whatyoudo•Whatthegroupdoes

Supportingthedialogue

“Recipesgiveusconfidence,butwehavetocookwiththeingredientswehave.”PatrickRemer

DesigningforInclusiveParticipation

II

•Purpose/Framing•Structure

ComparingDebateandDialogue

Debate Dialogue

Two Sides Multipleperspectives

Listen toenhanceposition Listentolearn andconnect

Winners andlosers Exchange formutualunderstanding

Stressful;caneasilytrigger reactivity Openspathto newpossibilities

Today’sfocus:Planning&facilitatingGroupgeneratedlearningexperiencethatdevelopssharedunderstandingaboutasituationofcommonconcern

DesigningforConstructiveContributions1– Framingtheconversationasaninclusivedialogue- Setexpectationsthatthepurposeistolearn

- Therearenorightorwronganswers

- Jointlydevelopingasharedunderstandingaboutthesituation

The“Arc”ofaConversation

DesigningforConstructiveContributions2– Structure withmultipleoccasionsandmultipleformatsforsharing- Whenpeoplewalkintheroom- Icebreaker;getpeopletalkingwithafewothersassoonaspossible

- Mixoflargegroupandsmallgroup- Providechancestoreflectandwritesolobeforesharing

- Onsensitivetopics,commentscanbedrawnoutofabox

PreparingtoFacilitate•Yourrole•Youraudience

III

LibrarianServiceversusFacilitation

FamiliarRoles• Enforcerulesofconduct

•Moderatetightlyscheduledprogramming

• Teachaclass

LibrarianServiceversusFacilitation

FamiliarRoles• Enforcerulesofconduct

•Moderatetightlyscheduledprogramming

• Teachaclass

DifferentRole•Createasenseofsharedpurpose•Enlistthewholegroupinthelearningexperience•Encouragecontributionsfromallkindsofparticipants

Beginningfacilitation

Facilitatoras“trafficcontrol”;atthecenterofthegroup

Moreadvancedfacilitation

Facilitatorhelps peopleintheroom engagewitheachother

UnderstandingYourself&YourRoleWhatisyourstartingpoint?•Mindsetofauthenticfacilitation•Vulnerabilityandtransparency•Touchpoints:“Recognizewhatyoubringtotheinteraction.”

UnderstandingYourAudienceBeCuriousAboutYourParticipants• Howmanywillknoweachother?• Willtheybringmorepositiveormorenegativeexperienceswithpastmeetings?• Whatculturalandgenerationalvariablesdoyouanticipate?• Arethererecentdevelopmentstobesensitiveto?

MappingtheParticipantJourney

SupportingtheDialogue

IV

•Whatyoudo•Whatthegroupdoes

SampleConversationGuidelines

• Treateachotherwithrespect• Listentolearn•Helpmakesureeveryonehasachancetoshare•Assumegoodintentions• Yourquestionsarevaluable

Keypractice: Aligninggroupexpectations

•Recognizethatweallbringavarietyofexpectations•Clarifymeetingpurpose;createspaceforpeopletoadjusttheirexpectations•Createearlyopportunitiesforpeopletocontribute•Consistentlymodelinclusion

Keypractice: Navigatinguncertaintytogether

• Encouragepersistentcuriosity• Embracethemessinessoftheprocess• Createopportunitiesforparticipantstosharereactions•Allowthegrouptodrivethemeaning-making

ModelingAuthenticFacilitationSomeonedominates?• Givethemadifferentwaytoshare(e.g.,viaworksheet)• Findoutwhattheyfeelhasnotbeenheardsoitcanbecaptured• Referbacktotheguidelinesandthebenefitsoflearningtogether•Makethechallengetransparent:“WhatI’mstrugglingwithiswantingtohearwhatyouaresharingwhilealsoneedingtohearmultipleperspectivestogettosharedunderstanding”• Ifneeded,suggestaseparateconversationafterthemeetingorhavea“designatedlistener”takethemoutinthehall.

FacilitatingConstructiveContributions

• Purpose/Framing• StructureMeetingdesign

• Understandingyourrole• Understandingyouraudience

Preparingtofacilitate

•Whatyoudo•Whatthegroupdoes

Supportingthedialogue

Question&Answer

V

ResourcesforFacilitators

•RecordingofFeb7webinar:FacilitatingMulti-DimensionalListeningvimeo.com/254771490

•HabitsofMindelf2.library.ca.gov/how/resources.html

•HarwoodPublicInnovationsforCAPublicLibrarieswww.library.ca.gov/services/to-libraries/harwood/

•LibrariesLeadtheWaynorthnetlibs.org/libraries-lead-the-way/

•LibrariesTransformingCommunities-- ALA&NCDD:www.ala.org/ltc-models

ThankYou!

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Create the conditions for learning

Neo-cortex

Calm:Readytolisten,learnandparticipate

Flooded:Angerorfear,fightorflight

Neo-cortex