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group communication

July 6, 2016 . In Strategic Engagement . by . 0 Comments

7 ways a facilitator enables productive collaboration …

Let’s face it, meetings can be tedious, unproductive and boring.
Many facilitators are probably like me – driven by a need to fix this and get the most out of people and their time spent together…and hopefully have some fun along the way.

Use light footprints

When people want to work together to get something done, a facilitator acts as a catalyst to empower a group to collaborate in a democratic way in order to achieve it. As low-key practitioners they lead from behind, present but observing interactions and guiding the group as a whole towards its shared objectives. As an avid people watcher and experienced facilitator, I still find myself adopting the characteristics of this role even in social situations.

Maintain a content-free focus

Groups usually come together to discuss ‘the what, why and how’ of an issue, problem or opportunity- its content. But it’s not the content that determines a group’s ability to interact effectively to get the job done. The process- how the content comes together through people’s interactions- determines the creation of a successful outcome through and on behalf of a group. Facilitators are both group process and people-focussed, they don’t concentrate on the content, participants deal with this.

Shaping space, not people

Facilitators understand and work with group process skills to create conditions which enable  the relationships between the individuals in a group to build. They understand the different roles that people adopt in making a group work successfully. How people behave in groups, express their different interests and personal dispositions- and the processes of participative interaction which get particular outcomes.

Good facilitation understands that the spaces created for human interaction shape the participants’ behaviour just as much as their own perceptions shape their behaviours towards one another. Facilitators shape the stages of interaction, creating the spaces in which dialogue will deliver a desired solution from the group. They balance between ‘open’ and highly structured processes – according to the needs of the participants and the result they seek.

Servant of the group

They assist the group in agreeing what its shared intentions are, what they want to achieve by working collaboratively and when. Facilitators strategically design and manage a process which creates interactive spaces or contexts which get the best out of participants, their content and ideas. By shaping this space effectively, they enable people to generate and evaluate what is required to achieve the goal they share. The facilitator neither contributes to nor evaluates ‘the content’. As practitioners of servant leadership, their neutral disposition enables them to focus the energy of the group towards achieving a common goal. It’s not about them – it’s about the group.

Balance through principled practice…

They ensure best-practice principles of interaction within the group – maximum, inclusive participation of all in the group, equity in voice, transparency of process and shared benefit in reaching an outcome. Facilitators protect participants and their ideas from attack and give positive feedback and recognition to both individuals and the group. They enable a group to co-create its own norms of acceptable behaviour, challenging inappropriate or idiosyncratic behaviours. A facilitators’ task-focus moves the group towards its goals whilst also attending to relational aspects between individuals.

Observant and intuitive

Balancing these group needs whilst against the tendencies towards convergent groupthink or unhelpful levels of interpersonal conflict is a key. This takes self -awareness and skill in observing and interpreting group dynamics. They can read paralanguage and assess the mood and energy of a group. A good facilitator will objectively identify problems which are holding the group back from its goal, the tensions and blocking issues and reflect back on the way the process is for them or not.

‘Know how’ and a tool kit !

By shaping spaces for monitoring and evaluation work, a group’s problems and goals to be identified, solved and evaluated in a systematic manner using Action-Research learning. Using communications practices such as ‘reflective listening’ enables the group to better understand and shared meaning, ‘strategic questioning ‘uncovers the values driving issues …’focus groups’ explore their issues and harvest opinions, ‘nominal group technique’ enable problems, issue or actions to be prioritised…There are a lot of tools in the facilitators kit.

Most of all, a skilled facilitator has the interpersonal attributes, process knowledge and skill to work well with groups. Using a skilled mix of participative learning and consultative techniques they enable people in groups to generate ideas, explore, analyse, deliberate and plan together.

Facilitators love helping people to adapt to complicated and complex worlds – it’s part of who they are.

Nicola Wright is a communications professional who works with projects, programs, and organisations who deliver social and environmental value. ADAPT Strategic Communications custom-builds and facilitates engagement strategies. Find her on www.adaptstrategic.com.au

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May 26, 2016 . In Communications, Strategic Engagement . by . 0 Comments

7 considerations when building effective groups

team paper

  • Are you a team member or a group member?
  • Is your group forming, storming, norming or performing?
  • Do you make participative decisions and get things done?

Collaborating with people in groups can be energizing and fun.
For some years I was lucky enough to engage interesting and inspiring people to work together in groups in an extensive citizen science program I established in the World Heritage water catchments of Far North Queensland. These people became effective teams of collaborators able to partner with other stakeholders to resolve environmental issues.

Over the years I learned much about the diversity of people’s opinions, understandings and behaviour in groups. Making a difference by working with people in groups should be fun and worthwhile – for everyone involved.

Supporting groups so they can develop and work effectively involves some key considerations…

1. Be purposeful and purpose-clear.

Does everyone agree on why you’re a group and what you want to achieve?
Establish a sense of shared identify and purpose at the outset.
Invest time in scoping and bedding it down whilst the group is ‘forming’.

2. People make things happen.

Members bring valuable skills, knowledge and approaches to teamwork.
Get to know your membership at the outset – everyone has something of value to contribute to the group.
Each member should be interested in knowing who they’re working with and what each person contributes to achieving group outcomes.

3. A group’s capabilities should reflect those of its members.

Groups are a unique – each expresses the diversity of the individuals whose collaboration makes them work.
People come from diverse backgrounds, worldviews and positions on the topic, issue or project, so as individuals their group participation style varies. Sometimes it’s useful, sometimes it’s not.
In the ‘forming’ stage, a facilitator can create a ‘safe’ environment for the group to establish itself and begin to work collaboratively. Members need to develop and own a set of ‘ground rules’ for participation… and stick with them.

4. Effective group communication is critical to success.

There may be some initial ‘storming’ amongst participants as the group establishes itself as a working group.
Members will challenge others ideas and opinions, some individuals will tend to dominate in time, voice or decision-making. Groups can lose their way, lose members and reputation if this stage is allowed to become destructive.
By establishing and facilitating clear processes of both face-to-face and mediated communication, everyone can voice their feelings and opinions as well as their ideas.
Whilst all members should have equal voice, achieving balance between group productivity and individual need, requires some skill in group moderation.

5. Eventually a shared set of ‘norms’ – a ‘group culture’- emerges.

Behaviour, language and how the group relates to the rest of the world is uniquely shaped by its members.
It now has the potential to be a team, provided it doesn’t slip back into the storming phase.
The group has a ‘collective’ life of its own and is moving as a cohesive, ‘norming’ group.
Mutual accountability for the group’s achievements is becoming understood by all in the group.

6. Performing’ occurs when the group is effectively working towards its goals.

A team has emerged.
Information and ideas are being contributed, elaborated and clarified. Opinions are freely given, options generated, prioritized and tested. Plans are being developed, decisions made, tasks attended to and strategies delivered and adapted. Problems get solved and work gets done.
Achieving all this requires group cohesiveness and an intelligent use of the abilities and aptitudes of individual members.
Skilled group facilitation remains a priority. It prevents the group from returning to previous stages of development, maintains the group momentum, disrupts the convergence of ‘group think’ and manages unhealthy conflict or the dominance of individuals.

7. Group ‘ego’ needs to be healthy to maintain and sustain.

Through shared ‘social learning’, a mature team emerges.
It is capable of independently making the decisions which progress it towards its goals and these goals can be re-evaluated. It can constructively review its processes and approaches – and make adjustments and changes as required to get the job done.
A self-aware, sociable, inclusive and relevant team will be one that others want to join.

Nicola Wright is a communications professional who works with projects, programs, and organisations who deliver social and environmental value. ADAPT Strategic Communications custom-builds strategies to sustain your stakeholder engagement and achieve key performance objectives. Find her on www.adaptstrategic.com.au

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