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Facilitation Skills

Maximizing Your Facilitation Skills

PARTICIPANT MANUAL

Russell Associates

November 2011

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Copyright - 2011 No part of this document can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Russell Associates.

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KEY LEARNING PRINCIPLES Before we begin this training module it is important we keep in mind some important concepts about adult learning. These points will help us all learn more and will contribute to a better sharing of the knowledge contained in this training module. If you are learning the course by yourself then take your time and read over the notes until you are comfortable with the material. If you are learning this material as part of a training session make sure to ask questions. We are confident that you will be glad that you did. The first concept to remember is that learning is a process. From this we need to understand that learning does not happen in isolation e.g. at today’s training event or at first reading of this material. Instead it involves how you, as the learner relate and even adapt this learning to your work and home environments. Once we recognise that learning is a process we can then apply everything learnt to whatever situation is at hand. The second concept to recognise is that learning is improved when it is goal-directed. Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning that the learning occurs more easily and rapidly. To illustrate, people who learn to drive so that they can get to and from work generally find the experience easier and apply themselves to reach this end. In contrast if you were placed on a course not knowing how it could be applied to your working or home environments then the experience could be frustrating and the learning achieved not optimal. Again this may seem obvious but it is surprising how many participate in courses without a clearly identified purpose. Having introduced the main concepts of adult learning, it is now necessary to apply them to your own learning - both within your working environment and outside life. Research suggests that the best way to do this is to develop an action plan that clearly represents your goals and how you plan to achieve them. At the end of this training module you will be requested to complete a short action plan that will help you guide your ongoing achievement of your goals. Please note that this is included as a guide and you are free to add or substitute aspects to meet your own unique goals. You are also free to complete this plan after the course is over if you would prefer. Please remember that since all

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answers given are only for your use, it is advisable that you answer them as accurately and honestly as possible. All we can do now is to wish you the best of luck with your learning and hope that you find this course beneficial.

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Pre-Assignment Welcome to the Facilitation Skills Training Module. In an effort to stimulate what you already know about this module we have included a few short questions. It is your choice whether you want to take the assignment or not and it has been designed to assist your learning in the training module. All answers are for your own use only.

1. I believe that my facilitation skills are effective in the following areas:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

2. These skills are measurable in the following ways:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Note: Be sure goals are specific, attainable and measurable.

3. I believe that I need to improve my knowledge, skills and abilities in the following areas:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

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Learning Objectives Effective facilitation skills drive all successful organisations. In this module you will learn key facilitation skills that you can adopt in your organisation to deliver endless results.

When you have completed this module you will be able to define the key concepts associated with Facilitation Skills and you will be able to:

Identify the main obstacles to effective facilitation. Explain the nature of the facilitation process. Describe a range of techniques for facilitation. Use these techniques to build an effective facilitation process within your

organisation. Explain the benefits of having an effective facilitation process.

What is Facilitation? facilitation - act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something assist, assistance, help, aid - the activity of contributing to the fulfilment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose (the free dictionary by Farlex) Effective facilitation skills can benefit the organisation in a number of important ways. A notable example is the area of conflict resolution. Having a facilitation process which is seen to be neutral and unbiased can be positive. Facilitation allows everyone to have an input in a safe environment and ensures involvement by staff in decisions. This in turn motivates staff by promoting greater ownership of organisational decisions Another example is in the area of continuous improvement campaigns where facilitation provides the conduit for improvement suggestions and their implementation. From the above examples it can be seen that facilitation has many attributes that add value in an organisation in terms of how it uses the most valuable resource – its people. Facilitation is a process that incorporates

Focus Involvement Trust

Positivity Information Ownership

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Facilitation is a way of working with people that enables or empowers them to carry out a task in the best possible way for both themselves and for the organisation. In this context facilitation can be used:

To work smarter and faster. To get the whole answer To get people more involved. To get more ideas. To get more new ideas. To foster understanding, support and follow-through.

So when all of this is taken into consideration it can be seen that facilitation is a developmental educational method that helps people use their own resources to enhance the outcome of group effort. NOTES

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When is Facilitation Appropriate? Facilitation might not always be the correct approach. For instance if there is a dangerous situation it is not likely that the facilitator will try to involve everyone in a discussion on the danger! However, facilitation is an appropriate approach for:

Problem Solving Visioning Modelling Process Development Performance Improvement Conflict Resolution.

Exercise: Identify areas where you feel facilitation is of most benefit in the work you do?

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What is a Facilitator? A facilitator is the protector of the facilitation process and those involved in it. This protection is achieved through:

Creativity Adaptability Direction Attachment

To achieve this, as a facilitator you can adopt many roles:

Advisor to bring out the full potential of groups. Provider of a process that allows work to be completed quickly and effectively in

a group. A conflict resolver. An organiser

Research has identified several traits identified for an Excellent Facilitator

Confidence Flexibility Objectivity Patience Neutrality Ability to think on your feet. Active listener Excellent questioner Empathy Articulate Sense of humour

At first glance these may seem like superhuman qualities, but they are essentially a set of interpersonal and management skills designed to get the most out of people in a focused manner.

What is important is that all of the above skills can be learnt!

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Exercise: What traits do you have that would aid you being an excellent facilitator? Give examples of where you have used these skills.

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What a Facilitator is Not! Having identified some of the traits of excellent facilitators, it is now important to understand what a facilitator is not:

A manipulator of the situation. Someone who offers his or her own solution. A judge A monopoliser.

It is important to note that the neutrality of the facilitator is paramount. As a facilitator you are in place to protect the process of facilitation and all the participants engaged within the process. Are You a Facilitator? The basic questions to determine your ability to function as a facilitator are:

Are you able to listen without bias or judgment? Do you respect the opinions of others even when they disagree with you? Are you comfortable dealing with conflict? Can you think on your feet? Can you accept feedback on your performance from others? Are you comfortable in front of a crowd? Can you leave your own agenda behind?

These are basic requirements of the facilitator; use them as a checklist to assess your own suitability to the role of facilitator. Exercise: Earlier you identified the traits that you possess which would help to make you a good facilitator. Where might you now see some challenges and how might you overcome them?

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Protecting the Process. As indicated above, the role of the facilitator is to protect the process and participants. By understanding this role we can identify task and maintenance functions. As a facilitator you must make:

No judgments. No contributions. No taking sides.

The responsibility for the process has to cascade down into the various tasks associated with your role as a facilitator. To illustrate,

Setting agendas Capturing data Time management Information seeking Clarifying Coordinating Summarizing Relieving tension

These task functions or Facilitator Functions have to be managed with Facilitator Maintenance Functions such as:

Harmonizing Gate keeping Encouraging Consensus seeking Compromising Standard keeping

It can be seen from these maintenance roles that the facilitation process is based around people and their involvement with each other and the overall process. The facilitator will have to be able to adopt certain styles to manage the task and maintenance functions.

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Facilitator Styles Depending on the situation, as a facilitator you will adopt one or a combination of the following styles.

Directive Exploratory Delegating Participative Interpretive Evaluative

No matter which style is adopted, the facilitators must act in a way that shows their commitment to the following principles and values:

Listening Confidentiality Respect Value of personal experience Agreed goals Group process through involvement Trust & safety Inclusion & encouragement

These simple principles will guide the facilitator and participants through the facilitation process.

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NOTES

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The Facilitation Process When we look at organisational dynamics, it is very apparent that people tend to support what they help to create. The level of involvement and consensus involved in this creative process is dependent upon a range of factors which include:

Knowledge Behaviour Hierarchy Culture Personality Jargon Agendas Background

So when we look at the facilitation process, there are two key questions that you must address before anything else:

1. What are the required outcomes of the facilitation session? 2. What are the required products of the facilitation session?

Facilitation Outcomes Outcomes may be

Intangible Difficult to measure

For example, after the session the desired outcome may be that the participants work as a team as opposed to adopting the ‘them & us’ style that they are currently using. On the other hand the product may be:

Generally tangible Generally measurable

For example, after the session the desired product may be:

An agenda for a meeting A schedule of events A plan of action A list detailing various responsibilities

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The important thing is to make sure that there are definite outcomes and products set at the outset of the process so there is some way of gauging the success, or failure, of the facilitation process. NOTES

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The Facilitation Process The facilitation process can be separated into three distinct stages:

Stage 1: Define the purpose, outcomes and products required from the process. Stage 2: Design and define the actual process. Stage 3: Implement the process and ensure the outcomes and products.

If after completion of stage 3, the outcomes & products meet the original definitions, then the process can finish. If outcomes and products do not meet the original definitions then return to Stage 1. Exercise: List any barriers you believe might exist that would prevent the facilitation process from working to its full potential. How might they be reduced or eliminated?

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Designing the Process Let’s assume that you are looking to implement a facilitation process within your work environment. The basic steps in designing the process or facilitation session are as follows:

Clarify the purpose Define the outcomes and products again. Determine the participants Design the sequence of activities. Decide on how to begin and end the session. Determine any logistical issues. Complete the agenda. Agree and finalize the design with the group.

When designing the process there are several factors that must be taken into consideration:

Group size – if it is too big or small it can significantly impact the process. Availability of draft materials – without full documentation it is hard to reach

consensus Logical sequencing – how activities are sequenced can impact progress e.g.,

without knowledge of clear outcomes a lot of time can be wasted which can in turn cause frustration and mistrust.

Information – this is key and there needs to be openness and honesty throughout the process

Time demands – adequate time must be set aside to ensure closure to the process. If enough time is not set aside participants may feel that their input is undervalued.

Post session follow-up – participants need to feel that their input has been considered and followed through on especially if you want them to engage again. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough.

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Exercise: Outline a time in your organization when a facilitation event was not followed-up on. What was the impact on trust levels for future facilitations?

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The Environment The previous factors dealt primarily with process and support issues, however another significant factor is the environment. The facilitation process can be either helped or hindered by environmental factors such as:

Comfort Access Noise Availability of equipment

It is up to the facilitator to make sure that the environment is in fact suitable to accommodate the facilitation process. Exercise: For each of the four environmental factors above please indicate how poor planning could negatively impact the facilitation process.

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After the Facilitation Session The facilitator’s responsibility does not end at the completion of the session, they are responsible for ensuring that:

Participants receive any documented output from the session as soon as possible. Any follow up activity decided upon during the session has been assigned.

It is important to stress that the facilitator should not be the person who coordinates follow-up activity – they are just the person who makes sure that it gets completed. Exercise: Why do you think that the facilitator should not be the person who coordinates follow-up activity?

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Introduction To Facilitation Techniques The starting point for a facilitation session is where the facilitator and the group get organised. This means you will need to examine a set of issues that will have major impact on the way in which the session unfolds. These issues include:

Facts Beliefs Agendas Bias Opinions Process Facilitation techniques End of the facilitation Outcomes & Products

In any facilitation session it is important that you recognise the above issues but it is essential that you remember that you purpose is to protect the process and participants. It is not your role to overly control issues. Tips for Successful Facilitation As already discussed, the facilitator has many things to manage and remember as the facilitation process gets underway. There are some basic tips for facilitation presented below:

Keep everything visible Keep everything recorded. Clarify any changes as you go along. Face the group. Use the space you are in. Involve participants wherever you can. Don’t let people ramble on. Call people by their name. Remember that the group needs to speak to each other - not you. Know when to be quiet. Don’t allow the group to transfer ownership of the process to you. Read the group and respond accordingly. Check the ‘mood meter’ Break at the agreed times.

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NOTES

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Rules for Facilitation If you are to remember anything about facilitation skills please remember the following two simple rules: Rule No. 1: A facilitator always remains neutral, objective and fair. Rule No. 2: Always remember rule 1 Facilitation No-No’s. If you remember the above two rules then the following should seem obvious. The facilitator must never:

Criticize a participant. Insult a participant, the group or the organisation. Argue with a participant. Ignore a participant. Take sides on an issue.

Just remember the rules and you a step closer to becoming an effective facilitator. Exercise: Why is it important to remember the facilitation no-nos?

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Gaining Consensus The ability to gain consensus and to develop a solution that suits the participants or at least is acceptable to them is an important aspect of any facilitation process. Guidelines for facilitators to help gain consensus among the group are:

Help participants avoid arguing for their own position, intervene when necessary. Look for the win-win alternatives - go for collaboration and co-operation as

opposed to competition. Be suspicious if agreement comes too quickly. Check the acceptability of the solution with the whole group.

NOTES

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Self-Check Questions The facilitator must always stay on track and focused. The following simple questions will help you achieve this: Is the group producing the products? Am I sticking to the agenda? Is there full participation? Do we need more breaks / activities? Are there any signs of frustration from them or me? Can everyone see what the group is doing? Is my objectivity still intact? It is very easy to become embroiled or sidetracked in the facilitation process especially if the group is difficult or the issue is complex. The questions that are presented in this section force the facilitator to critically assess their role.

Always remember that it is your role to protect the process and the participants.

These questions will help you stay on track.

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Intervention Intervention moves the facilitator from being an observer to being a participant. There are 3 types of intervention: Procedural Intervention The reason why this might be necessary is that confusion exists concerning the procedures that are being used. Here the focus of the intervention is on the what and how of the process. Conceptual Intervention The reason behind this type of intervention is that the facilitator has observed confusion or a lack of understanding concerning a concept or a technique. The focus of the intervention is to clarify a concept and enhance understanding. Process Intervention The reason behind this type of intervention is that the need arises to focus attention on some interpersonal or group dynamic that may develop to have a detrimental effect on the outcome. The focus of the intervention is to eliminate a negative dynamic in the group before it damages the overall process. The facilitator needs to be aware of when to use each particular type of intervention in relation to situations they might find themselves to be in. Exercise: List examples of the above interventions from your organization.

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Types of Facilitation Techniques In this section, several facilitation techniques are presented. The appropriateness of each technique needs to be assessed for the situation that the facilitator uncovers within the group process. It is useful to have a variety of techniques in the ‘arsenal’ to cover any eventuality. Although a variety of facilitation techniques are employed within organisations we will outline eight techniques in this training. These are:

Awareness Brainstorming Nominal Group Affinity Diagram Fishbowl Undiscussables Multiple Perspectives Hanger Technique

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Awareness Technique This simple technique may be used to get the group to become aware of a dynamic and to move ahead. It is based around asking a set of questions: What is happening right now in the group? What does the group want right now? What is the group doing to prevent themselves from getting what they want? How can the group overcome these issues and move ahead? Involvement and participation coupled with honesty are the basic requirements for this technique. An important aspect of this technique is that it gets the group to stop and think of the dynamics that may be at play in the group rather than becoming caught in the flow or emotionality of the issue. Exercise: Where would awareness technique be most useful? Where could you apply this in your work?

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Brainstorming This is perhaps the most well known technique and most often used incorrectly. The focus here is to involve as many people as possible and use ideas to spark ideas around the group. The steps involved are:

Organize the group to gather around the flip chart. Nominate a scribe Set a time limit or idea target. Go around the group so that each member gives their input. Allow the member to ‘Pass’ if they cannot contribute on their turn. However limit

this to 2 passes per member. Free wheel around the group if input begins to slow.

The scribe must not edit comments and all ideas must not be judged or criticized It is also essential that all ideas are captured as what might not appear important at first may be crucial later. This is a non-judgmental technique that makes it safe for all participants to give their input without criticism. Exercise: Where would brainstorming be most useful? Where could you apply this in your work?

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The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) NGT is used to combine brainstorming with individual thought. This technique is suitable for drawing out as many ideas as possible then reducing them to a manageable number. The NGT reduces the tendency for groups to evaluate ideas as they are presented. The NGT Technique involves four distinct phases Phase 1: Idea Generation Participants silently generate a list of ideas. Facilitator works around the group to capture all the ideas. Each one is numbered for identification. Phase 2: Clarification & Reduction The ideas are clarified where necessary for the group. The group votes anonymously for the different ideas. Phase 3: Discussion The remaining ideas are discussed so that they are fully understood by the whole group. Phase 4: Selection The group uses a weighted voting system to select the preferred idea from among those that have emerged from the reduction process. The group therefore chooses one idea to go forward with. Exercise: Where would NGT technique be most useful? Where could you apply this in your work?

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The Affinity Diagram This technique follows on from the brainstorming technique already discussed above. The following steps the lead to a clarification and better indication of where an issue or conflict exists.

Take the ideas generated in the brainstorm. Cluster or group the ideas according to sets of criteria that identify commonality. As the clusters appear, clarification / explanations can be provided.

Exercise: Apply the affinity diagram technique to an example situation in your organisation. Please state the example and how would you handle this applied facilitation?

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The Fish-Bowl Technique When the group has reached an impasse or closure is required then this technique can be used. The technique involves the following steps.

Call a 10-minute break. Ask each group to nominate a representative who can make decisions on behalf of

the group. Organise the seating so that there are 3 chairs in the centre of a semi-circle. Put

the two representatives on two of the centre chairs, all others sit in the semicircle Set a time limit for the representatives to reach consensus The representatives must speak so as to be heard by the whole group. There should be no communication between the representatives and the remainder

of the groups. Anyone who wishes to address the representatives will be given one minute to sit

on the third central chair and state their position to the representatives. The facilitator allows the representatives to work to consensus and will only

intervene if rules are broken. Once consensus is reached - move on!

Exercise: What do you believe the main challenges are when a facilitation session reaches this stage?

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Undiscussables Technique This technique is useful when a facilitation session hits on an issue that is difficult as it might offend someone or present a taboo subject. Because of the potential for offence, there is a requirement for some ground rules.

Challenge only ideas and assumptions - not people. Listen for what is said and note what is not said. Beware of people’s motives.

The methodology behind the technique is as follows:

Give each person 3 cards / sheets of paper and the same colour pen / marker. Each person writes one undiscussable statement on the card - they give enough

detail for understanding. If the statement refers to someone’s behaviour - use job title and not the person’s

name. It is a statement not an attack. The facilitator then collects the cards and shuffles them. The facilitator asks each participant to draw three cards and place one face up in

front of them. Each participant then reads the up-turned card in front of him or her. Continue this process until the participants have read all the cards. Participants then group all the cards according to common themes. Starting with the easiest group of undiscussables, discuss them using the guide

questions. There are some guiding questions that can be used in the process

What is the threat behind the undiscussable? What has allowed this threat to persist? What has stopped the issue from being discussed? What are the unintended consequences of the issue in the past, present and future? How does its existence block the performance of the team in reaching a decision

in this process? How does the issue fit with corporate values? What do we want to do about the undiscussables that have been presented?

As the facilitator you will need to exhibit strong control over this technique due to the potential for damage to the overall process.

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Exercise: Where could you use this technique in your work?

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Multiple Perspectives Disk As a facilitator you must be able to get participants to present their perspectives on an issue. This technique can be used to draw quieter participants into the discussion. By increasing the number of perspectives presented, the number of possibilities for effective action is also increased. The methodology behind this technique is as follows:

Create a disk from stiff paper or card. Write the issue being discussed in the centre of the card. Divide the disk into segments according to the number of participants and put a

name in each segment. Decide on the stakeholders and write a card to represent each of them. Place the stakeholder cards around the disk. Turn the disk so that a participant’s name is next to a stakeholder card. The participants must then view the issue from the perspective of the stakeholder

and present their understanding on a flip chart. There is NO pass in this technique.

This is a complex technique so here are some questions to guide the process. Rember you are looking from the stakeholder’s perspective. Understanding

What do I see that no one else can? What is my basic understanding of the issue? What data is my understanding based upon?

Examination

How closely have I looked at the issue? How far away is it from me? What else is included in the issue?

Time

What time frame am I working in? When did the issue arise for the first time? When will it become a non-issue for me?

Expectation

What do I expect to happen? What do I hope will happen? Who expects me to deal with this? What do they want me to do?

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When all the perspectives have been taken - the group must go through each one. The group must also discuss and clarify each to reach an understanding of the various perspectives that are involved. The benefit of this technique is that it forces the participants to look at issues from outside of their own comfort zone. This leads to better understanding and potentially a better solution Exercise: Give examples from your organisation when this technique could have been used?

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The Hangar Technique or “parked” method This technique is mainly employed when as a facilitator you are faced with input that is

Inappropriate Not on the Agenda Conflict Inducing Disruptive.

To use this technique simply represent a hanger on a flip chart where such issues are listed and recorded until they can be dealt with effectively and appropriately. NOTES

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People in the Process The focus in any facilitation process will always be on the people. It has to be remembered that people will enter the process with

Personal objectives Bias Different interactive styles Different personalities

The facilitator must be able to manage the range of styles and agendas to achieve a positive outcome. Group Dynamics The facilitator needs to be aware of the personality types that exist within the group and the various roles that are adopted. Typical roles would include:

Opinion giver Compromiser Encourager Mediator Gatekeeper Opinion seeker Follower Diagnostician

Personality Types & Facilitation There are also several personality types at work within the group and these are shown in the following diagram.

The Know-It-All The Sniper The Talker The Quiet One The Complainer

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The Know-It-All Traits Strategies For The Facilitator Acts as the expert, dominates and seeks attention constantly.

Be well prepared on the topic. Do not challenge but use questions. Ask the other participants to comment and so redirect the focus away from them. Focus on the solutions from the group.

The Sniper Traits Strategies For The Facilitator Attacks and criticizes in an indirect manner, masking aggression by using humour or saying things under their breath.

Address their behaviour openly. Ask others if they agree with the criticism. Don’t allow them to hide behind humour. Address it each time it occurs until it stops.

The Talker Traits Strategies For The Facilitator Distracts people around by holding side conversations.

Ask them to share their input with the group. Ask them to stop. Direct questions at them.

The Quiet One Traits Strategies For The Facilitator Timid and shy. The danger is that their silence may be taken as agreement.

Praise them when they do contribute. Set them at ease before the session. Bring them in on ‘safe’ issues.

The Complainer/Whiner Traits Strategies For The Facilitator Complains constantly and looks for instant fixes. Any blame is always pushed onto others.

Do not be defensive. Listen and acknowledge. Don’t argue. Ask them questions. Encourage them to act as opposed to whining.

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Exercise: From your own perspective which of the personality types would you find the most difficult to deal with and why? Give examples how you would approach this situation?

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Group Dynamics and Conflict Before we end this facilitation skills training course it is important to recognize the mix of personality types that occur in most teams. As a facilitator you will have to ‘manage the mix’ so that the group dynamic is synergistic and the result is improved from the input from the group. Negativity must be controlled so that it has little of no impact on the group dynamic and the result of the process. Dealing with Conflict Conflict stems from differing viewpoints. Conflict is not always negative as managed conflict will lead to positive interaction. However, unmanaged conflict will lead to disruption. Therefore managing conflict is a key skill for facilitators. Facilitators need to work towards a positive outcome from the conflict and can apply the following tactics.

Find some ‘grains of truth’ in the positions and build from each of them. Identify and state areas of agreement for the two positions. Take a time-out to allow the subject to cool off.

Always maintain an objective and inclusive approach to the parties involved - neutrality is key.

Other tactics may include

Gather opinions from other parties. Use the multiple perspectives disk technique to get the two sides to move out of

their own zones. Develop towards a compromise. Keep them talking - not shouting. Speak to the parties involved during a break.

Exercise: What approach would you take when there is conflict between a manager and an employee in a facilitated session?

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Individuals in the Process The facilitator is focused on the group process - this must not be done at the expense of the individual. The individual has certain needs such as:

Sense of belonging. Commitment to the group goals. Sense of progress. Clarity of expectations. Confidence in the facilitator.

The facilitator must always protect the individuals in the facilitation process.

NOTES

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From the information presented it can be seen that facilitation is not an easy job. The key points that need to be borne in mind are:

Neutrality is the priority. Preparation is important. The ability to read people is crucial. Select and use techniques that suit the situation. Manage the group dynamic. Recognize and respond to the needs of individuals. Communication skills are vital. Facilitator skills develop the more the facilitator actually facilitates. The most important role of the facilitator is to protect the facilitation process.

The ability to facilitate within a functional and respected facilitation process can be of significant value to an organisation. The first step in setting up a viable facilitation process is to recognise where it will add value in the organisation and subsequently to use it appropriately. The availability of facilitators who have a selection of tools and techniques for running the process is vital to the success of any facilitation activity; the tools and techniques presented in this programme will assist towards attaining that capability within the organisation.

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Post-Assignment Congratulations on completing the Facilitation Skills Training Module. To help you assess what you have learnt from this module please complete the following short assignment. This assignment has been designed to assist your learning and answers are for your own use only. It is your choice whether you want to take the assignment or not, or if you would like to review the material as you find the answers for the questions. What is important is that you are comfortable with the knowledge that you have gained from the training course.

1. What is facilitation?

2. List five areas where it is appropriate to use facilitation?

3. List four traits of effective facilitators?

4. Give an example of a product of facilitation?

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5. What factors need to be taken account of when designing a facilitation session?

6. What environmental factors need to be considered when designing a facilitation session?

7. Is it the role of the facilitator to coordinate follow-up activity? Please explain your answer.

8. What are the two rules of facilitation?

9. What are the three types of facilitation intervention?

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10. List five facilitation techniques?

11. Explain how you would perform a brainstorming facilitation session?

12. What are the different personality types that you would need to be aware of in a facilitation session?

13. What are the two things that a facilitator must protect at all times?

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Action Plan

1. I believe that my Facilitation skills are effective in the following areas:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

2. These skills are measurable in the following ways: a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Note: Be sure goals are specific, attainable and measurable.

3. I believe that I need to improve my knowledge, skills and abilities in the following areas:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Note: These improvements will represent your goals from completion of the course.

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4. These improvements will be measurable in the following ways:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

5. To attain these improvements I will need to:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

6. This is how I plan to attain these improvements:

Goal Action Step Target Date Proposed Evidence

7. The following people and resources will assist me in accomplishing my goals:

a.

b.

c.

d. e.

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8. The following are constraints that may impact the achievement of my goals:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

9. Here is a list of others factors that I need to consider in achieving my goals: a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

10. To achieve my goals will involve:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Signed: _____________________________

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Recommended Reading: 1.

Facilitation Skills for Team Leaders (50 Minute) by Donald, Ph.D. Hackett, Charles L., Ph.D. Martin (Editor) (Paperback - June 1, 1993) Avg. Customer Rating:

2.

How To Lead Work Teams: Facilitation Skills, 2nd Edition by Fran Rees, Fran Rees (Paperback - May 10, 2001) Avg. Customer Rating:

3.

The Facilitator Excellence Handbook (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professional) by Fran Rees (Paperback - June 10, 2005)

4.

Facilitation Skills for Team Development (Better Management Skills Series) by Warren Redman

5.

The Facilitator's Fieldbook: Step-by-Step Procedures * Checklists and Guidelines * Samples and Templates -- by Thomas Justice, et al; Paperback

6.

Facilitation Skills for Team Development (Better Management Skills Series) by Warren Redman

7.

Faultless Facilitation : A Resource Guide for Team Leaders and Facilitators (3 Ring Binding) by Lois B Hart (Ring-bound - December 1, 1991)