Facilitation Skills & Theory
There are many skills that a facilitator can use that will defuse conflict and ease facilitation into a meaningful direction. While these are only some ways to help lead discussion in your group, they lay down guidelines that can help in any situation.
Paraphrasing
The act of repeating back in your own words what you believe someone else to be saying. The focus is on the other person, the speaker, not on you, the listener. This should capture the meaning of what someone has said, not just the words they used.
Example: “You feel that….” or “The way you see it is…..”
Summary
Summarizing is the act of summing up what has been talked about thus far. This is necessary if facilitation requires the discussion of certain topics or a conclusion, and you must reach a goal together.
Summary of content: Focuses on the meaning of what has been talked about.
Summary of agreement: Used to record and note cooperation among the members.
Summary of disagreement: Marks arguments where discussion may be needed.
Summary of process: Sums up the discussion up to their present point.
Phasing
Used to guide the group and keep the conversation focused on an objective. When several goals are required out of a single facilitation, it is easy to get distracted and off topic. Phasing focuses the group into stages of conversation where one subject after another is discussed.
Good listening skills are essential to this process and being able to preserve the meaning of each participant will ensure that cohesion is kept during the dialog. Questions can be used to probe deeper into the meaning behind many of the statements made, but empathy is the greatest tool that can be used by a facilitator. Active listening can build trust between the facilitator and group members. Finally, the facilitator must always be confident in their abilities and with the direction the group is to take for the facilitation to be effective.
Examples and terms taken from: "Group Facilitation- Skills to Facilitate Meetings and Training Exercises to Learn Them" by Ron Kraybill
Kraybill, Ron. Riverhouse ePress, Harrisonburg VA, USA 2005.
