facilitation patterns and antipatterns workshop

Steven “Doc” List

Principal Consultant

ThoughtWorks

© ThoughtWorks 2009

AntipatternsFacilitation

Patterns

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"Group facilitation is a process in which a person whose selection is acceptable to all the members of the group, who is substantively neutral, and who has no substantive decision-making authority diagnoses and intervenes to help a group improve how it identifies and solves problems and makes decisions to increase the group's effectiveness.”

The Skilled Facilitator by Roger Schwarz

Facilitation is…

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Process

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Neutral

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No Authority

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Decisions

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The solution to challenges is not confrontation and

conflict, but consideration and communication.

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Steven “Doc” List

AntipatternsPatterns

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Neutral

Guide

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Curious

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George

Sherlock

Holmes16

Benevolent Dictator

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RepetitorRepetitor

Repetitor

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Professor

Moriarty(the EvilGenius)

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Gladiator

Superhero

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Orator

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Conclusion Jumper

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Time for some FUN!

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Deck 1 Deck 2

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Time for some fun!

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1.Get into groups of 6 – 10 people

2.Someone shuffle the cards (after pulling out the advertising ;-)

3.Deal one card to each person in your group

4.READ THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU LOOK AT YOUR CARD

5.DO NOT REVEAL YOUR CARD, except…

6. If you receive the Facilitator card, you may reveal your card

7.Have a conversation, behaving according to your card

8.Spend a short time guessing each other’s patterns

Round Two

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1.Collect the cards, and shuffle again

2.Deal TWO cards to each person in your group

3.Same as before, do not reveal your card, except…

4. If you receive the Facilitator card, you may reveal your card

5.Have another conversation, acting out each of the behaviors you’ve received, but not at the same time

6.Spend a few minutes guessing each other’s patterns

Group Discussion

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What to do when (or

before) you run into these

patterns 31

The Facilitation Four-Step

(Intervention)

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1. Interrupt

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2. Ask

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3. Redirect

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4. Commit

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Active Listening

(via the IAF Methods Database @http://www.iaf-methods.org/node/5255)

(Intervention)

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Wait for pause

AMPP*• Ask• Mirror• Paraphrase• Prime

Choose whether to go back to original speaker or seek input from others

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*Crucial Conversations – www.vitalsmarts.com

Role Reversal(Intervention)

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Ground Rules(Preventive)

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oWe will not interrupt each otheroWe will behave respectfullyoWe will not make jokes at other’s expenseo…o…

Starfish(Preventive / Curative)

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© ThoughtWorks 2009 43

Keep Doing

Stop DoingStart Doing

Do More Of Do Less Of

Circle of Questions

(Preventive / Curative)

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The Margolis Wheel(Preventive / Curative)

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http://www.stevenlist.com/blog/2009/02/15/the-margolis-wheel

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Parking Lot

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✳Collaboration Explained – Jean Tabaka (!)

✳Agile Retrospectives – Diana Larsen and Esther Derby (!)

✳Participatory Workshops – Robert Chambers

✳The Skilled Facilitator – Roger Schwarz

✳Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making – Sam Kaner

✳Crucial Conversations – Kerry Patterson et al

Books and Resources

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✳Facilitation Patterns from Jeremy Lightsmitho www.facilitationpatterns.org

✳ International Association of Facilitators Methods Databaseo www.iaf-methods.org

✳Patrick Kua’s Blogo http://www.thekua.com/rant/2006/03/the-retrospective-

starfish

Books and Resources

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Steven “Doc” List

Principal Consultant

ThoughtWorks

Email: Doc@ThoughtWorks.com

Blog: www.StevenList.com/blog

Phone: +1 512-924-9248

© ThoughtWorks 2009

AntipatternsFacilitation

Patterns