Facilitative Skills for Adaptive Leaders

1. Facilitative Skills for Adaptive Leaders Agenda Introduction Characteristics of Effective Facilitation Components of Effective Facilitation Active Listening Listening Blocks Asking Good Questions Managing Tension

2. OBJECTIVES After completing this training segment, participants will be able to: • describe the leader’s responsibility for utilizing facilitative skills within responsibilities of adaptive leadership • determine the importance of utilizing facilitative skills. • identify strategies for facilitating communication. • determine strategies for managing tension and regulating distress

3. Characteristics of Effective Facilitation in Adaptive Leadership

4. Qualities of Effective Facilitation • environment allows participants to get to know and feel comfortable with each other. • all participants are encouraged to actively contribute their opinions and ideas - no domination of a few voices • participants are supported in developing their own solutions rather than having solutions fed to them • discussions are kept on track to achieve the meeting’s purpose. • the leader steps back when participants begin to “own” the process and start facilitating their own discussions and solutions

5. Basics for Effective Facilitation • A common focus on the content (purpose). • A common focus on the process (how we will go about this). • Someone responsible for maintaining an open and balanced flow of ideas and suggestions among all attendees. • Someone responsible for keeping attendees’ contributions from being prematurely evaluated or attacked. source: American Heart Association ‘Get with the Guidelines - tips for facilitating effective discussion’

6. Sockalingam, S. (2012) adapted from Facilitative Leadership Styleshttp://www.facilitativeleader.com/frset_fl.htm

7. Components of Facilitative Skills in Adaptive Leadership

8. Tips for effectively facilitating discussions • Understand your audience • Understand group process • Encouraging participation • Managing participation • Helping groups to prioritize • Understanding and moving towards consensus • Resolving differences • Handling distracting behaviors source: American Heart Association ‘Get with the Guidelines - tips for facilitating effective discussion’

9. An idealized approach to dialogue and decision-making New Topic  Decision Point source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitator’s guide to Participatory Decision-Making

10. How communication often works New Topic source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitator’s guide to Participatory Decision-Making

11. The Temptation to stay in the comfort zone New Topic source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitator’s guide to Participatory Decision-Making

12. Leading through Distress New Topic   Decision Point source: Kaner, S (2007) Facilitator’s guide to Participatory Decision-Making

13. Active Listening

14. Active Listening Steps • Face the person • Indicate an open posture • Lean towards the sender • Maintain eye • Relax while attending • Minimize internal and external distractions • Keep an open mind • Engage yourself Sockalingam, S. (2010) Effective Communication: Adapted from http://www.taftcollege.edu/lrc/class/assignments/actlisten.html

15. Becoming an Active Listener • Pay Attention • Show that you are listening • Provide Feedback • Defer Judgment • Respond Appropriately Sockalingam, S. (2010) Effective Communication adapted from http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm/

16. W A I T hy m alking?

17. How We Listen IN AN 8 HOUR WORKDAY: YOU SPEND ABOUT 4 HOURS LISTENING YOU HEAR ABOUT 2 HOURS WORTH YOU ACTUALLY LISTEN TO 1 HOURS WORTH YOU UNDERSTAND 30 MINUTES OF THAT HOUR YOU BELIEVE ONLY 15 MINUTES WORTH; AND YOU REMEMBER JUST UNDER 8 MINUTES WORTH

18. Listening Blocks • Comparing • Mind Reading • Rehearsing • Filtering • Judging • Daydreaming • Advising • Sparring • Being Right • Derailing • Placating • Denying • Rationalizing • Nitpicking • Identifying Sockalingam, S. (2010) Effective Communication. Adapted from: http://EzineArticles.com/356668, and Communicating for Results by People Developing. Com, ChangeMatrix, LLC, NV

19. Asking Good Questions

20. I have a dilemma… Source: The Collaboration Lab (2011)

21. The Power of Questions • What we ask, how we ask it, the spirit with which we ask, all invite certain responses and discourage others. • The very act of asking questions influences people. Acts of asking and answering alter experiences and generate experiences. • Questions have the power to shape meanings and restrict or expand possibilities for action. Source: The Collaboration Lab (2011)

22. Intentional Inquiry • Is intentional and purposeful • Is born of genuine curiosity. • Causes both the inquirer and the responder to “ponder.” • Broadens the range and opportunity for response. • Creates openings rather than closings. Source: The Collaboration Lab (2011)

23. Crafting Intentional Questions • What work do I want this question to do? • What kinds of responses might this question invite? Restrain? • Is this question likely to stimulate fresh thinking? • Do I have an answer in mind? • Are my own assumptions imbedded in this question? Source: The Collaboration Lab (2011)

24. Types of questions • Broadening • Clarifying • Explaining • Exploring • Challenging • Brainstorming • Consequential Source: The Collaboration Lab (2011)

25. Another dilemma • One person presents a dilemma to the group • One person records the Questions • Remaining people at the table ask questions • Person with dilemma does not answer questions • After a round of questions, person with dilemma goes through the list of questions and describes the effect of each question. Source: adapted from The Collaboration Lab (2011)

26. Reflection: Are you a Facilitative Leader in Adaptive Work? • Complete the questionnaire of 10 signs • Identify the frequency of each item • 1 = never • 2 = sometimes • 3 = half the time • 4 = more often than not • 5 = always • Total the score