- carefully assess the needs of the members
- probe sensitively into people's feelings
- create an open and trusting atmosphere
- help people understand why they are there
- view yourself as servant of the group's needs
- make participants the center of attention
- speak in simple and direct language
- work hard to stay neutral
- display energy and appropriate levels of assertiveness
- champion ideas not personally favored
- treat all participants as equals
- stay flexible and ready to change direction if necessary
- make notes that reflect what participants mean
- listen intently to understand totally what’s being said
- periodically summarize related ideas into a coherent summary
- know how to use a wide range of discussion tools
- make sure every gathering ends with clear next steps
- insure that members feel ownership for agreed-to actions
- end on a positive and optimistic note.
Some of the worst things that a facilitator can do include:
- remain oblivious to what the group thinks or needs
- never check group concerns
- fail to listen carefully to what’s being said
- lose track of key ideas
- take notes or change the meaning of what is said
- try to be the center of attention
- get defensive
- get into personality battles
- put people down
- ignore or avoid conflict
- let a few people or the leader dominate
- never check how it’s going
- be overly passive on process
- push ahead on an irrelevant agenda
- have no alternative approaches
- let discussions get badly sidetracked
- let discussions ramble without proper closure
- be oblivious about when to stop
- be insensitive to cultural diversity issues
- use inappropriate humor
No comments:
Post a Comment