Secrets of Facilitation

Michael Wilkinson is founder and managing director for Leadership Strategies–The Facilitation Company, which specializes in facilitation training and in providing facilitators to lead executive retreats and task forces. He was named Facilitator of the Year by the Southeast Association of Facilitators in 2003 and is author of four books.

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• Introduction to the Second Edition xviiWhat’s New in the Second Edition? xviiiCase Study: The Secrets in Action—How Two Practitioners Have Put the Secrets to Work xxIntroduction: a Powerful Secret xxiiiCase Study: Learning the Powerful Secret xxiiiSecret #1—The Fundamental Secret of Facilitation xxivCase Study: The Sanitation Workers xxivLearning to Apply the Fundamental Secret xxviThe Principles of SMART Facilitation xxviiiMore Ways to Apply the Secret xxxixWhat This Book Will Do for You xxxixWhere to Start xlI. What Is the Role of a Facilitator? 1Questions Answered in This Chapter 1Case Study: The Facilitator’s Role in Civic Leadership Groups 1Sample Scenarios: Group Solutions Needed 3When Is Facilitation Appropriate? 4Secret #2—The Secret of When to Use Facilitation 5Definition: What Is a Facilitated Session? 5What Are the Responsibilities of a Facilitator? 6The Soul of a Facilitator 7When Is Facilitation Not Appropriate? 8Facilitation: Where Is the Industry Today? 10What’s Next for Facilitation? 11Applying the Secrets to Gain Buy-In to a Strategic Plan 13Facilitator’s Checklist for Understanding Facilitation and the Roles of a Facilitator 14Exercise Your Skills 15II. The Secrets to Questioning: Design Your Questions to Get Better Answers 17Questions Answered in This Chapter 17Case Study: Starting Questions 17The Starting Question 18Secret #3—The Secret of the Starting Question 20Case Study: The Starting Question to Engage the VP’s Number Two 26The Reacting Questions 27Secret #4—The Secret to Guiding a Group 28Floating an Idea 29Secret #5—The Secret to Influencing Idea Ownership 30Applying the Questioning Techniques 32A Final Note on Questioning 34Facilitator’s Checklist for Questioning 34Exercise Your Skills 35III. The Secrets to Preparing: Know Your 5 Ps 37Questions Answered in This Chapter 37Case Study: The Principals’ Conference 37The 5 Ps of Preparation 38Secret #6—The Secret to Preparation: The 5 Ps 38It’s All About Purpose 39Secret #7—The Secret Power of Purpose 40Defining the Product 41Secret #8—The Secret to Defining the Session Product: The 3 Hs 42Selecting Participants 42Identifying the Probable Issues 45Preparing the Process 46The Meeting Notice 46Case Study: Preparing for Vision Councils 47Special Topic: Managing a Sponsor 48Secret #9—The Secret to Managing a Sponsor’s Presence 51Applying the 5 Ps 53Facilitator’s Checklist for Preparing 54Exercise Your Skills 55IV. The Secrets to Starting: Inform, Excite, Empower, Involve 57Questions Answered in This Chapter 57Case Study: Kicking off Vision 2020 57Opening the Session 58Secret #10—The Secret to a Strong Opening 59Secret #11—The Secret to Exciting in the Opening 62Gaining Buy-In to the Agenda 63Secret #12—The Secret to Gaining Agenda Buy-In 63Using Ground Rules 65Secret #13—The Secret to Using Ground Rules 65Case Study: Avoiding the Executive Feeding Frenzy 68Using Parking Boards 70Secret #14—The Secret to Parking Boards 70Effective Introductions 71Secret #15—The Secret to Effective Introductions 72Opening Nonfacilitated Meetings 73When Should You Arrive for the Meeting? 73Getting Started on Time 74Secret #16—The Secret to Starting on Time 74Applying the Secrets to Starting 75Facilitator’s Checklist for Getting the Session Started 76Exercise Your Skills 77V. The Secrets to Focusing: Establish the Course, Avoid Detours 79Questions Answered in This Chapter 79Case Study: Facilitating the Senator and the Chief of Staff 79Secret #17—The Secret to Using Checkpoints 79Focusing the Group: Using Checkpoints 79The Extended Checkpoint 83Warming Up a Group 84Secret #18—The Secret to Warming Up a Group 84Delivering Accurate, Clear, and Concise Directions (PeDeQs) 85Secret #19—The Secret to Giving Clear Directions 85Keeping a Group on Track 88Secret #20—The Secret to Keeping a Group on Track 88Managing Breakout Groups 90Secret #21—The Secret to Effective Breakout Groups 90Secret #22—The Secret to Rotating Flip Charts 95Applying the Secrets to Focusing 97Facilitator’s Checklist for Focusing a Group 97Exercise Your Skills 99VI. The Secrets to Recording: the Power of the Pen—use It, Don’t Abuse It, Make It Theirs 101Questions Answered in This Chapter 101Case Study: Public Safety Collaborative 101How Facilitators Abuse the Pen 102Using, Not Abusing the Pen 104Secret #23—The Secret to Using, Not Abusing, the Power of the Pen 104Case Study: The Power of the Pen, ELMO, and Parking Boards 107Knowing What to Record 107Secret #24—The Secret to Knowing What to Record 108Managing the Recording Process 110Secret #25—The Secret to Keeping the Recording Concise 112Using Strategies to Avoid Lulls While Writing 113Secret #26—The Secret to Avoiding Lulls While Writing 114Additional Techniques for Recording 116The Seven Deadly Sins of Facilitation 118Applying the Secrets to Recording 119Facilitator’s Checklist for Recording 119Exercise Your Skills 120VII. The Secrets to Information Gathering: Know Your Tools and How to Use Them 123Questions Answered in This Chapter 123Case Study: The Retailing Conference 123Understanding the Major Information Gathering and Processing Functions 125Understanding Processing Groups 126Understanding Processing Order 127Gathering and Processing Information 127Secret #27—The Secret to Gathering Information 127Gathering Facts 128Secret #28—The Secret to Getting the Details 129Categorizing 130Secret #29—The Secret to Categorizing 130Inquiring 133Secret #30—The Secret to Q&A Sessions 133Generating Ideas 136Secret #31—The Secret to Generating Ideas 136Prioritizing 138Secret #32—The Secret to Prioritizing 139Reporting 143Secret #33—The Secret to Reporting Back 144Getting Feedback 145Secret #34—The Secret to Getting Quality Feedback 145Additional Information Gathering and Processing Strategies 147Applying the Secrets to Information Gathering 150Case Study: Facilitation in the Classroom 151Facilitator’s Checklist for Information Gathering 152Exercise Your Skills 153VIII. the Secrets to Closing: Review, Define, Evaluate, End, Debrief 155Questions Answered in This Chapter 155Case Study: Polling for Agreement at the Close 155Secret #35—The Secret to a Strong Close 157Reviewing Activities Completed and Personal Objectives 157Confirming Commitment to Decisions Made 158Secret #36—The Secret to Confirming Commitment to Decisions 158Clearing the Issues List 163Secret #37—The Secret to Clearing the Issues List 163Assigning Actions 164Secret #38—The Secret to Assigning Actions 164Defining What Can Be Communicated About the Session 165Evaluating the Session 167Ending the Session 169Debriefing 169What If the Session Is Running Behind? 170What If the Session Is Going to Run Over? 171Delivering a Partial Close 171Facilitator’s Checklist for Closing 172Exercise Your Skills 173IX. The Secrets to Managing Dysfunction: Conscious Prevention, Early Detection, Clean Resolution 175Questions Answered in This Chapter 175Case Study: The Chairman and the COO 175Dysfunctional Behavior—What Is It? 177Secret #39—The Secret to Understanding Dysfunction 178Techniques for Conscious Prevention 180Secret #40—The Secret to Preventing Dysfunction 180Techniques for Early Detection 183Secret #41—The Secret to Detecting Dysfunction 183Techniques for Clean Resolution 185Secret #42—The Secret to Resolving Dysfunction 185Recommended Responses to Various Dysfunctions 188When the Unexpected Happens 196Secret #43—The Secret to Responding When the Unexpected Happens 197Responding to Mistakes and Attacks 198Case Study: Making a Mistake as the Facilitator 198Secret #44—The Secret to Responding to Mistakes and Attacks 199Rewarding Functional Behavior 201Lesson Learned 201Applying the Secrets to Managing Dysfunction 203Facilitator’s Checklist for Managing Dysfunction 205Exercise Your Skills 207X. The Secrets to Consensus Building: Create and Maintain a Consensus-focused Process 209Questions Answered in This Chapter 209Case Study: Consensus on Values 209Defining Consensus 210Secret #45—The Secret to Understanding Consensus 211Deciding How to Decide 212Secret #46—The Secret of Five-Finger Consensus 214Understanding Why People Disagree 215Secret #47—The Secret to Understanding Disagreement 215Secret #48—The Secret to Resolving a Level 3 Disagreement 221Filling Your Toolbox of Consensus Building Techniques 223Secret #49—The Secret to Resolving a Level 1 Disagreement 224Secret #50—The Secret to Resolving a Level 2 Disagreement 231Case Study: Improving Customer Delivery Times 234Secret #51—The Secret to Using Weighted Scoring 236Revisiting the Family Vacation 241Applying the Secrets to Consensus 242Secret #52—The Secret to Gaining Consensus on Wording 242Facilitator’s Checklist for Consensus Building 244Exercise Your Skills 245XI. The Secrets to Energy: Set the Pace, Anticipate the Lulls, React Accordingly 247Questions Answered in This Chapter 247Case Study: Learning the Impact of Energy 247Understanding the Impact of Energy 248Secret #53—The Secret of Energy: The Three Es 248Projecting Energy from the Start 250Secret #54—The Secret to Starting with Energy 250Case Study: The Low-Key Facilitator 253Adjusting to the Lullaby Times 253Secret #55—The Secret to Adjusting to the Lullaby Times 254Maintaining Energy During the Session 254Secret #56—The Secret to Maintaining Energy 255Case Study: A Team Building Mistake 258Using Team Building Activities 259Secret #57—The Secret to Using Team Building Activities 259Crossing the River: My Favorite Team Building Exercise 260Facilitator’s Checklist for Energy 264Exercise Your Skills 265XII. The Secrets to Agenda Setting: Adapt Your Agenda to Address the Need 267Questions Answered in This Chapter 267Case Study: Pay for Performance 267Understanding Process 268Using Standard Agendas 269Secret #58—The Secret of Standard Agendas 269Customizing the Agenda 273Secret #59—The Secret to Customizing the Agenda 274Developing an Agenda from Scratch 275Secret #60—The Secret to Developing an Agenda from Scratch 275Knowing Your Process Cold: The Facilitation Guide 277Secret #61—The Secret to Knowing Your Process Cold 277Estimating and Tracking Time 279Secret #62—The Secret to Estimating Time 279Applying the Secrets to the First Meeting of a Task Force 281Facilitator’s Checklist for Agenda Setting 284Exercise Your Skills 285XIII. The Secrets to Facilitating Virtual Meetings: Keep Everyone Focused and Engaged 287Questions Answered in This Chapter 287Case Study: The Virtual Strategy Monitoring Session 287Secret #63—The Secret to Preparing for a Virtual Meeting 293Choosing and Preparing Your Technology 293Preparing for the Meeting 294Starting the Meeting 295Running the Meeting 296Secret #64—The Secret to Engaging People Virtually 297Special Cases 298Facilitator’s Checklist for Virtual Meetings 300Exercise Your Skills 302XIV. The Secrets to Facilitating Large Groups and Conferences: Use the Power of Process to Guide and Engage 303Questions Answered in This Chapter 303Case Study: Facilitating a Thousand People 303Facilitating Large Groups 305Secret #65—The Secret to Facilitating Large Groups 305Facilitating Conferences 307Case Study: Facilitating a Conference on Spirituality 307Secret #66—The Secret to Facilitating Conferences 310Secret #67—The Secret to Managing Time with Speakers 312Facilitator’s Checklist for Facilitating Large Groups and Conferences 314Exercise Your Skills 315XV. The Secrets to Facilitating Cross-cultural Groups: Recognize Your Own Biases to Better Adapt to the Culture of Others 317Questions Answered in This Chapter 317Introduction 317Understanding Cultural Competency 318Secret #68—The Secret to Facilitating Cross-Cultural Groups 323Applying the Secrets to Cross-Cultural Groups 333Case Study: What Is the Objective? 334Case Study: Facilitating the Strategic Plan for a Caribbean Government 336Case Study: Facilitating for Morehouse 347Interrupting the Effects of Institutional Power Through Facilitation 351Facilitator’s Checklist for Facilitating Cross-Cultural Groups 364Exercise Your Skills 366XVI. The Secrets to Building an Internal Facilitator Capability: Build the Case, Raise Awareness 369Questions Answered in This Chapter 369Introduction 369Case Study: The Pull Strategy at Hydro One 370Case Study: From Training to Something Bigger at Direct Supply 377Case Study: The Facilitator Development Program at Saudi Aramco 379Best Practice Strategies 385Secret #69—The Secret to Establishing an Internal Facilitator Cadre 386Exercise Your Skills 394XVII. Special Topics 395Questions Answered in This Chapter 395Apply the Secrets to Running a Simple Meeting 395Applying the Secrets as a Meeting Participant 402Secret #70—The Secret to Guerrilla Facilitation 402Applying the Secrets to Very Small Groups 404Applying the Secrets as a Consultant or Subject Matter Expert 405Case Study: The Strategy Firm and the Nonprofit 406Becoming a Certified Facilitator 408Facilitator Neutrality: Fact or Fiction? 412Epilogue 417Resource Guide for Facilitators 419Leadership Strategies—The Facilitation Company 419The FindaFacilitator Database 420The International Association of Facilitators 420The International Institute for Facilitation 420Training Courses in Facilitation 420Recommended Books 42470 Secrets of Facilitation 427Acknowledgments 431The Author 433Index 435