1 day Facilitation Skills Workshop ITC, Innovation Lab 28th June 2018
The Facilitation Rainbow AMOUNT OF INTERACTION WITH PARTICIPANTS
HIGH
SOCRATIC DIRECTION How to decide which Facilitraining style/strategy to use
FACILITATING DISCUSSION Plenty
BRAINSTORMING
TEACHING Very Little
TIME AVAILABLE High
Low PARTICIPANTS' PRESENT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE
High (Attitude Change)
DEMONSTRATING
(Knowledge Acquisition) Low
OWNERSHIP OF OUTCOME NEEDED
PROCESS MONITORING
Many Options
Only One Option CERTAINTY OF 'ONE BEST WAY'
To discuss
To be consulted
To be told
PRESENTING
CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS Low
High YOUR SKILL AS A FACILITATOR
LOW
HIGH © John Townsend and Paul Donovan 1997
7 Facilitraining styles/strategies RED Presenting (Low Interaction / High Contribution) The classical and often necessary style to put across information. However, as competition from the multimedia environment grows, trainers need to perform at an increasingly professional pitch in order not to be ‘zapped’ by participants! ORANGE Demonstrating (Medium to Low Interaction / High Contribution) Not as ‘one-way’ as lecturing, demonstrating involves interaction with participants in as much as they are asked to try out in some way what has been presented. YELLOW Teaching (Medium to High Interaction / Medium to High Contribution) When in the classic teaching mode, the trainer provides structured learning experiences and guides participants towards pre-determined learning objectives. He or she nevertheless allows some latitude for interpretation at an individual level. GREEN Socratic Direction (High Interaction / Low to High Contribution) This is the ‘maieutic’ method pioneered by Socrates whereby the facilitrainer asks questions and then reformulates the answers as necessary to lead participants to a desired learning outcome. The rainbow provides for a wide range of leading strategies from relatively open to relatively closed. The common element in all Socratic strategies is the high amount of interaction. It is based on the premise that people don’t argue with their own data, even when it is massaged and channelled towards a ‘hidden’ learning outcome - as long as the ‘facipulation’ is done professionally and sincerely. BLUE Facilitating Discussion (Medium to High Interaction Low to Medium Contribution) When using this style, the facilitator interacts quite often with participants to invite opinions, control the process and give own opinions (if only to provoke more discussion) INDIGO Brainstorming (Low to Medium Interaction / Low Contribution) Here the facilitator ‘conducts’ a classic brainstorming session - interacting with participants only to encourage them to give their ideas but hardly ever evaluating or adding ideas. VIOLET Process Monitoring (Low Interaction / Low Contribution) As the ‘guardian of the process’, the facilitator makes no personal contribution to the content of the discussion but occasionally regulates the flow of participants’ contributions according to a previously agreed set of process rules.
FACILITATION SESSION PLAN
MASTER FACILITATOR PROGRAMME © Master Trainer Institute
TOPIC Depending on your specific situation, it may be necessary to plan and/or deliver these 4 steps in a different order
1
Objective? What will I/we/the client accept as evidence of a successful outcome ?
....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... Format of Output?
....................................................................................................................
0000 XXX
CHECKLIST of materials needed for a typical 12 participant session (2 groups of 6) 4 Talking Walls (2 for you, 1 for each group)
6 Title clouds
1 Flip Chart for summaries/instructions/notes
Breakout rooms ?
10 Sheets Kraft paper
Refreshments ?
4 Large coloured markers
Video support ?
12 Normal markers 5 Large post-it pads (25 sheets) 100 Voting dots
MASTER FACILITATOR PROGRAMME
10 SESSION SKILLS FOR FACILITATORS
© Master Trainer Institute
1 Set the Scene
• make people feel welcome • describe objectives • engage in useful small talk • establish credibility • build rapport by linking to participants’ experience
2 Stimulate Interest and Curiosity
• phrase inviting questions • supply attractive processes
3 Valorise Participants
Facilitato rs use and me thods to skills bring th best ou e t in peo ple as th work to ey achieve re su lt interact ive even s in ts.
• demonstrate unconditional acceptance of opinions • boost individuals’ confidence by encouraging their contributions • build on people’s suggestions
4 Provoke Useful Controversy
• phrase challenging questions • supply ‘reframing’ and/or creative problem-solving techniques
5 Distinguish Between Essential and Non-essential Contributions • constantly relate contributions to session objectives • monitor body language for significant reactions to contributions and people • monitor group behaviour for clues to organisational pressure on decisions
SSMF 01
richard@mastertrainer.ch