December Newsletter
Strategies For Facilitating Discussions
www.briefings.com
Adapted from Make the Connections
Steve Adubato, Rivergate Books
A good facilitator creates an open, relaxed and most important—interactive environment. If you are asked to facilitate a meeting or discussion, rely on these strategies:
• Strike the right tone. Make clear upfront exactly what the group goal for the session will be. Say it early and say it often to eliminate confusion and hidden agendas.
• Understand the “who” and the “why.” Who is in the room, and why is each person present? Gain that knowledge before you begin the session. Then, when you ask a question, direct it toward a specific person for a specific reason. Do not lob a generic question at the group and then wonder why you are failing to spark dialogue.
• Pickup others’ cues. If someone says something particularly provocative or controversial, ask someone else to comment on it. Your goal should be to create honest, meaningful dialogue about important topics that participants sometimes hesitate to address openly. Let them see that you will not shy away from straight talk; they will start to feel more comfortable too.
• Keep your mouth shut as much as possible. Stay out of the spotlight. Your goal is not to deliver answers but to enable others to find solutions themselves. Your job is to draw them out. So you should listen much more than you talk. When you speak, ask open-ended but very direct questions. Examples: “How would you respond to ..?” and “What is your first reaction to that proposal?”
• Pull the plug when it’s time. If one participant has hijacked the conversation, move closer to that person. Your position in the room will deliver a hint that it is time to move on. If the person ignores the hint, be more direct. Say “Chris, we appreciate your points, hut how do they connect to the problem/issue we are here to discuss?” You will remind attendees that they are there to solve a problem and move forward.