Facilitation in the Project

Management World

What is Facilitation?

Read through the definitions on page 4 and write down some of the themes that run through two or more of the definitions.

“A person who is acceptable to all group members, substantively neutral, and has no decision-making authority who helps a group improve the way it identifies and solves problems and makes decisions.” - adapted from Roger M. Schwarz

“One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions. A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance.” - Ingrid Bens

What is a Facilitator??

Dual Responsibility of Facilitation

Helping to get something done

Helping people to develop

Adult Learning Principles

• Self-directed• Fills an immediate need• Participative• Experiential• Reflective• Provides feedback• Shows respect for the learner• Safe atmosphere

Experiential – A project is an opportunity to learn as we get things done

Task

Safety

Purpose

Fun

Comfort

Establish hope

Starting out

Creating a Supportive Environment

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being “I do this very well” and 1 being “I never thought that this was part of the facilitator’s job”), rate your self in each of the 10 tips. Write the number beside each tip.

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http://www.themeetingsexpert.com/10-expet-traits-master-facilitator/

Great Personal Courage• You could never accuse these individuals of being

scared or intimidated.• They are powerful charismatic individuals but in

their own way, which in some cases is quiet and understated power.

Quiet Self Confidence• Whilst not being introverted, these individual can

be quiet. • They keep any extrovert tendencies to when they

are in front of large groups when physical presence is necessary.

Risk Takers• They are all risk takers. • In the right moment, they will make an

intervention that others would not, but which will transform the meetings outcomes.

• These risk are not rash or ill considered - these are measured risks.

Think Faster• A key factor in their risk taking and in

many aspects of the Master Facilitator’s technique comes from the fact that they are just able to think more agily than others.

• They are quick witted, mentally alert and can think on many levels at once.

Great People Skills

• Without exception they display superior people skills

• They are relatable and understand what makes people tick at a fundamental level.

• This does not mean these are people you might chose as your best friend in all cases as some but not all of them had an edge, an arrogance a measure of controlled aggression.

Incredible Focus

• Right at the top of the skill set these individuals all had incredible focus.

• They hear every word, catch every intonation, see every ‘tell’ in the group no matter how large.

• They see and hear the smallest detail and whilst still following big picture trends and leanings in the group.

Emotional Intelligence• Emotional intelligence truly defined is the

ability to control and work with one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.

• The two sides of this seemed to be significant in the Master Facilitator. The self control to manage their ability (if they had so wished) to ‘manipulate’ the group.

Integrity and Authenticity• Without this any facilitator can not have

build the necessary trust and support of their meeting participants.

• Master Facilitators have this to a very high degree.

Rabbits from Hats• My favourite trait of the Master facilitator is

their ability to pull rabbits from hats. • I sit in awe as they suddenly produce something

extraordinary from the work the group has been doing which was not anticipated to expected.

• Part technique and part experience it is always powerful and incisive.

Information Handling• Finally, the Master facilitator has a set of

organizational skills that are unusual in an individual.

• These skills involve the ability to synthesis, aggregate and integrate information and data, seemingly without preparation or time.

• They also have the ability to draw on metaphors, mental models and diagrams either from memory or by inventing them on the spot.

Team Roles• initiator-contributor• information seeker• opinion seeker• information giver• elaborator• summarizer• coordinator-integrator

• orientor• disagreer• evaluator-critic• energizer• procedural technician• recorder• terminator

White hat – Information-seeking

Yellow hat – Positive and up-beat

Black hat – Caution, devil’s advocate

Pink Hat – Impressions and feelings

Green hat – Creativity, innovation

Purple hat – Control, direction

p. 61

Bono’s Thinking Hats

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning

Participation Approaches in Project Management• Manipulation• Decoration• Tokenism• Assigned work• Consultation• Shared decisions• Creative problem-solving• Collaboration p.90

Making Group Decisions• Yes/No decisions are not useful for complex problems• High power distance suppresses opinions• Safe environment leads to better decision-making• Stating the problem influences the decision – be precise• Be careful of passive-aggressive behaviors• Recognize the power-brokers• Kinds of decision-making (part of the rules of engagement)• Autocratic – I decide• Democratic – We vote• Consensus – Coming to agreement• Laissez-faire – Whatever!!

Spectrum Lines - Vote with your Feet

How do you sense the progress of our project team toward the project goals?

We are on targetThere are having serious problemsWe are lagging behindWe have lost our wayI have no ideaI could care less p.24

What do I tend to do . . .When someone talks too much, I usually ….When the group is silent I usually …When an individual is silent for a long time I usually . . . When someone gets upset I usually ...When someone comes in late I usually . .. When someone leaves early, I usually . .. When group member will not resolve issues, I usually . . .When there is conflict, I usually . . . When someone gets angry, I usually . .. When someone takes a cheap shot at me, I usually . . .When the conversation gets off the track, I usually . . .When someone makes a significant special effort, I usually . . .When someone is not pulling their weight, I usually ... Other??

The War Room

Gathering Information