A good facilitator is important to the success of a brainstorming session.  A facilitator does not need to be an expert on the issues at hand, but he/she does need to prepare for the actual meeting.  This means understanding the scope and background of the issues, being familiar with the supportive reference materials, thinking ahead of time about the possible direction in which the dialog could lead, and preparing questions to facilitate the flow of conversation.

Key Skills for a Facilitator:

Reflecting:  Feeding back the content and feeling of the message, e.g. “Let me see if I am hearing you correctly…”

Clarifying:  Restating an idea or thought to make it easier to grasp, e.g. “What I believe you are saying is…”
Summarizing:  Stating concisely the central themes, e.g. “It sounds to me that we have been talking about a few recurring ideas…”

Shifting Focus:  Moving gracefully from one speaker, or topic, to another, e.g. “Thank you, John; do you have something to add, Jane?” or “We’ve been talking about this issue for some time now; does anyone have strong feelings about other aspects of the situation?”

Using Silence:  Allowing time and space for reflections, by pausing between comments.
Using Non-verbal and Verbal Signals:  Combining body language and speech to communicate, e.g. using eye contact to influence behaviors in the group.

Dealing with the Dominant:

In almost every group, you’ll find some people who won’t participate.  Keep in mind that some people prefer listening to what everyone else has to say before speaking.  Quite often, what they have to say shows they’ve thought things through.

At the other end of the participation scale is the person who wants to dominate the conversation.  If you find that happening:

• Direct questions away from that person.
• Ask the person to “hold that thought.”
• Tell the “dominator” that you need another point of view.
• Tell the person to “make a note of it and we’ll get back to it.”
• Never attack a group member.  Other members will wonder if they’ll be next, and your group will shut down.
• If these steps don’t work, meet privately during a break and ask the person to assume a lower profile.  Make clear that it isn’t that you don’t want their input; it’s just that you feel others are holding back.

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Leader Packet

updated:  January, 2008