helpful when there are speakers who have monopolized the conversation. Example: the last 15 minutes you have “For been talking about topic and some of you indicated you ‘A’ wanted to talk about topic would now be a good time to ‘B’, switch?” or while ago Erika brought up an issue and no one “A responded at that time. Before we lose that thought, I want to check to see if anyone has a comment for Erika before we move on?” Caution! When a facilitator directs the discussion in one way from another, they run the risk of being seen as non-neutral again, use sparingly. – iv. Tracking different lines of thought is helpful when a discussion is at its most competitive and when people are least likely to be listening to each other. It is important that the facilitator remains neutral by refraining from prioritizing or structuring the discussion’s agenda and supporting every speaker. Responses to tracking are usually either integrative proposals combining various themes or insisting on one key topic. If is a dispute about which topic to discuss and in what order, sequencing can help. Tolerating Silences: Occasionally, group members need time to form an analysis of complex problems or need time while they search for tactful ways to express difficult feelings. Although silence can be experienced as painful, a skilled facilitator is advised that it reflects the groups needs and should be confused with the facilitator’s own discomfort level for tolerating it. Tolerating silence is like any other skill in that it is acquired through practice. Additional Tips Even with a well-prepared agenda and key points you must make, you Be Authentic: need to be flexible and natural. If people sense that you are reading memorized lines, they will feel like they are being talked down to, and won’t respond freely.
helpful when there are speakers who have monopolized the conversation. Example: “For the last 15 minutes you have been talking about topic ‘A’ and some of you indicated you wanted to talk about topic ‘B’, would now be a good time to switch?” or “A while ago Erika brought up an issue and no one responded at that time. Before we lose that thought, I want to check to see if anyone has a comment for Erika before we move on?” Caution! When a facilitator directs the discussion in one way from another, they run the risk of being seen as non-neutral – again, use sparingly. iv. Tracking different lines of thought is helpful when a discussion is at its most competitive and when people are least likely to be listening to each other. It is important that the facilitator remains neutral by refraining from prioritizing or structuring the discussion’s agenda and supporting every speaker. Responses to tracking are usually either integrative proposals combining various themes or insisting on one key topic. If is a dispute about which topic to discuss and in what order, sequencing can help. Tolerating Silences: Occasionally, group members need time to form an analysis of complex problems or need time while they search for tactful ways to express difficult feelings. Although silence can be experienced as painful, a skilled facilitator is advised that it reflects the groups needs and should be confused with the facilitator’s own discomfort level for tolerating it. Tolerating silence is like any other skill in that it is acquired through practice. Additional Tips Be Authentic: Even with a well-prepared agenda and key points you must make, you need to be flexible and natural. If people sense that you are reading memorized lines, they will feel like they are being talked down to, and won’t respond freely.
overview_alice_diebel_facilitating_public_issues_best_practices_by_alice_diebel.docx