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 by Marc Wright

The characteristics of good facilitation

When facilitating a group you are under constant scrutiny, and you need to stay alert at all times.  Remember that members of the group will see you as an equal, not a leader and therefore your power as a facilitator depends on your keeping the general good will of everyone.  Here are the key characteristics of a successful facilitator:

Openness: if you do not know something – admit it and use the knowledge in the group to set you straight.

Honesty and fairness: do not appear to favour any individual, sub-group or particular point of view.  Let the company line (if there is one) emerge through discussion.

Consistency in actions: if you give one person five minutes to waffle on, others will expect the same right

Focus: Remember the task set for the meeting:  stick it on the wall and bring your people back to it whenever they wander.

Active listening: listen to what people are saying, rather than on your next question.  Reflect it back to them if it is ambiguous so the whole group can be sure of the point being expressed.

Accessibility: make yourself available to everyone in the group, not just those closest to you.

Flexibility: if things take an unexpected turn think on your feet and follow the new line of inquiry if it adds to the debate.

Assertiveness: use your authority for the good of the group, for instance when a ground rule is being broken.

Enthusiasm: remain passionate about the subject and the discussion.  If you stop contributing or pop out to take a call, everyone else will.

Setting ground rules

Every discussion is different but it is useful to establish a set of common ground rules such as:

• Everyone arrives on time

• All members participate

• Keep the discussion focused

• No holding back information

• No negative comments regarding other thoughts/opinions

• Be specific – use examples.

• Value differences

• Be willing to accept the possibility that you may be wrong

• Do not take cheap shots

• Show respect for each other’s opinions

• Be brief

• No hobby horses

• No clay pigeon shooting

• ‘Yes And’ instead of ‘No But’

By publishing and adhering to these rules you will have a more productive and pleasurable session if people buy into the rules at the start.  Then if anyone transgresses it is the power of the rules that you can enforce, rather than your own will. 

Keeping to time

It is the role of the facilitator to manage the discussion on schedule.  So keep an eye on the clock and remind the group where they are in the process of the task they have been set.  If you are getting bogged down in an issue say something like:   “I think we have entered a swampy area here and we need to back out and walk round if we are going to get to our destination.  Is everyone OK if we leave this subject and look at x?”  Where an interesting issue is raised which is nothing to do with the objectives of the discussion use the Parking technique.  “That’s fascinating, but not in the remit of this discussion.  Can we park it and come back to it at another time?”

Recording output

The key to recording output is to make it visible.  The  simple rule is: Write it down, hang it up.  Make notes on flipcharts.  When the chart is full hang it somewhere in the room where it is visible.  Use lots of blutac and cover the walls if necessary.  The human brain can remember no more than three key ideas at any one time, so give people visual props to show the development of the argument under discussion and refer back to earlier points as you go along.

Sometimes it is wise to appoint someone else in the group as the recorder, so that you can better demonstrate active listening.  At the end of the session collect up the flip charts to show respect for the ideas that have been expressed.

Handling side bar conversations

If one or more members of the group start to talking in side bar conversations allow a few words or remarks; they could be just explaining a point to a colleague.  However if they continue to talk in a breakaway group address them directly and ask them to share their thoughts with the whole group.  They will usually fall into line.  Do not let side conversations to continue as they will undermine and corrode the group discussion.

Managing conflict

If someone in your group starts getting aggressive or sarcastic towards another member of the group or to a particular idea, leader or section of an organisation then challenge them and immediately throw the subject open for others to comment on.  “That’s an extreme view I haven’t heard before.  What do others think?”  The important thing is to get the ball away from the destructive individual.   If however there is much agreement in the room then you may want to rethink your first impressions and consider whether you have uncovered an important point that needs developing.  Do not put up with personal attacks either on you or others.  Use the agreed ground rules to rule the offender out of order.

Hobby horses

A member of the group could use the syndicate session as a chance to air their favourite hobby horse even though it has little to do with the subject under discussion.   Beware the well-tuned phrase or self-serving anecdote that has been polished many times in the repeating.  Look out for other members of the group rolling their eyes or showing exasperation.  When this happens, confront the speaker before they get to far into their stride.  “You have made your point very eloquently but how do you think this relates to the subject of x?”

Clay pigeon shooting

You know when someone puts up an idea for discussion and half a dozen shoot it out of the sky with a bunch of reasons why it won’t work?  Well that’s clay pigeon shooting and it is the biggest barrier to creating innovation in companies.  The negatives that obstruct the new idea may be surmountable with a bit of thought and ingenuity.  And sometimes the most implausible of ideas and blue sky thinking can lead you to unexpected break-throughs.  Make it a rule that “no but” interventions are banned.  If you want to respond to an idea that has been launched you have to use “Yes, and” at the start of your statement.  This encourages participants to build on the ideas of others until you get something that works.

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