Facilitating Meetings: Tools and Tips to Becoming a Facilitator Tuesday, November 17, 2015 Serve Rhode Island

Becoming a Facilitator The definition of ‘facilitate’ is “to make an action or process easy or easier”. It is important to remember that we are not the be-all, end-all of this process… As facilitators, we are “responsible for leading or coordinating the work of a group, as one who leads a group discussion”. Before your planning begins, it is important to first know your audience (and their needs), then consider the size, the formal or informal nature, and the intent of your meeting. 1

The Three “P’s” 2 Facilitating a meeting successfully requires working in three phases: Pre-Meeting Present-Meeting Post-Meeting

Pre-Meeting Registration/Invitation – Registration helps you track attendance and interest. (Pre-Survey ish) – People like to feel invited. I know I do. – Simple resources: Eventbrite, Google Forms, and RSVP, Doodle, etc. Scheduling Planning Time – Plan ahead for the times that you will solely work on planning for your meeting. – Depending on the size and nature of your meeting, this should determine how long you need for the following items in this presentation. – Your supervisor and/or other relevant staff should always be involved in your planning. Include co-facilitators/guests in all scheduling and planning (when applicable). 3

Pre-Meeting (cont’d) Agenda Development – Map out the major components/topics of what needs to be covered throughout the meeting. Be a few minutes generous when adding specific timing, as often times conversations run longer than expected, etc. Detailing Out the Sections from Your (Internal) Agenda – Be mindful of what kind of meeting you are hosting: Are you doing most of the talking or are the members “participants” in activities? – Is it a training or a workshop, etc. – Per topic section, have your own detailed account of what needs to be accomplished, along with drafts of documents needed. Include specific quotes, directions for your activities, etc. 4

Pre-Meeting (cont’d) Reminders – Consistency is key to keeping attendees on track for remembering to join you… Preferably at least three days to a week before the meeting. – Consider including your planned out Agenda to keep attendees in the loop of what to expect. Provide any tasks in preparation for your meeting when appropriate (readings, bringing materials, etc.). Preparation – Have everything printed, edited, and ready to go a full day ahead of time. – For setting up the physical space, begin at least 45 minutes prior to meeting, adding for more time if off site. – Work with fellow staff members to do a mock run-through of your meeting. 5

Present-Meeting Introductions/Welcome – Greet attendees as they come in, especially if they are new to you. – Offer any coffee, food, etc. that you have available – be hospitable. – Ask for attendees to sign in on your printed sign-in sheet. – Preview the Agenda and your expectations before officially beginning your meeting. Do you have enough time in your Agenda for a more engaging introductory portion? If so, consider adding Warm-Ups, energizers, or ice breakers. “Assistants” – It is okay to have others in the meeting assist you with tasks. Passing out documents, “facilitating” small group work, etc. Inquire about fellow staff helping with set up and running the meeting… 6

Present-Meeting Time Management and Flow – Stick to your Agenda – People appreciate when you respect their time. This means starting and ending according to schedule! The more times attendees see you excessively wait for others, it becomes less of a push for them to be on time in the future. – If something is running too far over time - or off topic – determine the best option for the group: Letting the participants know that the conversation is beneficial and ask if they would like to continue for a longer amount of time and adjust the remainder accordingly, or; Letting the participants know that you will make a note of the discussion as something to re-visit later on in a follow up communication. – Having a “Parking Lot” set up and announced at the beginning of the meeting can help deter an overload of questions. – Please, don’t be a robot. 7

Present-Meeting (cont’d) Presence – It is okay to smile, and you probably should. Often. Humor is good, too. – Show your confidence. If you are prepared enough, it will naturally happen. You own that meeting…But, still allow others to feel just as important. Don’t apologize for people having to be there. You set the tone. – Read your audience. Are they engaged? Or, maybe not? Adjust accordingly as much as possible. (Breaks, movement, group work, etc.) Move around…Again, please don’t be a robot. – Don’t be afraid of questions, even if you are unsure of the answer. You can always redirect by writing it down and stating you will follow up and get back to them with some answers. – Most importantly: Be professional, but be yourself! 8

Post-Meeting Thank You/Follow Up – Address important questions/concerns raised in the meeting, or acknowledge when more information is to come. – Highlight any items or tasks in need of follow up from meeting discussions. Meeting notes should be included. If you can’t type them yourself during the meeting, ask a fellow staff member to do so. – Provide reminders of upcoming meetings, events, trainings, etc. – Thank the members for their attendance! Brief Survey (optional) – Can be used to collect data about your work for future reference. – Can be used to collect interest on new topics for future meetings. Using a Pre- and Post-Survey is a great option for consistency in tracking for both before and after your meeting. 9

Minor Note: I did not model much of what we have talked about…Sorry. I used small fonts and a lot of words in my presentation. I sent no agenda. These slides are your meeting notes. I kept talking. And talking. Still talking. You get it. To discuss more about activities that can be incorporated, or how to spice up meetings you already have planned, etc., please let us know and we would love to work with you! (AKA, the fun stuff…) 10