Facilitation Principles and

Techniques

2

The Inside Facilitator

Authorized by the Project Champion

Invites project team members

Announces the facilitator

WHY?

Keep the team on track

Assure all ideas are explored2

3

The Inside Facilitator

Walking the ‘fine line’

Do not push the group to a specific solution

Always try to introduce your ideas last

If you have information you need to bring out, try to phrase it as a question

3

4

Facilitation Components

Prepare

Conduct & follow-up

4

5

Preparation

Process walk-through

Strawmodels

Ground Rules

5

6

Preparation

Process walk-through Understand the process better Understand the questions to ask

6

7

Preparation

Process walk-through Strawmodels

Can be a simple map of the process Allows the team to discuss the topics

in a logical sequence More productive faster

7

8

Preparation

Process walk-through

Strawmodels

Ground Rules Govern the team’s conduct Empower the facilitator Can be added throughout the project

8

9

Ground Rules

Generic behavior Listen carefully to other speakers

Respect the point of view of others

Suspend judgment and consider alternative approaches

Speak up and share your views

Avoid side conversations9

10

Ground Rules

Project specific Identify policy decisions that are within

and outside of the scope of the group

Determine who will make a decision if the group cannot reach consensus

10

11

Facilitation Components

Prepare

Conduct & follow-up

11

12

Conduct & Follow-up Determine how information will be

retained Draw maps Record notes on chart paper Have someone else take notes

The facilitator should update the maps to prepare themselves for the next meeting

Validate the maps with the team at the next meeting

13

Facilitation Techniques

Facilitation Styles

Group Management

14

Facilitation Styles

Understand your default style The way you prefer to handle specific

situations

My default style Fun Patient Chaos

14

15

Facilitation Styles

Understand your default style

Modify your style to deal with specific situations Tough talk

15

16

Facilitation Styles

Understand your default style

Modify your style to deal with specific situations

Scripts Standard phrases used to introduce a

comment

16

17

Group Management

Staying on schedule

Moving the line of inquiry forward

Building consensus

18

Staying on Schedule

Use the agenda as a guide Shift from content to process

Script: “Let’s do a process check” Stay on this topic or move on Assign to a sub-group between meetings Run over scheduled time

18

19

Staying on Schedule

Use the agenda as a guide

‘Parking Lot’ ideas for later Script: “With your permission I will

capture your idea on the parking lot.”

19

20

Group Management

Staying on schedule

Moving the line of inquiry forward Asking questions

Summarizing ideas

21

Elevate details to themes “It sounds like we need to determine

how much risk of internal mistakes we can tolerate.”

Moving the Line of Inquiry Forward

21

22

Elevate details to themes Summarizing the ‘working

proposition’ The path that seems to be resonating

best with the group Direction for the line of inquiry Does not mean everyone has agreed Script: “Why don’t I run through the

working proposition?”

Moving the Line of Inquiry Forward

22

23

Elevate details to themes Summarizing the ‘working

proposition’ Explain it in the vernacular

Use common words not organizational jargon

Moving the Line of Inquiry Forward

23

24

Elevate details to themes Summarizing the ‘working

proposition’ Explain it in the vernacular Recognize ‘violent agreement’ and

move on Everyone favors an idea Script: “It seems like we are in violent

agreement.”

Moving the Line of Inquiry Forward

24

25

Elevate details to themes Summarizing the ‘working proposition’ Explain it in the vernacular Recognize ‘violent agreement’ and

move on Move some issues to another venue

Moving the Line of Inquiry Forward

25

26

Consensus is the solution everyone is willing to support

Recognize small victories Script: “We already agree on X, so

now we only need to focus on Y.”

Building Consensus

26

27

Consensus is the solution everyone is willing to support

Recognize small victories Recognize common elements of

seemingly differing views Recognize views only differ by a few

elements

Building Consensus

27

28

Consensus is the solution everyone is willing to support

Recognize small victories Recognize common elements of

seemingly differing views Working proposition morphs into

consensus

Building Consensus

28

29

Avoid voting for the final Yes/No decision Don’t create winners and losers for

the final decision

Building ConsensusVoting

29

30

Avoid voting for the final Yes/No decision

Where voting works Clarify the working proposition

30

Building ConsensusVoting

31

Avoid voting for the final Yes/No decision

Where voting works Clarify the working proposition Ranking importance (2-d matrix)

31

Building ConsensusVoting

32

Voting: Two-dimensional matrix

32

BE

NE

FIT

EASE TO IMPLEMENTLO HI

HI

33

Facilitation Summary

Facilitators allow for more productive meetings and projects

Preparation and follow-up are critical for a successful facilitation

33

34

Facilitation Summary

Manage the group to: Stay on schedule Move the line of inquiry forward Build consensus

34