Better Facilitation with a Partner - Co-Facilitators

Presented by Craig Sicilia and Penny Condoll BISGN Coaches

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Penny Condoll Project Manager and Founder, BESTBISGN CoachBrain Injury Support Group Facilitator in Tacoma and Puyallup

Craig Sicilia Director, TBI Support NetworkBISGN CoachBrain Injury Support Group Facilitator in Spokane

Janet Novinger: BISGN Training Coordinator

Objectives

• Understand the roles, skills and characteristics of a great facilitator

• How to find a co-facilitator

• Setting the stage for a successful relationship

• Defining strengths and interests

• Learn tips for Before, During and After the Meeting

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Defining Facilitation

A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion.

Wikipedia

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Role of Facilitator (and Co-Facilitator)

Facilitators provide the process to help a group:

Discuss an issue

Make a decision

Solve a problem

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Skills of an Effective Facilitator

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listens and observes

asks probing questions

thinks quickly

paraphrases and summarizes

resolves conflict

uses visual aids effectively

acknowledges & responds to emotions

designs or chooses appropriate

group discussion techniques

understands people and groups

energizes group

Uses humor successfully

knows a variety of techniques for

group discussions, including

problem-solving and decision-making

Characteristics of an Awesome Co-Facilitator

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How to find the rightco-facilitator

• Evaluate the strengths and interests of your group members

• Tell group your looking for help

• Explain the benefits of being a facilitator

• Let people try out a task before agreeing

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Before the Meeting

Schedule ample time for planning

Take some time to get to know each other and discuss each other’s style of planning and facilitating

Avoid making assumptions about one another

Take time to discuss your views about topics, especially examine areas of disagreement

Discuss any concerns about potential challenges that participants may present

Agree on common goals

Review each other’s triggers9

Before the MeetingFind out whether and when it is okay to interrupt

Decide how to keep track of time

Strategize about how to stick to the original outline and how to switch gears

Plan ways to give signals to one another

Divide facilitation of activities fairly

Share responsibility equally in preparing and bringing workshop materials and resources

Agree to arrive in time to set up and check-in before the meeting begins

Schedule time afterwards to debrief

During the Meeting Remember to keep a professional demeanor at all times

Keep communicating with each other throughout the meeting

Support and validate one another

During activities that don’t require constant attention, check-in with one another

Include your co-facilitator even when you are leading an exercise or discussion, by asking, for example: “Do you have anything to add?”

Use lots of eye contact

Assert yourself if your co-facilitator is talking too much

Remember that it is okay to make mistakes

Take the initiative to step in if your co-facilitator misses an opportunity to address a myth

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After the Meeting

If you can’t meet right after the meeting, schedule a time to debrief before you leave

Listen carefully to one another’s self-evaluation before giving feedback

Discuss what worked well and examine what did not work

Brainstorm what could have been done differently

Use written evaluations as a reference point to talk and assess your effectiveness as co-facilitators

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Name particular behaviors, for example: “When you kept interrupting me, I felt undermined and frustrated”, or “I got the impression that some participants were bored”, instead of “You always interrupt me” or “You were very controlling during the workshop.”

Realize the importance and potential difficulty of debriefing a challenging meeting

Make sure to share any clean-up or return of resource materials

After the Meeting

Closing Bow

Thank you for all you do