Facilitation Basics

Facilitation - Group

Effective facilitators understand group dynamics.   At any given moment every group has a particular pattern of interaction.   It may be mostly one-way, with the leader doing most of the talking, or it may be more equally participative.   The prevalent pattern will give clues about the group's functioning.

The facilitator should strive to help the group be clear about what they are trying to accomplish and make honest statements about their functioning.   In addition, the facilitator should help the group be more aware of their process in accomplishing tasks.  

The skilled facilitator needs to know when the group requires more information to formulate plans, identify and solve problems, and make decisions.   The facilitator continuously observes what is happening inside herself or himself and the group, and seeks to correlate their observations and awareness to the group's accomplishment of their task.  

Effective facilitators recognize which behaviors in groups are normal parts of group interaction and which are problems to be address.   Productive groups are not magically created by bringing together a colleciton of individuals.   Without intentional effort to create a group, the results are unpredictable.   Nearly everyon can remember a group ing of people that did not come together.   In many of these situations, the groups did not consciously try to develop.   Instead, they rushed into working on their assigned task and their haste left t hem ill prepared to fulfill it.   Facilitators can help groups develop in a productive way that prepares them to be successful in their tasks.