Putting Out Brush Fires How to Intervene in Difficult Group … · 2009-03-10 · Putting out Brush Fires: How to Intervene in Difficult Situations Sponsored by FacilitatorU.com 1

Putting Out Brush Fires...

How to Intervene in

Difficult Group Situations

A Teleclass from FacilitatorU.com

January 23-27, 2006 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Training Workbook

Trainers:

Dee Kelsey and Pam Plumb Authors of Great Meetings! Great Results

Moderator:

Steve Davis FacilitatorU.com

Great Meetings! Inc. FacilitatorU.com P.O. Box 3883, Portland, ME 04104 777 Erhart Rd., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 1-888-374-6010 or 1-207-773-0487 805-489-4130 [email protected] [email protected] www.greatmeetingsinc.com www.FacilitatorU.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.greatmeetingsinc.com/

http://www.facilitatoru.com/

Putting out Brush Fires: How to Intervene in Difficult Situations Sponsored by FacilitatorU.com

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Table of Contents

Title Page number Information about the Trainers 1 Instructions for Dialing into the Class 2 Maximizing the Learning in a Teleclass 3 Course description and learning objectives 4 Ground rules for this teleclass 5 Roles and Parking Lot 6 Day #1: Identify Brush Fires 7

Learning objectives, course outline, introduction exercise and homework for the next day

Key Values and Key Points 8 Tips for Identifying a Situation that Calls for Intervention 9 Worksheet #1: Challenging Situations 10 Day #2: Stay Grounded and Assess the Situation 11

Learning objectives, course outline and homework Worksheet #2: Knowing Yourself /Assessing the Situation 12 Day #3: Step into the Situation: Interrupting 13

Learning objectives, course outline and homework Steps in interrupting 14-15 Worksheet #3: The Art of Interrupting 16 Scenarios for Interrupting Practice 17 Worksheet #4: Application to your own Situations 18 Day #4: Step into the Situation: Other Interventions 19

Learning objectives, course outline and homework Tips for Choosing the Right Tool in Intervening 20 Scenarios for New Tools Practice 21 Day #5: Help the Group Move On & Prepare to Prevent 22

Learning objectives and course outline Tips for Preventing Problems 23 Worksheet #5: Learning Applications 24 Class Evaluations 25 Other Ways to Continue Learning with Great Meetings! 26

Putting out Brush Fires: How to Intervene

Information about the Trainers

Dee has worked both as a trainer and pea mediator for the city of Palo Alto, CalIntercultural Management, she returned organizational development, facilitationservices to hundreds of clients ranging f Pam Plumb discovered during her yearseffective meeting planning and facilitatiSince 1991, she has served a wide rangegovernment organizations with process development. Together, Dee and Pam created Great Mof providing the tools to transform the w Contact information: Great Meetings! Inc., 1-888-374-60 Website: www.greatmeetingsinc.c

Pam Plumb Email address: [email protected] number: 1-888-374-6010 Dee Kelsey Email address: dee@greatmeetinPhone number: 1-888-374-6010

Dee Kelsey and Pam Plumb began their collaboration when they created the Certificate Program in Facilitation for the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Southern Maine in 1993. Since then, they have designed and delivered customized facilitation and meeting management training programs for clients as varied as L.L. Bean, The National League of Cities, Bates College, Eastern Kentucky University and The Nature Conservancy.

in Difficult Situations Sponsored by FacilitatorU.com 1

rsonnel representative at Hewlett Packard and as ifornia. After completing her Masters in to Maine. Since 1985 Dee has provided , process consultation, mediation, and training rom small work groups to large corporations.

as a City Councilor and Mayor of Portland that on made a big difference in meeting outcomes. of non-profit organizations, businesses and design, facilitation, training and organizational

eetings! Inc. as a way to work toward their vision ay meetings are managed in all organizations.

10 (US and Canada) om

m (US and Canada) or 207-772-2680

gsinc.com (US and Canada) or 207-773-0487




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Instructions for Dialing into the Class

At 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, 11:00 a.m. Mountain, 12:00 p.m. Central or 1:00 p.m. Eastern:

Dial this number: 620-782-8200

Put in this code: 522225# Please announce yourself when you sign on. You will be greeted by Steve, Pam and Dee. If you are relatively new to teleclasses, you might review Steve’s suggestions around managing the technical side of the class.


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Maximizing the Learning in a Teleclass

Teleclasses are an excellent way to learn, allowing people at great distance to come together from the comfort of their own offices or homes. With a phone call, we can have an international, intercultural learning group. Some of us are quite used to distance learning, while for others it is new and perhaps a bit awkward. To reiterate some of Steve’s Teleclass tidbits and maximize the effectiveness of the class, we offer the following thoughts: The challenge of the teleclass is that we lose the visual component of the course: Without seeing one another, we are left to understand what someone is saying through the words, without the accompanying gestures, smiles or grimaces. In addition, we can’t rely on graphic illustrations of points being made, or visual demonstrations. A final challenge is that it takes work to stay focused. It’s tempting to try to get other work done while on the telephone. To maximize the learning, we hope you will follow these guidelines:

Call in on time when the class starts and after the off line exercises

Speak up clearly and identify yourself before contributing to the discussions

Respond verbally to questions instead of nodding, say ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘no opinion’,

etc. Minimize distractions to you: e.g., turn other equipment off, close the door to

your office. Eliminate all possible background noise. Clear your space of other work so you can stay focused.

Minimize distractions to other teleclass participants: be mindful not to tap pencils,

chew gum, rustle papers; use the mute button when not speaking Keep the phone number and code handy

Other ideas to maximize your learning in this class?


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Course Description and Learning Objectives

Course Description: “Putting out Brush Fires: How to Intervene in Difficult Situations” strengthens your ability to lead, facilitate and participate in meetings. It includes learning to assess situations that are interfering in the work of the group, intervening to keep meetings on track and managing conflict in meetings. This five-hour format provides time for hands-on exercises and facilitation coaching, practice and feedback. Learning Objectives - You will learn to: Day #1:

• Identify what types of situations in groups call for intervention • Understand why putting out brush fires in groups may be difficult for you and for

the group • Understand why intervening is important • Explore key values to keep in mind when managing difficult situations

Day #2 • Raise your awareness about your personal approach, as well as your

organization’s and culture’s approach to challenging meeting situations • Stay grounded and tuned in • Assess what is happening in a group

Day #3

• Know when to interrupt • Learn how to interrupt compassionately and effectively

Day #4 • Intervene by choosing a new/different tool or technique • Manage conflicts in groups

Day #5

• Learn how to transition back to the group’s task • Prepare in advance to avoid common difficulties • Consolidate learning from the course


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Ground Rules for This Teleclass

We propose the following ground rules to use during this teleclass:

• Everyone is encouraged to participate and share the air time: input from everyone will make the class a richer experience

• Ask for what you need: more clarity, more time, questions, etc. • Begin and end on time

• Support each others learning

• Follow the teleclass guidelines on page #3 What other ground rules would you like to see used in this class?


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Roles and Parking Lot

Roles: Steve Davis: convener and moderator from Facilitator U; technical expert for the call; participant Pam Plumb and Dee Kelsey: trainers with ideas to share; facilitators helping the group share its own experience and expertise to support the learning; time keepers; fellow learners Teleclass participants: learners with either general and specific questions to ask or challenges to work on; participants with their own experience and expertise to share; supporters of others’ learning. Parking Lot: A place to put questions and ideas that you or other participants want to discuss before the course is over:


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Day #1: Identify Brush Fires Learning objectives - you will learn to:

• Identify what types of situations in groups call for intervention • Understand why putting out brush fires in groups may be difficult for you and for

the group • Understand why intervening is important • Explore key values to keep in mind when managing difficult situations

Course outline: 1:00 EST Welcome and introductions Introduction exercise: Briefly, tell us -

1. Your name 2. Where you are located 3. The nature of your work 4. The type of the meetings you facilitate

1:15 Nature of a teleclass; hints for maximizing learning; ground rules; roles;

parking lot; course outline; key points to cover; use of the workbook and the book

1:35 What is a “brush fire”? What were you holding in your mind as a “brush

fire” when you signed up for the course?

Why does it matter whether or not you pay attention to these situations? 1:45 Values that underlie our approach to managing difficult situations 1:55 Wrap up the session Homework for Day #2: 1. Read Great Meetings! Great Results: Chapter Twelve, Reflections on the Art of

Facilitation, pp 203-206 2. Do Worksheet #1 in Workbook page # 10


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Key Values and Key Points Key values around managing difficult situations:

• Value all individuals • Value the group as a whole over any one person • Assume good intentions • Intervene to serve the group

Key points to remember:

• Pay attention to your own personal, organizational and cultural values, attitudes, beliefs and emotions around managing problems and conflict and how they impact the way you intervene in brush fires

• Stay grounded and tuned in • Assess what is happening • Step into the situation (break action, interrupt, new tool); have the strength,

courage and compassion to interrupt • Help the group move forward • Prepare to prevent unnecessary difficult situations


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Tips for Identifying a Situation that Calls for Intervention

• Check the body language of the group: Are participants: o Disengaging from the discussion?

o Pushing away from the table?

o Rolling their eyes?

o Scowling?

o Doodling or doing other work?

o Glazing over and looking tired or lost?

• Check whether you are hearing from everyone or just a few:

o Are one or two people taking all the air time?

o Are one or two people taking up time with their own issue?

o Are some, even most, of the participants hanging back to see what the

leader thinks first?

• Check for a general tension in the room or a reluctance to tackle the task at

hand: o Is the group dodging the subject or dragging their feet on doing the task?

o Are the group members avoiding eye contact or engagement with each

other or with you?

• Be attentive to a startling event, comment or outburst that has stopped work on

the task. • Pay attention to whether or not the discussion has gone off on a different subject. • Monitor participants’ comments to see if they become long and repetitive. • Listen for conflicts that arise between two participants or two factions.


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Worksheet #1: Challenging Situations

Identify three specific facilitation situations which have been challenging for you. (These could be group situations or individual behaviors.) Situation #1 What was happening? (Describe the content of the meeting as well as the specific moment of challenge.)

How was it impacting the group? (On the work of the group, on individuals or the whole group)

What made it challenging for you? Situation #2 What was happening? How was it impacting the group? What made it challenging for you? Situation #3 What was happening?

How was it impacting the group?

What made it challenging for you?


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Day #2: Stay Grounded and Assess the Situation Learning Objectives - you will learn to:

• Raise your awareness about your personal approach and your culture’s approach to challenging meeting situations

• Stay grounded and tuned in • Assess what is happening in a group

Course Outline: 1:00 EST Welcome, check-in for the day, review learning objectives for the day 1:15 Paired exercise on knowing yourself and assessing the situation 1:45 Applying these ideas to your own situations 1:55 Wrap up 2:00 End time Homework for Day #3: 1. Read Great Meetings! Great Results: Chapter Ten, Interventions: When to Step In, pp 171-186 (whole chapter) 2. Come prepared with an issue that you feel passionately about, and are willing to share

with another participant, for tomorrow’s offline exercise.


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Worksheet #2: Knowing Yourself and Assessing the Situation Purpose: To learn more about how you react to challenging situations and how

to analyze those situations by using a real example from your own experience. Exercise: 1. Select an A and a B. First round A is talker and B is listener. 2. Using the information that you filled in on Worksheet #1 on page #10 in this

Workbook, choose the example that was the most challenging for you. 3. Describe the situation to your partner. 4. Explain what it was that knocked you off your feet and what reaction you had

either internally or with the group. 5. Give your partner your assessment of what was happening and why. 6. Talk with your partner about what you learned about your reactions to difficult

situations. Ask for your partner’s thoughts, if you welcome them. Then change roles. Now B is the talker and A is the listener. Process: Call your partner __________________, Number __________________

Step #1: (5 minutes starting at __________) The first person chooses a challenging situation and explains what was challenging and what was happening in the situation, while the listening partner asks clarifying questions to help understand the situation better. (Use steps 2-5 above)

Step #2: (5 minutes starting at ________) The second person explains what

was challenging and what was happening in the situation, while the listening partner asks clarifying questions to help understand the situation better. (Use steps 2-5 above)

Step #3 (at _____________) Return to the full group (number 620-782-8200) and code (522225#) Use your timer and observe the time frames. Return to the group at the agreed on time.


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Day #3: Step into the Situation: Interrupting Learning Objectives:

• Know when to interrupt • Learn how to interrupt compassionately and effectively

Course outline: 1:00 EST Welcome and reconnect 1:12 Overview of interventions 1:20 The art of interrupting 1:25 Offline exercise: the art of interrupting 1:40 Practice scenarios in the whole group and application to your own

situations 1:55 Wrap up 2:00 End time Homework for Day #4: Read in Great Meetings! Great Results: Chapter Seven, Maximizing Your Group’s

Potential, (whole chapter) and Chapter Nine, Managing Conflict in Groups. (whole chapter)


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Steps in Interrupting

Introduction: Learning to interrupt is an important skill for your facilitator tool kit. It allows you to help a group stay on task or return to their agreed-upon work. It may be that people have become caught up in what they want to say and forget about the amount of time they are taking; some people have lots of energy and are exuberant about the subject being discussed. Others may feel misunderstood, or disagree with the direction of the conversation and press their point beyond what is helpful. Groups sometimes lose their focus or, for various reasons, resist the task at hand. Below are guidelines for three different situations that call for interrupting:

Interrupting, summarizing and refocusing the group: 1. Listen carefully in order to understand the person's key point(s). 2. Interrupt the person

• "Mary…………" OR • "Mary, just a minute…." OR • "Mary, let me interrupt for a moment”.

3. Summarize the person's key point and check to make sure you have it right.

• "So, Mary, you are concerned that if the department switches to the flexible schedule some work hours won’t be covered properly. Do I understand correctly?”

4. Redirect the discussion to the whole group by asking for a comment from

someone else; or open the subject to the rest of the group. • "Jim, you looked as if you had something to add.." OR • "Are there others who have the same concern?"

Interrupting, owning a problem, asking for help/refocusing on the task:

1. Make a decision in your own mind about what isn't working. For example: there are side conversations disrupting the group OR a person is going on and on without coming to the point. 2. Interrupt the person (and/or the group)

• "Excuse me a moment"

3. Own the problem • "I'm sorry, but I can't hear the person speaking with all the talking in the

room." OR


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• "Beth, I'm not sure I understand your key thought." Steps in interrupting, continued

4. Ask for help • "It would help me if we didn’t have side conversations; I want to make sure

we all hear what is being said." OR • "Could you summarize your point for me, Beth?"

5. Redirect the group by returning to the person and summarize where they were in their comment.

• "Thank you. Now, Jim, you were talking about the budget." Interrupting the whole group:

1. Make your own judgment about what is happening with the group (example: the discussion has moved from the new schedule to the parking problem; or the group has lost track of what you are working on.)

2. Interrupt as necessary. (See examples above.) 3. Reflect your understanding of the problem to the group and check its accuracy:

• "It sounds to me as if we have drifted off the issue of the new schedule into the parking problem; is that right?" OR

• "It feels to me as if people are confused about what we are doing; am I right?”

4. Make a process suggestion to help the group move forward.

• "Let me review where we are in the agenda." Key Steps

Listen

Interrupt

Reflect back

Check for accuracy

Choose appropriate action


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Worksheet #3: the Art of Interrupting Purpose: To practice the art of interruption

Overall Description: Each person picks a subject that s/he feels strongly about.

While one person tells the other what the issue is and why s/he feels so strongly about it, the other person listens intently. When s/he can accurately reflect back his partner’s opinion, s/he interrupts and reflects back a summary of what his partner said.

Outline:

Call your partner __________________, Number __________________

Step #1 (3 minutes starting at ________) For the speaker, explain your point of view vigorously to your partner. Be emphatic; don’t pause. For the listener, listen intently to your partner’s issue and as soon as you think you can accurately reflect back your partner’s opinion, interrupt and reflect back a summary of what your partner said.

Step #2 (3 minutes starting at ________) Switch roles. For the new speaker, explain

your point of view vigorously to your partner. Be emphatic; don’t pause. For the new listener, listen intently to your partner’s issue and as soon as you think you can accurately reflect back your partner’s opinion, interrupt and reflect back a summary of what your partner said.

Step #3 ( at _____________) Return to the full group (number 620-782-8200) and code (522225#) Use your timer and observe the time frames. Return to the group at the agreed on time.


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Scenarios for Interrupting Practice

Scenario #1: You are facilitating a committee that has been charged with developing a theme for the next department newsletter. A few options have been suggested (healthy habits, email etiquette and tips for managing the new common computer calendar). But one person has launched into a long argument for a focus on a local political issue. He has made his point, but is still going on to amplify and to repeat himself. You can see the group drifting off to doodle on their notes or to stare out the window. What do you do? Roles: Speaker on a local political issue such as whether or not to protect a certain wildlife area from development Facilitator who needs to intervene Scenario #2: You are facilitating a community meeting with 20 people who have come to work on what the neighborhood wants to do about changing and upgrading the local playground. You are in the process of just collecting ideas on how people would like to use that space. You have one or two ideas up on the flip chart. One person has now started sharing and after talking about needing space for teenage activities such as basketball or skate boarding, she launches into a long discussion on the traffic problems in the area. You can see the other participants scowling or wrinkling their brows in confusion. What do you do? Roles: Speaker now on to the subject of traffic, where people are speeding, where the lack of a left turn signal blocks things up and so on. Facilitator who needs to get the group back on subject


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Worksheet #4: Application to your Own Situations

Situation that needs interruption Methods, steps, words for interrupting


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Day #4: Step into the Situation: Other Interventions

Learning Objectives - You will learn to:

• Intervene by choosing a new/different tool or technique • Manage conflicts in groups

Course Outline: 1:00 EST Welcome and introduction to the session 1:10 Situations that call for interventions: other techniques and/or tools

What are those situations? How to choose the right tool Managing conflicts in groups Our approach to conflict What forms can conflict take in meeting? What is your reaction to it? How do the key values help guide you? What does the group need in a conflict situation? Discussion and demonstration

1:20 Full group practice with scenarios 1:55 Wrap up 2:00 End time Homework for Day #5: Read Great Meetings! Great Results: Chapter Three, Getting a Good Start and Chapter

Four, Designing a Great Meeting


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Tips for Choosing the Right Tool in Intervening To deal with a dominant participant:

• Try a tool that divides the group into smaller segments, pairs, trios, small groups to give airtime to lots of people at once. Organize a report back from each group.

o Subgroup brainstorming, page #87 in Great Meetings! Great Results o Small group discussion, page #144

• Try creating a system that invites people to speak one at a time o One-at-a-time brainstorming, page #84 o Quaker Dialogue, page #144

To deal with a loss of energy in the room:

• Try taking a break • Try a tool that is more physically active

o Sticky note brainstorming, page #85 o Gallery walk, page#134

• Try a warm up or energizer exercise o Three balls, page#140 o Something in common, page #139 o Everyone who has ever, page #133

• Consider ending the meeting and setting a date to finish the work To deal with concern about the safety in the room

• Try a tool that provides more anonymity o Sticky note brainstorming, page #85

• Try a tool that provides safety in numbers o Small group discussion, page #144

To deal with a conflict between two points of view:

• Try a tool that focuses attention on the issues o Pro / Con Sheet, page #121 o Force Field Analysis, page #119

• Try the technique of reframing as you summarize ideas in a brainstorm or a discussion, see reframing language, page #157

• Try an organized form of debate o Structured sharing of conflicting opinions, page #169


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Scenarios for New Tools Practice

Scenario #1: You work in the order fulfillment area of a small catalogue company. You are facilitating a team meeting to generate ideas for improving productivity. In the meeting are the head of the department, some team leaders and members. The department head has a habit of criticizing innovative ideas. You notice that people are quite reticent about offering ideas. What do you do? Role: Facilitator: You get no response to several attempts to solicit ideas Scenario #2: You have volunteered to facilitate a meeting of the church vestry meeting to define the characteristics that are important in a new minister for the church. There are two different camps, one looking for a warm, loving person who can provide emotional support and another looking for someone with a strong business head to solve the chronic financial problems of the church. The debate has started to get personal. What do you do? Roles: Vestry person #1: You deeply want a minister who will tend to the emotional needs of the church: someone who can connect with and support members of the congregation in their personal and spiritual needs. You say to vestry person #2: “You don’t care about anything except money. You don’t understand that this is a church that tends to people’s souls.” Vestry person #2: You are very worried about the financial condition of the congregation which can’t afford to make repairs to the building; you have little patience for touchy feely issues. You say to vestry person #1: “You think the church can maintain itself on feelings? The church could fall about around you and you wouldn’t notice.” Facilitator: you need to get people focused on the task and working together.


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Day #5: Help the Group Move On and Prepare to Prevent Problems Learning Objectives - You will learn to:

• Learn how to transition back to the group’s task • Prepare in advance to avoid common difficulties

Course Outline: 1:00 EST Welcome and introduction of the session 1:10 Help the group move on 1:20 Prepare to prevent difficulties 1:30 Parking lot issues 1:40 Questions and Answers time 1:50 Review key learnings 1:55 Wrap up and final evaluation 2:00 End time


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Tips for Preventing Problems

• Have a clear purpose and desired outcome for the meeting, which the group agrees to

• Engage the appropriate people in developing the purpose, outcomes and agenda • Make an assessment in advance of how controversial the issue is likely to be • Make an assessment in advance of any likely conflicts between individuals or

groups and design an agenda to accommodate that • Have agreed upon ground rules • Have the appropriate and needed people at the meeting • Have all the necessary background material at the meeting • Set a tone of respecting everyone • Value difference of opinion


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Worksheet #5: Learning Applications

I. In each of the following areas, what have you learned that will help you be most successful in intervening in difficult situations?

• Knowing yourself and staying grounded • Assessing the situation • Interrupting an individual or the group • Intervening subtly • Using process tools to intervene • Preventing unnecessary problems

II. What else do you want to transfer from this course to your own work? III. What action step will you commit to doing within the next week?


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Class Evaluations

What worked well What would you change Day #1 Day #2 Day #3 Day #4 Day #5


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Other Ways to Continue Learning with Great Meetings!

Get your own hardcover copy of Great Meetings! Great Results.

Special 30% discount for participants in this class (plus S and H) Call: 888-374-6010 Email: [email protected] Write: Great Meetings! Inc., P O Box 3883, Portland, ME 04104

Sign up for the monthly tips on the greatmeetingsinc.com website.

You can sign up for these free, monthly tips on the home page at www.greatmeetingsinc.com

Bring Great Meetings! Inc. training into your organization.

Check the training options on our website, www.greatmeetingsinc.com Bring a Great Meetings! Program into your association’s convention.

Check the presentation options on our web site, www.greatmeetingsinc.com

Come to a multi-day Facilitation Course in Maine.

We occasionally offer a multi-day facilitation training course for anyone interested, held in Maine where we can learn in a lovely location. Through the University of Southern Maine, Center for Continuing Education we offer a three-day Certificate Course in Facilitation Skills. Check their website for the fall 2006 schedule at www.usm.maine.edu/cce/ .





http://www.usm.maine.edu/cce/


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Documents

Putting Out Brush Fires How to Intervene in Difficult Group … · 2009-03-10 · Putting out Brush Fires: How to Intervene in Difficult Situations Sponsored by FacilitatorU.com 1