Working Working

with with Groups Groups - an introduction - an introduction

to facilitation to facilitation

What is Facilitation?What is Facilitation?

Stages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group Development

• FormingForming

• StormingStorming

• NormingNorming

• PerformingPerforming

(Tuckman, 1965)

Adjourning and Transforming

Adjourning and Transforming

Communication InfluenceCommunication Influence

38% 38% Tone of Tone of voicevoice

7% 7% Spoken Spoken WordsWords

55%55% Body Language Body Language

/ Visual / Visual

What can Facilitation What can Facilitation help groups to achieve? help groups to achieve?

• share information and ideasshare information and ideas• develop knowledge, skills and thinkingdevelop knowledge, skills and thinking• make linksmake links• review progressreview progress• plan strategiesplan strategies• take risks and experimenttake risks and experiment• be creativebe creative• talk about successes and challengestalk about successes and challenges

GW

Hierarchical Hierarchical - - in this mode the facilitator in this mode the facilitator

directs the process and directs the process and makes decisionsmakes decisions

Co-operative Co-operative -- in this mode the in this mode the

direction of the process is shared between direction of the process is shared between the facilitator and the group members the facilitator and the group members

Autonomous Autonomous -- in this mode the in this mode the

facilitator allows the group members facilitator allows the group members autonomy to direct the process themselvesautonomy to direct the process themselves

3 Modes of Facilitation3 Modes of Facilitation

(Heron, 1989)

Planning Planning

Meaning Meaning

Confronting Confronting

FeelingFeeling

StructuringStructuring

Valuing Valuing

6 Dimensions 6 Dimensions of Facilitation of Facilitation

(Heron, 1989)

1. 1. Planning Planning – This dimension is concerned with the – This dimension is concerned with the aims of the group.aims of the group.

How shall the group identify its objectives?How shall the group identify its objectives?  

2. 2. Meaning Meaning –the cognitive aspect of facilitation, how –the cognitive aspect of facilitation, how participants understand what is going on. participants understand what is going on.

How shall meaning be given to and found in the experiences and actions of the How shall meaning be given to and found in the experiences and actions of the group?group?  

3. 3. Confronting Confronting – the challenge aspect of facilitation, – the challenge aspect of facilitation, it concerns raising the awareness of group it concerns raising the awareness of group resistances, avoidance of issues, repeating patterns resistances, avoidance of issues, repeating patterns etc. etc.

How shall the group’s awareness be raised about these matters?How shall the group’s awareness be raised about these matters?  

  

4. 4. Feeling Feeling – the management of feeling or – the management of feeling or emotion in the group. emotion in the group.

How shall emotions within the group be managed?How shall emotions within the group be managed?

  5. 5. Structuring Structuring – what methods of learning – what methods of learning are to be used. are to be used.

How can the group’s learning experiences be structured?How can the group’s learning experiences be structured?  

6. 6. Valuing Valuing – the creation of a supportive – the creation of a supportive climate that values the worth of individuals. climate that values the worth of individuals.

How can a climate of personal value, integrity and respect How can a climate of personal value, integrity and respect be created?be created?

SIX HONEST SERVING MEN

I keep six honest serving men(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and WhenAnd How and Where and Who.I send them over land and sea,

I send them east and west;But after they have worked for me,

I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,For I am busy then,

As well as breakfast, lunch and tea,For they are hungry men.

But different folks have different views;I know a person small -

She keeps ten million serving men,Who get no rest at all!

She sends them abroad on her own affairs,From the second she opens her eyes -One million Hows, two million Wheres,

And seven million Whys!

Rudyard Kipling - The Elephant’s Story

What?

Why?

When?

How?

Where?

Who?

GEx

Facilitation QuestionsFacilitation Questions

• Can we stop for a moment and check how Can we stop for a moment and check how we are doing?we are doing?

• How do you feel about what is going on?How do you feel about what is going on?• How helpful was that comment?How helpful was that comment?• Perhaps it would be more helpful to turn Perhaps it would be more helpful to turn

that comment into a question?that comment into a question?• What questions does that raise?What questions does that raise?• Which question was most helpful, and why?Which question was most helpful, and why?• Why has everyone ignored … statement?Why has everyone ignored … statement?

Facilitation QuestionsFacilitation Questions• Will you tell us more about?Will you tell us more about?• Everyone seems a little tired – shall we take Everyone seems a little tired – shall we take

a break for a few moments?a break for a few moments?• Is that helpful? In what way?Is that helpful? In what way?• Perhaps we should check our ground rules?Perhaps we should check our ground rules?• What are we trying to do here?What are we trying to do here?• How can we help / move on?How can we help / move on?• How can we make this set more effective?How can we make this set more effective?• What does that mean?What does that mean?

Handling Handling Questions Questions & Fielding & Fielding

ChallengesChallenges

AcknowledgeAcknowledge

ClarifyClarify

AnswerAnswer

CheckCheck

When things go off track!When things go off track!

SummariseSummarise

That which we persist in doing

becomes easier…

…not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.

Ralph Waldo Emerson