Facilitating Your Way To Success
How often do you actually get to make a decision all by yourself, without checking with anyone or seeing how the decision might affect them?
My guess is it doesn’t happen very often. Whether we like it or not, nowadays everyone wants to have input and involvement in most decisions and that can mean a lot of meetings. If we can learn how to facilitate effective and efficient group interactions, we can transform wasted hours into productive and enjoyable days. We may also go a long way to securing employment for ourselves forever and we may even by considered closer to God than cleanliness.
Facilitation skills focus on building cohesive relationships and developing processes that assist the group in reaching their identified goals. Without good facilitation, even the smartest among us may flounder and feel like we are just spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Others may not feel valued and therefore they don’t participate in a meaningful way. In the worst- case scenario, self-oriented behaviours (S.O.B.) might erupt and the group is prevented from accomplishing their task. If you’ve ever been in a meeting with a jerk, you know what I mean.
Here are a few facilitation tips that might help:
1. Help them identify the end result:
Why are we meeting and what are we trying to accomplish? If you can help the group answer these questions, then you can help them stay focused and on schedule. If you have a clear end result, then you can build an agenda that will help everyone understand why they are there and what they have to do to come prepared. If side issues arise, they can be put in the “Parking Lot” and assigned a more appropriate spot on the agenda.
2. Set out “Ground Rules”:
Everyone knows how to behave, but sometimes they just don’t do it. Ground Rules establish clear expectations. They might include: coming prepared, being on time, not having side conversations or not answering phones/beepers. One really rowdy group simply said “no hitting, kicking or spitting allowed”. Each group should set their own standards and determine the consequences of compliance and non-compliance. New members or guests should be sent an agenda and the “Ground Rules” prior to the meeting.
3. Create a safe environment:
The facilitator should create a safe environment that encourages open dialogue and the discussion of divergent opinions. Good debate will only occur if there is no fear of being attacked and no negative repercussions for disagreeing (even if it’s with the boss). If judgmental or confrontational statements are made, demonstrate how to restate those comments in more observational or positive ways. It’s often not what we say but how we say it.
4. Focus on process and give them feedback:
The content expert or senior most person in the group is often responsible for running the meeting. However, if they have a lot to contribute to the discussion, they will likely get caught-up in the content (the work to be done: the issue or problem to be solved) and loose sight of process (how we do things: group dynamics, procedures and problem solving tools). The facilitator should look out for process issues so the group members are free to focus on their task. Great facilitators ask good questions and draw great answers from the members. Even if the facilitator has an opinion, it’s best to wait until everyone else has been heard. The facilitator will also give the group feedback on what seems to enhance their success and what might be hinder their effectiveness.
Good facilitation helps the group achieve more in less time. It will also enhance group cohesiveness and a sense of unity of purpose. Facilitation skills are a great asset. Share them whenever you get a chance.
