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facilitation [2023/02/27 14:58] – bradfacilitation [2023/02/27 15:11] (current) – brad
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   * The organizer may send key takeaways and action items in a followup memo, so that they don't get lost in the notes that we won't consistently reference.   * The organizer may send key takeaways and action items in a followup memo, so that they don't get lost in the notes that we won't consistently reference.
  
-=== Everyone knows the norms and roles. ===+=== Everyone knows the norms. ===
  
 //Why:// We think as a group through wide participation and productive disagreement; to do this kindly, safely and effectively, we adopt practices that encourage participation and minimize unproductive disagreement. //Why:// We think as a group through wide participation and productive disagreement; to do this kindly, safely and effectively, we adopt practices that encourage participation and minimize unproductive disagreement.
  
 +//How:// Agree on norms up front that establish accepted conduct in the meeting. In some meetings the group can borrow from company or team norms for this. In other meetings it is helpful to establish norms for the conversation at hand.
  
-Agree on norms first that establish accepted conduct in the meeting. In some meetings the group can borrow from company or team norms for this. In other meetings it is helpful to establish norms for the conversation at hand. 
     * Some norms I prefer to always have in place:     * Some norms I prefer to always have in place:
       * Criticize ideas, not people.       * Criticize ideas, not people.
       * Assume good intentions.       * Assume good intentions.
-      * Ask clarifying questions.+      * Be curious and ask clarifying questions.
       * Bring a growth-oriented mindset.       * Bring a growth-oriented mindset.
       * Help one another identify our group's biases.       * Help one another identify our group's biases.
 +      * Prefer "open" disagreement to "shutdown" disagreement.\\ e.g. "Well, we're //definitely// not going to do that." shuts down the conversation, while "I don't think we should do that because..." is open to productive dissent.
     * Some norms I find helpful in some settings, but not all:     * Some norms I find helpful in some settings, but not all:
       * What's shared in the room stays in the room / no attribution in notes.       * What's shared in the room stays in the room / no attribution in notes.
       * Raise hands to indicate a desire to speak / no interruptions.       * Raise hands to indicate a desire to speak / no interruptions.
       * Everyone must speak up at least once.       * Everyone must speak up at least once.
-      * The parking lot - have a shared space (whiteboard, sticky notes, shared doc, Slido) where participants can add questions or comments without interrupting the flow of the meeting, and leave time to review them.+ 
 +I want to give special attention to encouraging participation. I've heard many leaders use the mantra "Silence is agreement" and while I understand the spirit of putting responsibility on participants to speak up, in my experience this approach is not sensitive to the preferences and power dynamics in the room.  A quick improvement on typical meeting participation is giving folks many different ways to participate: 
 + 
 +  * Free-form discussion 
 +  * Giving everyone an explicit chance to speak, or facilitator calling on people. 
 +  * Asynchronous discussion in the notes doc or meeting chat (careful to be inclusive) 
 +  * Open pulse-check votes or anonymous polls. 
 +  * The parking lot - have a shared space (whiteboard, sticky notes, shared doc, Slido) where participants can add questions or comments without interrupting the flow of the meeting, and leave time to review them. 
 + 
 +A skilled facilitator has a lot of power to encourage participation. From the old HBR article, "draw out the silent... protect the weak... come to the most senior people last." 
 + 
 +=== All necessary roles are filled. ===
  
 Clear roles also help keep things moving and minimize unproductive conflict Clear roles also help keep things moving and minimize unproductive conflict
Last modified: 2023/02/27 14:58