What Makes A Great Facilitator?

Great facilitators must pay more attention to the dynamics of their groups and panel speakers, and listen at least 80 percent of the time, according to Brian Summers, COO of the Constructional Financial Management Association. This may be difficult for a facilitator, as listening intently can be challenging given distractions like one’s emotional responses, the speaker’s delivery, or even daydreaming about what’s for lunch.

University of Missouri researchers found that on average, adults only spend 45 percent of their time listening in regular day-to-day conversation. Most people are poor and inefficient listeners – spending more of their time thinking about what they want to say than actually listening.

Nevertheless, it is the facilitator’s job to listen first and then tease out statements, ideas and responses from participants.

They should keep a laser focus on creating an atmosphere conducive to meeting the discussion’s objectives. This means letting conversation flow without necessarily dictating it and being mindful not to steal the spotlight.

Facilitators are super sleuths who use uncanny listening skills to uncover notions that the audience had not realized before. This means making sure that all sides, stories and opinions on the subject are heard. They prevent the conversation from simply evolving around the loudest voice in an attempt to make sure that discussion is not biased.

While these “super-sleuths” evaluate what is said, they do not judge the input of participants. They call upon the audience to be their own critics through probing questions that delineate fact from feeling, such as “Is this how you feel, or is it what you know?”

First-time facilitators are occasionally prejudiced towards their panelists and attendees, envisioning them as unruly, aloof or indifferent. They might use this preconception to micro-manage discussion instead of sharing the rules of engagement. As a result, some moderators operate more like babysitters than guides –controlling too much of the discussion ideas and not getting enough from their participants.

To help reduce the likelihood of “babysitting,” start off by defining the guidelines and goals to ensure everyone is on the same page. Regroup by bringing the speakers back to the agreed upon goals as necessary.

Every audience or panel may have a few outspoken or under-spoken guests. Find ways to channel these unique personalities, perspectives and behaviors into productive learning for the group.

Strong facilitators can bring good points out of any gathering, no matter what personalities are present – aiding in the creation of a stimulating conversation presenting all sides of a topic for an audience.

Below are some archetypes that often appear in group discussion and ideas on how to bring out the best, most enlightening contributions under the circumstances.

The Naysayers are always negative and presenting at times, a defensive or combative point of view.

Ask these people how they would improve the other side’s argument, or make the proposed solution work effectively. Have them use their critical skill for strengthening, rather than tearing down ideas.

The Loudspeakers love hearing themselves talk, especially about their own ideas.

If this person has an idea, everyone knows about it. They shout it from the rooftops and keep sharing it over and over and over again…even when the idea is not embraced. Thank them for coming up with an idea and ask them to take time to work on the concept more, get feedback from other sources, and then present it at another time.

The Trolls go off on tangents about a topic that is irrelevant to the discussion, sometimes soliciting strong emotional responses.

These impassioned individuals are fervent about their causes – which unfortunately do not relate to the group’s discussion. Challenge them to make their subject more relevant, or have them demonstrate how their contributions are helping resolve the collective group’s issue or concern.

The Wallflowers may be either shy, distracted or just disinterested as they sit passively on the side lines.

Encourage them to participate by directly asking them for feedback on ideas. Ask questions like, “Let’s make sure we’re getting all of the viewpoints on this subject. John Smith, what are your viewpoints on ______?” It’s important to rephrase the discussion question, as this personality might not have been paying attention in the first place.