"I wanted to thanks a lot for your book, This Secrets of Facilitation. I have read many business books and would rank your book as one of the top books I've at any time read. I do have a question though. In ones book, the facilitator is typically portrayed as an outsider that assists a business in finding a solution or strategy to address particular issues or to improve a procedure. Inside my organization, I am responsible for both marketing and tactic and I often ought to lead meetings on projects that want a facilitated session. I am not capable to bring in an outside the house facilitator each time we should instead make a decision. Which means I almost always will probably need to act as both a participant/contributor and the facilitator. Do you have any suggestions precisely how I can do the following effectively without overly influencing the direction with the solutions/strategy and overshadowing additional contributors in the getting together with? "
: David D., Los Angeles, CA
What a excellent question! For many who find themselves serving in a facilitation role, they are indeed likely to be both a participant in addition to a facilitator. This is especially true for consultants, who are anticipated to bring and discuss their expertise, and for internal facilitators - those who primarily facilitate inside the firm that employs them.
Not surprisingly according to many colleges of facilitation thought, the facilitator shouldn't play the role with participant or offer information suggestions. As this view goes, "The facilitator strengthens process. The participants have the effect of content. Never this twain shall meet. " Even though David indicates in this question, by the nature with the role, if a facilitator gets involved in content discussions the facilitator might overly influence the direction with the solutions/strategy or overshadow additional contributors in the meeting.
However, at Leadership Strategies we take a different stand that could be considered blasphemy by facilitation purists. We originate from the "consulting" school with facilitation which dictates that consultants/facilitators possess a fiduciary responsibility to their clients to do whatever they can within reason to aid their clients succeed. If in our experience we now have seen an alternative that might be helpful to our clientele, and no one is usually bringing it up, we believe we are obligated to own idea. Likewise, if the client is definetly going in a direction our experience says might be detrimental, we are compelled to own insight to the party.
But how do while insights without unduly having an influence on? Here are two strategies David found helpful.
1. Help the participants understand the two roles you are playing and be clear when you switch from one role to the other.
As a way to introduce this concept of the two roles, you may say the follow.
Though I am facilitating the meeting, you will have times when it are going to be important for me to obtain an idea out shared or to object to something someone has said. When this happens, I will purposely pull up a chair, sit down, allow my comment, stand in place, and then say similar to, "We just got some interesting input from the person sitting in the chair. Let's go around the room and give reaction to what he said. "
While it sounds a bit hokey, people get it right away: when you are sitting in the chair you will be a participant; at all the times, you are the facilitator. You can achieve this same distinction in various ways as well, such as you're eliminating hat labeled "team" together with putting it on you have always wanted to make a comment.
You may choose other less dramatic ways of make the difference in the roles clear. However, do remember the importance of the individuals in the meeting understanding the two roles you are playing and when you are playing which role.
2. Float the idea.
For ownership and buy-in, it is better to get the participants come up with an idea independently rather than to obtain it imposed by an outsider. This is the reason great facilitators use questioning ways to help guide discussions. Sometimes, however, even the best questioning techniques don't uncover a specific idea that the group may end up overlooking.
Rather than allowing the concept to go unsaid, the facilitator contains the option to "float" the concept into the discussion and allow the group to take it or reject it. To float a perception, the facilitator states the idea in some sort of a question, "What about...? " If the people respond favorably, the second the main reacting question should get asked, "What do you observe as the benefits? " And if they see the positive aspects, ownership is locked down in the final question, "How do you want me to write the idea? "
Example of Floating an idea (adapted from the Secrets of Facilitation)
The management team from a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners is installing an alternative payroll system and is determining how the payroll information will be gathered for their traveling sales force. Today they make very little use of technology, as you will learn.
Facilitator: Now that we now have concluded that the people in headquarters will enter their own personal payroll information using computers strategically located throughout the building, let's turn to the sales force, how will we acquire information? Think about most of the ways you receive the details you need today. Which these forms would be suitable for our sales force? ( starting issue )
Controller: Let's just keep these things mail the information in?
Facilitator: That could job. What other alternatives are there ( prompt question )?
The facilitator believes that giving the sales team lap tops could permit them to enter the payroll
information in themselves and transmit the info at night. As properly, during the day, they are able to use the laptops with regard to other applications.
Pay Clerk: If we can have them mail the internet in, let's at least allow them to have pre-printed forms for each week so they won't ought to write so much. The stuff some of those guys call writing couldn't be deciphered through the CIA.
Facilitator: That's a thought additionally. Are there solutions in your community of technology? (contributing question)
Gross sales Manager: Let's have them fax within their time sheets! That way the info would get there faster.
Facilitator: Are there many other technology solutions? (punctual question)
Specialist: I understand that there are a solution available where the sales folks could enter their payroll information as a result of touch tone phone.
Facilitator: Acceptable, we have several potential solutions right here. Let me ask, why don't you consider giving the sales force computers?
Sales Manager: That's a great idea! I like it.
Facilitator: What do you see as the benefits?
Sales Manager: Though the laptops would primarily use for payroll, there are many other things for the fact that laptops could be made use of, like customer presentations, gross sales forecasting, lead management, or anything else.
Pay Clerk: And I want the idea that the data is entered only as soon as, so there will likely be fewer mistakes.
Facilitator: Those sound like great benefits. How do you need me to write the concept?
We have found these strategies provide a vehicle for the facilitator to contribute without the need of overpowering the group. Let us know what additional strategies you use!
REFERENCE:
http://www.articlerich.com/Article/All-About-Garden-Weddings/1048818
http://www.articlerich.com/Article/What-About-Garden-Weddings-/1031758
http://uberarticles.com/home-and-family/what-about-garden-weddings/