What is Facilitation?What is Facilitation?Bostrom, Anson, and Clawson define facilitation Bostrom, Anson, and Clawson define facilitation as “activities carried out before, during, and after as “activities carried out before, during, and after meetings to help a group achieve its own meetings to help a group achieve its own outcomes.”outcomes.”

Examples:Examples:

Pre-Meeting: Gathering all necessary paperwork Pre-Meeting: Gathering all necessary paperwork

In-Meeting: Giving each other equal speaking In-Meeting: Giving each other equal speaking timetime

After Meeting: Sending out email reports so After Meeting: Sending out email reports so everyone remains updated on what is going on.everyone remains updated on what is going on.

Two Types of Facilitation Two Types of Facilitation There are two types of facilitation.There are two types of facilitation.

Process Facilitation- the provision of Process Facilitation- the provision of procedural structure and general support procedural structure and general support to groups through the meeting process.to groups through the meeting process.

Content Facilitation- involves intervention Content Facilitation- involves intervention that relate directly to the problem being that relate directly to the problem being discussed.discussed.

The Importance of FacilitationThe Importance of Facilitation

Facilitation is important Facilitation is important because:because:

It helps keep a team on trackIt helps keep a team on track

It helps resolve conflictsIt helps resolve conflicts

It increases a team’s It increases a team’s effectiveness. effectiveness.

The Role of the FacilitatorThe Role of the FacilitatorA facilitator formally or informally takes on the role of A facilitator formally or informally takes on the role of monitoring a team’s process for effectiveness. The monitoring a team’s process for effectiveness. The facilitator focuses more on how a team is working than facilitator focuses more on how a team is working than on what the team is doing. on what the team is doing.

Responsibilities of a facilitator vary from team to team, Responsibilities of a facilitator vary from team to team, depending on the goals, technical requirements, depending on the goals, technical requirements, duration and employee makeup of that team.duration and employee makeup of that team.

They work outside meetings to further group cohesion They work outside meetings to further group cohesion or help gain support from key groups or individuals or help gain support from key groups or individuals external to the team.external to the team.

Facilitators model and educate team members in the Facilitators model and educate team members in the use of facilitative skills. This helps make the team self-use of facilitative skills. This helps make the team self-reliant instead of relying on the facilitator. reliant instead of relying on the facilitator.

Facilitation Skills and BehaviorsFacilitation Skills and BehaviorsTask-Related Behaviors focus on the Task-Related Behaviors focus on the content of the meetingcontent of the meeting

Maintenance-related behaviors relate to Maintenance-related behaviors relate to the process of how the group works the process of how the group works together. together.

Dysfunctional Behaviors are actions taken Dysfunctional Behaviors are actions taken by members that may hinder or even by members that may hinder or even undermine the team’s progress.undermine the team’s progress.

Examples Related to Each Examples Related to Each BehaviorBehavior

Task-Related Behaviors:Task-Related Behaviors:

InitiatingInitiating

Giving/Seeking InformationGiving/Seeking Information

Clarifying and elaboratingClarifying and elaborating

SummarizingSummarizing

Consensus Testing Consensus Testing

Examples Related to Each Examples Related to Each BehaviorBehavior

Maintenance-Related Behaviors:Maintenance-Related Behaviors:

Harmonizing and CompromisingHarmonizing and Compromising

GatekeepingGatekeeping

DiagnosingDiagnosing

Standard SettingStandard Setting

Examples Related to Each Examples Related to Each Behavior Behavior

Dysfunctional Behaviors:Dysfunctional Behaviors:

BlockingBlocking

DominatingDominating

WithdrawingWithdrawing

Self-Seeking Self-Seeking

Key Facilitation Strategies Key Facilitation Strategies Establish ground Rules Establish ground Rules

Get Agreement on Process Get Agreement on Process

Get Agreement on Content/OutcomeGet Agreement on Content/Outcome

Be Positive (win-win attitude)Be Positive (win-win attitude)

Build an AgendaBuild an Agenda

Get permission to enforce the process Get permission to enforce the process agreementsagreements

Get the group to take responsibility for Get the group to take responsibility for its actions its actions

Key Facilitative InterventionsKey Facilitative InterventionsGeneral ApproachGeneral ApproachBoomerangBoomerangMaintain/Regain FocusMaintain/Regain FocusPlay DumbPlay DumbSay What’s Going OnSay What’s Going OnCheck For AgreementCheck For AgreementAccept/Legitimize/Deal With, or DeferAccept/Legitimize/Deal With, or DeferDon’t be DefensiveDon’t be DefensiveUse Justifying QuestionsUse Justifying QuestionsUse Leading QuestionsUse Leading QuestionsUse the Group Memory Use the Group Memory Don’t Talk Too MuchDon’t Talk Too MuchUse Hypothetical QuestionsUse Hypothetical QuestionsUse a Reality CheckUse a Reality CheckUse a Time-OutUse a Time-OutCall a Team Member’s BluffCall a Team Member’s Bluff

Facilitation Tips Facilitation Tips 1.1. Be receptive to feedback and coiling to Be receptive to feedback and coiling to

change your thoughts, opinions and change your thoughts, opinions and behaviorsbehaviors

2.2. Share your observations. Share your observations. 3.3. Wait and see if the team can resolve Wait and see if the team can resolve

their own conflict. their own conflict. 4.4. Focus primarily on the process or how Focus primarily on the process or how

the team goes about achieving its goals.the team goes about achieving its goals.5.5. As teams develop move toward being As teams develop move toward being

more nondirective using questioning and more nondirective using questioning and reflecting behaviors to help the team help reflecting behaviors to help the team help itself.itself.

Identifying and Dealing With Identifying and Dealing With Problem PeopleProblem People

Some people with or without ill intent Some people with or without ill intent can single-handedly hinder even the can single-handedly hinder even the best teams. These people are called best teams. These people are called PROBLEM PEOPLE.PROBLEM PEOPLE.When you come across a Problem When you come across a Problem Person you have to decide:Person you have to decide:How would you deal with this individual? How would you deal with this individual? What preventive techniques might you What preventive techniques might you use?use?What interventions might you use?What interventions might you use?

Some Barriers to FacilitationSome Barriers to Facilitation

Not all organizations or team use or Not all organizations or team use or recognize the value of facilitators recognize the value of facilitators

Objectivity: the ability to view a Objectivity: the ability to view a situation without personal biassituation without personal bias

Shared perspective for effective work Shared perspective for effective work

Some problems still exist Some problems still exist

Facilitator who is seen as ineffective or Facilitator who is seen as ineffective or incredible incredible

Conclusion Conclusion

Facilitation is helping a group to Facilitation is helping a group to accomplish its goals. The practice accomplish its goals. The practice usually is best carried out by someone usually is best carried out by someone who has strong knowledge and skills. who has strong knowledge and skills. Effective facilitation might also involve Effective facilitation might also involve strong knowledge and skills about the strong knowledge and skills about the particular topic. Facilitation is a skill particular topic. Facilitation is a skill that can increase the effectiveness of that can increase the effectiveness of all its members and organizations. all its members and organizations.