Getting Your Ducks in a Row–The Art of Facilitation

Carolyn DicksonPosted by Carolyn Dickson on March 3rd, 2010 | 1 Comment

America’s eyes and ears were on the health care summit that took place in Washington last week (Thursday, February 25, 2010). Political affiliation aside, I believe President Obama did a heroic job of facilitating the day-long session, as he struggled to bring two incredibly polarized groups together in some kind of consensus.

While the outcomes of the summit, and its ramifications for the country, won’t become clear for a long time, I also believe it has given us a great opportunity to review the principles of facilitation. At one time or another, almost all of us find ourselves charged with facilitating a group session, and it can be a wonderful experience. At the same time, it requires a clear understanding of your role and a willingness to go out on a limb to assure a satisfying conclusion for everyone involved.

As the facilitator of a group you are more than the guardian of an agenda. You are the coordinator and the director of the discussion. You are the keeper of the process. You must make clear what’s expected of each individual and make sure everything proceeds as planned. Even though you will be working with a diverse group of personalities, it is up to you to keep the group focused so that objectives are met. In short, it’s your job to keep your ducks in a row–everything and everyone on track.

Getting Things Started

Your opening remarks provide you with an opportunity to set an energetic and positive tone. Build rapport with the group by stating your own objectivity; you’ll sabotage the whole affair if they think you have an axe to grind. 

Here are some guidelines for getting off to a good start:

  • Announce the topic of discussion is and explain why it’s important.
  • State the goal of the session: We’re here to determine whether or not to go forward. Or: When we’re finished here, we’ll have a new contract. Or: By the end of today, we’ll know what we agree on and what we don’t. Ask for agreement on the goal; watch for nods that signal acceptance.
  • Lay out the framework and ground rules. Explain how you will make sure the rules are followed and that it’s your responsibility to do so. 

During the Meeting

To put it mildly, our legislators at the health care summit didn’t enter into the discussion in a neutral frame of mind. Rarely does anyone come into a facilitated session totally impartial. People come with their energy, expectations, interests, perceptions, concerns, and emotions on the line. Drawing such disparate individuals into a cohesive group allows the facilitator to draw on the collective diversity of each member.  For a cooperative and highly interactive environment that yields successful results:

  • Involve everyone. Recognize their diversity, value it, and encourage open communication.
  • Establish listening as an important part of everyone’s responsibility. To keep the process moving smoothly, it’s important to reinforce the fact that points of view can (and usually will) differ. At the same time, recognizing and respecting the other person’s view does not require you to agree with it.
  • If something is unclear, ask for clarification, then occasional summaries of what has been said.
  • When it seems you have agreement on a topic, test for consensus.
  • Recognize and manage disruptive behaviors by not permitting excessive examples, time domination, digression to personal agendas, interruptions or intimidation.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize.

If things get tense and emotions erupt, keep your cool. Sit back, relax your shoulders, and breathe. Remind the group what they’re working for and the value a good outcome will have for everyone. It sometimes becomes evident the stated goal won’t be reached in this meeting. If that’s the case, stop, regroup, and set a new goal—one that’s more realistic and can be achieved. At the end of the session, summarize succinctly, indicate next steps, and thank everyone for his or her respectful participation.

The strength of your leadership can be a huge influence on the success of a high-stakes facilitated session. By keeping your eye on the prize, you can mold and shape a process that leads to outcomes beneficial to everyone involved.

 I’d love to hear your stories. Keep me posted.

Image by Jocelyne H

1 comment

Mike Mitchell - 03.10.10 at 12:27 am

Carolyn,
Your guidelines to facilitate a meeting are spot-on. Listening skills are so important to making sure all facts are clearly stated and opinions are equally considered.

The facilitator must also use strong leadership to calm escalating emotions, bring the conversation back on topic, or tactfully take back control of a meeting from a member who is monopolizing the discussion.

Since a facilitator should be impartial, or at least be preceived so, I respectfully suggest that President Obama was not impartial. Therefore he was presiding over the healthcare summit rather than facilitating of the discussion.

Good post,

Mike Mitchell

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