LOOKING THROUGH THE CRYSTAL BALL: THE U.S. WORKFORCE IN 2030

PI Network,

IAP2 Cascade Chapter

May 15, 2013

Essential, Versatile Facilitation Tools

Presented by L. Melanie Chase

Organizational Development Consultant

Chase Solutions

Learning Objectives:

• Name key considerations in meeting planning from the perspective of a facilitator

• Experience a demonstration of essential and versatile facilitation tools/methods that can be used with minimal preparation, including: • Welcoming and Connecting Method: Mix-Max Groups

• Expanding and Narrowing Tool: More of/Less of

• Learning and Discovery Methods: ORID Discussion Method, 15 Words

• Identify the purpose for the tools/methods and suitable applications

• Practice facilitating one of the methods with your colleagues based on a case study or real regional project example

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Topical Overview

Agenda:

1) Background/Context Setting (10 min.)

2) Tools: (55 min.) Welcoming and Connecting Method: Mix-Max Groups (10)

Expanding and Narrowing Tool: More of / Less of (2)

Learning and Discovery Methods: ORID Discussion Method (20),

15 Words (20)

3) Discussion of Tools’ Purposes (2 min.)

4) Practice (using case study or example) (23

min.)

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Background/Context Setting Continuum of Public Involvement: Across Levels, Low to High

Public Involvement Techniques: • Vary by type of project, stakeholders, and level of public influence in

decision making, and controversy

Inform. The Inform level is the least engaging of the various levels of participation.

Consult. The Consult level provides information and gathers feedback from participants, but may not use that input in decision-making.

Involve. The Involve level directly engages the public.

Collaborate. To Collaborate means to engage the public in decisions made during each step of the project, including defining the issues, developing alternatives, formulating recommendations, and sometimes even implementing recommendations.

Empower. The Empower level gives the public the authority to make decisions that will be ratified.

Source: Tempe Involving the Public Manual

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Background/Context Setting Continuum of Lg.Group Facilitation Methods—Amount of Structure

Large Group Facilitation Techniques:

• Vary on core dimensions such as amount of structure, facilitator’s role, purpose of session, optimal number of participants, length of intervention, number of sessions, and use of outside speakers (and amount of pre-planning).

Purposes:

• Planning methods to help set a direction for an organization or a community,

• Structuring methods to redefine working relationships among organization members and create new structures for doing work, and

• Adaptable methods that vary, including planning, structuring, and other complex, important purposes • Welcoming and Connecting; Narrowing and Expanding; Learning and Discovering.

• Plenty to choose from, see:

http://www.iaf-methods.org/methods

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Background/Context Setting Large Group Facilitation Methods Principles:

• Organizations and communities are living systems.

• Organizations and communities don’t change, people do.

• The knowledge required for successful change resides within the stakeholders who comprise the organizational or community system.

• Uses a systems approach to tap into organization member’s creative intelligence for shaping the future in meaningful and empowering ways through:

• high levels of participation and information sharing;

• purposeful dialogue to create shared meaning, understanding, and context;

• shared decision making to build commitment and;

• focused action planning for timely implementation.

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Background/Context Setting:

• Meeting Planning Common Steps: 1. Select the meeting location 2. Meeting preparation:

• Dialogue, deliberation, and decision making phases • Set the meeting agenda • Coordinate attendance

3. Meeting facilitation: • Establish ground rules and group norms • Design group processes to meet rational and experiential

objectives • Meeting flow (beginning, middle, end)

4. Share the public involvement program or more about the initiative and purpose of the meeting

Background/Context Setting

Facilitation Methods and Techniques:

• Name key considerations in meeting planning from the perspective of a facilitator:

1) ___________________________________________________

2) ___________________________________________________

3) ___________________________________________________

Background/Context Setting

Content neutral and steward of the process Facilitator Role: • Process Designer

• Process Manager

• Content Guide (Ideally Content Neutral)

• Moderator of Group Dynamics • Evaluator of Group and Process Effectiveness

Mix-Max Groups Tools: Welcoming and Connecting Method

Mix up the Max (Large) Group: 1) Learn about your Audience:

-Demographic characteristics, experience with other public meetings, etc.

2) Mix them up more into small groups: -Small group discussions with something in common already Purpose: 1. Introduce all within larger group with subgroups 2. Connect those with similar interests 3. Connect deeper in smaller groups Setup: 1. Identify subgroups of interest within your audience, ask to

reorganize by those OR ask questions to determine groups 2. Prepare a question or two for the smaller groups’ discussion

More Of / Less Of

Tools: Expanding and Narrowing Tool

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More Of…n

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Less Of…

Vision:__________________ Behaviors/Characteristics

Purpose: 1. Explore an issue through different lenses: expansion and reduction (narrowing) Setup: 1. Identify the behavior or characteristics that are important to explore 2. Make a statement about those behaviors or characteristics into a question. Ask it.

(example: what aspects of the park would you like to see more of and less of?

Tools: Learning and Discovery Methods

15 Words on Separate Flip Charts 15 Words

CODING: __ Underline key phrases m Circle unclear Check in question or concerns

IN THEIR OWN WORDS PROJECT DEFINITION

PROJECT VISION

Purpose: 1. Explore an issue from different perspectives to move towards consensus or simply clarify what

participants mean or understand about an issue, action, project definition, vision, etc. Setup: 1. Each participant (or pair) is given a flip chart page and marker. Provide clear instruction: They must

write, in 15 words or less, the project definition or vision statement or other statement as it relates to the issue or task.

2. Post all flipcharts for review by the group. Review instructions: Follow same coding and review system. 3. Ask participants to move to each flipchart, read, check for understanding using their markers and the

same coding and review system. 4. Step back and identify key phrases, questions, and more. Discuss.

ORID Discussion Method

Tools: Learning and Discovery Methods

O = Objective Facts, Specifics)

R = Reflective

/ (Personal Meaning, Connection to Already Known)

I = Interpretive (Consideration of Personal Context/Situation or

Application)

D = Decisional (Next Steps, How to Apply)

Purpose: 1. Explore an issue through a series of questions that follows how people naturally learn. Setup: 1. Formulate a few questions that follow the O R/I D structure, on the fly or with some advance prep. 2. Pose the questions—actively listen, document on a flipchart if you wish for reference or visual cue, or

ask for post-its on flipcharts in response to each question. 3. Ensure participation with small group discussion, round robin review, dyads, and other “intervention

skills.”

Purpose of Tools/Methods:

• Identify the purpose for the tools/methods and suitable

applications. Match the tool/method to the purpose.

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Tool/Method Purpose

1. Mix-Max Groups

2. More of/Less of

3. ORID Discussion Method

4. 15 Words

Welcoming and Connecting

______________________________

Expanding and Narrowing

______________________________

Learning and Discovery

______________________________

Practice

OPTIONS:

• Practice facilitating one of the methods with your

colleagues based on a case study or real regional

project example

• Discuss usage of certain tools for upcoming

project(s)

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www.chase-solutions.org

Topical Overview

Agenda:

1) Background/Context Setting (10 min.)

2) Tools: (55 min.) Welcoming and Connecting Method: Mix-Max Groups (10)

Expanding and Narrowing Tool: More of / Less of (2)

Learning and Discovery Methods: ORID Discussion Method (20),

15 Words (20)

3) Discussion of Tools’ Purposes (2 min.)

4) Practice (using case study or example) (23

min.)

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