FACILITATION

1. FACILITATION

2. Lasting Agreements Succeed Along 3 Axes • Process • Relationships • Substance

3. FACILITATION • Facilitation is about managing processduring a meeting • What is on the agenda? • Who speaks and for how long? • How are decisions made? • The facilitator provides procedural control • But power resides with the group

4. THE KEY PRINCIPLE The facilitator acts on behalf of everybody in the meeting, providing a structure that serves everybody’s interests

5. Facilitator Qualifications • Skilled in active listening and communicating concerns • Knowledgeable about group process and design • Able to remain neutral • Have sufficient subject matter knowledge to follow the dialogue

6. Facilitator’s Role • Structure is in everybody’s interest • A facilitator is given control over the process, in return for being neutral on content • People fear that meeting control = outcome control • The facilitator must consult with the group on major process changes

7. Facilitation Tasks • Help in designing the meeting process • Work with the group to set the agenda and ground rules • Summarize comments or concerns

8. Facilitation Tasks • Help group to observe agreements and stay on track • Suggest group process techniques • Acknowledge speakers and determine speaking order • Restate conflicting positions so all sides understand • Summarize consensus and gets confirmation from the group

9. WHEN SHOULD A FACILITATOR INTERVENE? When… • Group has drifted off the agreed-upon topic • People are interrupting each other • Comments exceed agreed-upon time limits • Comments are insulting • Group would benefit from trying a new process technique

10. THE PROBLEM WITH USING POWER punishments - - - - - - - - rewards + + + ++ + + + BIG CIRCLE higher status or authority + + + + + + - - + + - - - - - - Little Circle Little Circle Little Circle Little Circle Those with greater power reap greater rewards with success and receive greater punishment with failure

11. POWER DIFFERENCES CAN LEAD TO “EQUALIZING BEHAVIORS” • “Cutting down to size” – constant attacks • Teaming-up in opposition • Finding another “bigger circle,” e.g., courts • Withdrawal • Passive-aggressiveness – no open opposition, but constant undermining, delays, nit-picking

12. AN IMPORTANT NOTE:“Equalizing behavior” is a key dynamic between agencies, and between supporters and opponents The Facilitator should recognize and try to mitigate these equalizing behaviors so the group can be productive

13. Other Meeting Roles

14. Recorder • The recorder keeps a visual summary of what people say • May use flipchart, wall covered with butcher paper, or laptop with digital projector • Recorder’s summary usually serves as the record of the meeting

15. Pointers for Recorders • Each participant is the expert on his/her comment • Capture the comment the way the participant wants it to be captured • Ask people to review recorder’s summary, and make corrections (but only to their own comment) • Important to summarize content at end of meeting and provide to attendees

16. Timekeeper • Assigned after the facilitator helps the group set time limits on the meeting • Timekeeper periodically informs group of time remaining until end of meeting or meeting milestone

17. Other Meeting Leadership Roles • Spokesperson: The person who speaks for the agency (e.g., Corps), or states the agency’s position • Facilitator and recorder should never be put in the position of speaking for the agency • Fact Person (“expert”): Limited to factual issues only

18. REMEMBER: All people in other roles must work through the facilitator or they will undermine the facilitator’s control of the meeting

19. POP QUIZ A meeting facilitator: a. Has power and is responsible for meeting processes b. Sets discussion “ground rules” c. Minimizes group displays of emotion during the meeting d. Provides structure

20. POP QUIZ A meeting facilitator: d. Provides structure