I miss all of you! Although I'm far far away...I'd still love to contribute =p I just went for a workshop and part of it gave some really useful tips on how to tackle common group situations.
As facilitators, we need to keep to time and try to complete the task at hand with our group, but what's more important is how you make your group mates feel after the activity. Would you want them going away saying "wow, I felt that was edifying" or "man I hate sharings! Why did I even come?!". It's very much to do with the process and how we respond to non-ideal situations. In reality...ideal situations hardly happen haha!
1. Let your group know...
Sharings will be more rewarding if there is participation from everyone.
No ideas are stupid.
It is purely each individual's perspective.
If an individual has nothing to share, then just share with the group that there is nothing in mind to share yet. =) Some people need more time to think about things.
Let everyone agree that the sharing is confidential.
2. LISTENING
This really is about observing non-verbal cues as well. If someone is not contributing, but you see that they are following the discussion, then leave them be. Some people like to contribute when they think they've got the right answer. If someone is not contributing and is not listening, don't pick on them!
*One technique to help with this is to ask them to chat in pairs. They do not have to share their answers with the whole group (let's say >5) if there isn't a need to. It's just to get them thinking and getting comfortable with talking about things. Some people are more willing to voice their own ideas with less risk of embarrassment.*
*another technique is to give your group a piece of paper each to jot down their thoughts. Give them enough time to mull over the question. Ask them to share just one of the many answers on their paper.*
Remember the aim is to get people comfortable.
3. TRUST
It is through our welcoming actions and NOT picking on them that we gain their trust. To prove that we are not there to be against them, or to cause any reason to put up their defences.
4. LEADERSHIP
Do know that as a leader, you are not there to do most of the work. If there are 5 people in the group then you will contribute your 1/5 of the work to make the group work. Let the rest know that the group needs their participation too. Setting up simple and agreed "ground rules" (Stuff that will help make the group work) as mentioned in point 1. will help to facilitate the group. Then you can remind them "Do you remember what we agreed on to make this group work?" , if they go wayward/disruptive.
If you get a talker -- someone who "knows it all" and likes to talk, giving no one else time to share their thoughts; teach the talker to be sensitive to the others.
*Technique 1: Cut in when he/she is taking a breath to say "Thank you (name) for your thoughts. (Another name) what do you think/feel about... " OR "Thank you (name), you have contributed a lot, let us hear from the other group mates on what they think."
*Technique 2: Give sweets each time to anyone who responds. If someone is getting all the sweets, jokingly say "Oh you need to give others a chance!"
If you have the peacemaker...someone who thinks disagreement is failure, then let your group that it is ok to disagree. Help the group develop simple rules for disagreeing. Conflict occurs naturally in a healthy group. It is when there are different views that we get a better perspective of things.
Keep checking that everyone is on board...on the same page. If not, check out what has happened to them. Where have they been? Are they feeling well?
Let each individual know that their contributions has impacted on the group. Eg: Thank you (name) and (name) for your sharing, we now have a better understanding of (topic). OR thank you (name) for cracking us up with your jokes, it made the group much livelier!
Remind everyone that each one has a responsibility of making the group work. =) Do not ever let anyone walk away saying "I knew it was a bad idea" or "see... I told you I was right" when things go wrong. If things are going wrong and they can see it, let them make a change!
Don't allow them to look at their sinking group and laugh.
If the current step is wrong, don't move on to the next step and let the problem build up.
5. EVALUATION
Do a self reflection. Did I help make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed? Did my group mates feel like they contributed? What could I have done better to facilitated the group?
If appropriate, how did we as a group do? What could have been done better?
Other tips to note...
As the leader or facilitator, take the question (or challenge) from the questioner, and post it to the whole group for ideas. Eg: "What do the rest of you think?" OR "What should we do with this?". Try not to answer it by yourself immediately.
Never ever comment "OH we tried that before, it didn't work!". Let the person explain his/her ideas fully before interjecting. Also, if it did not work...why did it not work? Explain to the rest. Could it be improved on?
Take home questions...
When you hear common phrases like "It's always the same people doing the work!" OR "They will not come even if we announce in the bulletin"...Why is it so?
Hope this would be helpful for all of you aspiring to be facilitators =) I found some of the suggestions very handy and useful!
God Bless,
Fran
