1. 11 Welcome to the Facilitation Skills Practice Workshop!

2. 22 Workshop Objectives To review the core skills of the facilitator. To help you build your skills through hands-on practice leading a group discussion. To help you gain experience using a variety of process tools. To provide you with specific suggestions that will help your further improve your facilitation skills.

3. 33 About This Workshop An experiential workshop in which most learning is generated in small groups. A mix of partner, team and individual activities. An opportunity to gain skills through practice and feedback. An opportunity to get hands-on experience with key process tools.

4. 44 Agenda Overview Welcome, Introductions and Agenda Overview Partner Practice Exercise Facilitation Demonstration and Debrief Break Facilitation Practice Session #1, followed by Feedback Facilitation Practice Session #2, followed by Feedback Lunch Facilitation Practice Session #3, followed by Feedback Facilitation Practice Session #4, followed by Feedback Break Facilitation Practice Session #5, followed by Feedback Facilitation Practice Session #6, followed by Feedback Personal Learning Reflection and Report Out Evaluation and Adjournment

5. 5 Partner Practice Person A plays the content role and discusses: What makes some meetings effective? What makes other meetings frustrating and a waste of time? What specific challenges do you expect to encounter when facilitating? Person B plays the process role and acts as the facilitator to Person A. Person B will: Stay neutral Listen actively Ask questions Paraphrase Summarize at the end

6. 66 Choose a partner! Partner Practice

7. 7 Person A plays the content role and discusses: What makes some meetings effective? What makes other meetings frustrating and a waste of time? What specific challenges do you expect to encounter when facilitating? Person B plays the process role and acts as the facilitator to Person A. Person B will: Stay neutral Listen actively Ask questions Paraphrase Summarize at the end Do not switch roles until instructed to do so.

8. 8 Partner Practice Debrief Are A and B the same or are they different? How so? Who is A, the content person, paying attention to? Who is B, the process person, paying attention to? What are all the things that the process person had to pay attention to and track simultaneously? Raise your hand if you thought that B was easier than A? Raise your hand if B was a harder role to play than A? Why? Other thoughts on the difference between being in the content role as compared to being in the process role.

9. 99 Facilitation Observation Review the checklist on page 5 in the workbook. We will use this list to identify the skills being demonstrated.

10. 10 Facilitation Observation Which specific techniques did you observe the facilitator using? Describe the scenarios in which they were used.

11. 11 Practice Set-up For the rest of this workshop, you will take turns playing three roles during each facilitation practice session: One person will facilitate the discussion. One person will act as their coach. The other four participants will take part in the discussion. These roles will rotate throughout the day. The coach will sit away from the group and pay attention only to the tools and techniques being demonstrated.

12. 12 Coaching Guidelines When it’s your turn to coach: Sit away from the group and be unobtrusive. Never interject a comment. Avoid making eye contact with or frowning at the facilitator. Make detailed notes about the process tools the facilitator used. Include details about the scenario, like what he or she said. Comment on the effective things, plus what they could do better. Make notes that can be handed to the facilitator.

13. 13 1. What rules of conduct do we wish to follow at our table during this workshop? 2. At this workshop, how do we ensure that everyone participates and not one dominates? 3. What should we do if a discussion gets stuck or starts to spin in circles? What do we do if we go off track? 4. What should we do if we have differences of opinion or discussions become heated? Practice Session #1 At this workshop...

14. 14 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

15. 15 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief the process tool called Norming: Why do Norms need to be set by the group? How can the facilitator use the Norms to intervene? What would that intervention sound like?

16. 16 Practice Session # 2 Use Forcefield Analysis to explore the forces at work in any situation, process or project. Things that support success: Things that hinder success: strengths, resources, opportunities... challenges, shortcomings, obstacles...

17. 17 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

18. 18 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief the process tool of Forcefield Analysis: What are some of the uses that you can see for Forcefield Analysis? In what sorts of situations or discussions would it be useful?

19. 19 Multi-Voting Criteria importance lowest cost easiest item complete first step in a sequence most innovative idea meets customer needs saves time saves money reduces stress timeliness strategic linkage political alignment within our control has management support least disruptive

20. 20 Systematic Problem Solving Model The process tools that we are going to be exploring in this workshop are all part of an important sequence known as: The Systematic Problem Solving Model 1.Name the Problem/Create a Problem Statement* 2.Identify the Goal of the Problem Solving Exercise 3.Analyze the Problem* 4.Identify Potential Solutions* 5.Evaluate/Sort Solutions* 6.Generate an Action Plan 7.Trouble Shoot the Action Plan *Steps that will be explored in this workshop.

21. 21 Practice Session #3 Using the first step of the Systematic Problem Solving Model to name the problem and create a Problem Statement. 1. The facilitator helps the group select a problem to work on. 2. Some time is allowed for each person to write down the key words that need to be in a problem statement. 3. The facilitator records these key words on the flip chart. 4. Each person then writes their version of the problem statement. 5. Problem statements are read aloud. If one stands out, it’s recorded on the flip chart. If none stand out, the facilitator helps members edit the various statements into one that all can accept. 6. The facilitator checks with each person to ensure that the final statement is acceptable.

22. 22 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

23. 23 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief the process of developing a Problem Statement: Why is it important to develop a Problem Statement before starting to work on solving a problem? Was this easy to do or was it difficult? Why? What do you need to look out for when creating a Problem Statement.

24. 24 Practice Session #4 Use the Analyze step to gain a shared understanding of the problem. Ask questions to get to underlying root- causes! Describe the problem to me in detail: what is it? How does it manifest itself? What are the noticeable signs? If I were affected by the problem, what would I notice? Describe any steps, sequences or stages. What causes the problem to occur? What contributes to the problem? Who contributes to the problem? Who is affected by it? What other problems does it cause? What stops you from solving it?

25. 25 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

26. 26 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief the process of Analyzing the Situation: Why is it important to conduct a through analysis of the current situation before starting to work on solving a problem? Was this easy to do, or was it difficult? Why? What are some of the challenges of the Analyze step?

27. 27 Practice Session # 5 Use Brainstorming to generate a wide range of possible solutions to the problem. Step 1. The facilitator lets ideas flow and tries to keep pace recording suggestions: Let ideas flow freely. No debating or evaluating of ideas until later. Build on the ideas of others. Think in new ways; break out of old patterns. Be humorous and creative. Step 2. The facilitator asks probing questions to help people generate additional ideas. Questions like: “What if money were no object? What if you owned the company? What would the customer suggest? What’s the most innovative thing we can do?”

28. 28 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

29. 29 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief using Brainstorming to Generate Potential Solutions: What are the pros and cons of Brainstorming? How does it help a group to arrive at more creative solutions? How does it help groups avoid conflict?

30. 30 Practice Session #6 Easy to do / Major improvement Difficult to do/ Major improvement Easy to do/ Minor improvement Difficult to do/ Minor improvement Use an Impact/Effort Grid to sort the Brainstormed ideas.

31. 31 Feedback Process 1.The person who facilitated talks about: “What I did that felt like it was working.” 2.One-by-one, the group members tell the facilitator: “What you did that was effective.” 3.Each person in the group offers the facilitator tips: “What would make you even more effective.”

32. 32 Process Tool Debrief Let’s debrief using a Decision Grid to Sort Potential Solutions: Why use a tool like an Impact/Effort Grid to sort solutions? Compare this to using Multivoting? What was difficult about using this tool? What else did you learn about this technique?

33. 33 Process Tool Debrief Now that you have worked with the Systematic Problem Solving Model: What is the significance of this model? How does it build an outcome that everyone can live with? What are the challenges of using this model? Who sees an application for this series of steps? Where can you see yourself using it?

34. 34 Personal Learning Reflections Things you’re doing well.Things you’re doing well. Areas you wish to improve.Areas you wish to improve. Opportunities for practice.Opportunities for practice.