Introduction to Essential Facilitation Skills

Contents Index

Personal Shield 1

Personal Learning Goal 2

Introduction to Essential Facilitation Skills 4

Preparation Checklist 6

Debrief Checklist 9

Action Learning Journal 10

Buddy Call Guidelines 14

GRPI Tool 15

Group Development Stages Analysis 17

Handling Difficult Behaviours 22

Learning Styles Inventory 24

RESOURCES:

Get To Know You Activities 31

Ground Rules 33

Effective Facilitator Behaviours 38

Decision Making Processes 44

Resource Websites 51 Personal Shield  Personal Learning Goal

What is one of my personal strengths for facilitating?

What is one of my challenges for facilitating?

My personal learning goal for this program is:

“Such happiness as life is capable of comes from the full participation, of all our powers, in the endeavour to wrest from each changing situation of experience, its own full and unique meaning.”

▸ John Dewey (American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educational Reformer, 1859-1952)

What is facilitation? 

What is it not? 

To facilitate means “to make easy”.

The group facilitator’s job is to make it easier for the group to do its work. By providing non-directive leadership, the facilitator helps the group arrive at the understanding and decision that are its task. In a consensus group, the facilitator’s focus is on the group and its work. The role is one of assistance and guidance, not of control.

A group needs facilitation in both the content and the process of its work.

Content facilitation: what the group is talking about Clarifying confusing statements Identifying themes or common threads in a discussion Summarizing and organizing the ideas put forth Testing for consensus by expressing the decisions that appear to emerge from the group process

Process facilitation: how the group is working Making sure everyone gets a chance to participate Pointing out feeling that are interfering with the group’s work Helping members to express and deal with their conflicts

(“Building United Judgment – A Handbook for Consensus Decision Making” 1981, Avery et al)

Introduction to Essential Facilitation skills

Use these key skills to improve your facilitation:  Actively listen

 Reflect on what you are hearing

 Summarise at the end of each point of discussion and at the end of the session

 Be flexible and responsive

 Sense the mood of the group and work with it

 Challenge underlying tensions or hidden feelings and bring them to the surface

 Model respectful behaviour

 Maintain control and direction

 Pace the discussion

 Be proactive

 Change the level when appropriate e.g. from thinking to feeling

 Involve all members of the group both outgoing and shy

 Validate what group members say

 Steer the group in a positive way

 Deal constructively with difficult or disruptive group members

 Use questioning and probing techniques effectively

 Foster constructive interactive skills among members of the group The 7 Do’s and Don’ts of Facilitation

DO 1. Be confident

2. Use silence and be comfortable with it

3. Ask open questions to ensure participation not closed ones 4. Invite participation of the quieter members of the group

5. Use your intuition trust your gut feeling to guide you in the direction to take

6. Maintain control

7. Keep to a structure

DON’T 1. Pretend you understand when you don’t

2. Dominate

3. Give advice

4. Use your organisational position to give you power

5. Use the group as therapy for your problems

6. Be judgmental

7. Talk too much PREPARE – FACILITATE – DEBRIEF Preparation Checklist STEP ONE: Gather Information Why  Why is the meeting being held?  What tasks are planned?  What is the overall goal of the meeting?  Is this meeting only part of a larger goal?  Has this goal been written down? Who  Who is invited?  If decisions need to be made, are the right people going to be present?  Who is not going to be there? Who cannot come?  How does attendance affect successful completion of tasks?  Who is not invited? Why? When  When it the meeting scheduled?  How long should it be?  Is there enough time?  If it is close to lunch or dinner, should it be catered? Allow for people to eat?  How much time can be allotted for each agenda item? Where  Where is the meeting to be held?  Do you and the participants need directions?  What resources will you need? (Whiteboard, flipcharts, projector). Are these available?  How is the room arranged? Is the room appropriate for the task/this arrangement?  Who do you need to contact to organise the room layout?

What  If this group has met before, and I facilitated the last meeting, what notes from my previous debrief do I need to attend to for this next meeting? Consider the group dynamics:  Do the participants know each other? How well?  What is the history of the participants?  How long have they been meeting?  Have they had specific problems working together in the past? If yes, what/how?  What are the potential problems that could arise? Can they be mitigated or eliminate before the meeting begins?

 Wherever possible, meet with the group leaders/hosts to find out what their intentions are for the meeting. Once you’ve completed your agenda, give a copy to the group leaders/hosts for their information. STEP TWO: Plan Based on the information you have gathered above, now you are ready to plan for your facilitation:

1. What resources will you need?

2. What room layout will you require?

3. Who do I need to contact about the above?

4. What tool or technique do I need to use, and where?  Ground Rules  Role Allocation  Decision Making

5. What is the agenda/timeline for the meeting? (For example:

1. Welcome

2. Purpose of Meeting

3. Review Group’s Charter

4. Ground Rules

5. Roles

6. Meeting Content

7. Meeting Wrap-up – reconfirm follow-up actions & next meeting time)

6. How much time do I need to allocate to each task? Have I allowed for a break if needed? (Recommendation: 10 - 15 mins every 1.5 hrs as a minimum).

7. Write my agenda

STEP THREE: Facilitate STEP FOUR: Debrief (Write answers to the questions below in your Action Learning Journal)

1. Date of Meeting:

2. Venue:

3. Purpose of Meeting:

4. Number of people in attendance:

5. What tools/techniques did I use in this meeting?

6. Did I follow an agenda? If not, why not, or what was missed out?

7. Was the purpose/intention of the meeting met?

8. Overall, how did I feel the meeting went?

9. What worked best?

10. During what part(s) were the participants most engaged and interested?

11. What parts did I feel most comfortable facilitating? Why?

12. What work least well?

13. Where were the participants lost or disinterested? Why?

14. What parts did I feel most uncomfortable facilitating? Why?

15. What insights/learning have I gained from this experience?

16. What recommendations for improvements for myself do I have?

 Remember to always debrief your facilitation experience to continue developing your facilitation skills How to Use Your Action Learning Journal Keeping an Action Learning Journal can help you to identify useful learning experiences and develop your own learning so that you can see ways of taking appropriate, personal action. It will help you be more effective as a facilitator. Many factors influence our ability to learn. Two categories which are worth mentioning here are individual blockages and the skills required for effective learning to take place:

Skills involved in effective learning behaviour Alan Mumford devised the following list of skills which he considers necessary if we are to learn effectively the ability to: Question: which of these items do you need to work on at the moment?

Getting started with your own Action Learning Journal

1. Think about a recent facilitation experience.

2. Select a part of it (15 minutes or so) and describing exactly what happened.

3. List the conclusions which you have reached as a result of the experience, in effect, your learning points.

4. Decide which of these learning points you wish to implement in the future.

5. Form an action plan of what you are going to do and when.

It is best to review your facilitation experience as soon after the experience as possible (to benefit from a fresh memory  ) The Action Learning Journal should not be seen solely as record, but as a means of securing action.

You will certainly benefit from reviewing your Action Learning Journal with your buddy and mentor after your facilitation experiences. Try to make your review explicit in relation to your own action plan(s), rather than generalized. For example, instead of simply noting that you did not learn from a particular experience, try and analyse why (by looking at your own behaviour, not that of others).

Note that the activity suggested above, builds on the concept of the learning cycle (see Learning Styles questionnaire in Resources section of this workbook):

Step 1: Having an experience: A preference for an activist learning style equips you for stage 1 & 2. Step 2: Reviewing the experience: A preference for a reflector learning style equips you for stage 3. Step 3: Concluding from the experience: A preference for a theorist learning style equips you for stage 4. Step 4: Planning the next steps: A preference for a pragmatist learning style equips you for stage 5.

The Action Learning Journal especially helps you to carry out steps 2, 3 and 4. Keeping a journal also helps ‘force’ you (if that is what it takes!) to search out and take learning opportunities, since the discipline of making log entries puts a certain amount of pressure on you to have something to enter!

If you have a high activist and low reflector score you will probably find the disciplined approach outlined here uncomfortable and perhaps initially unrewarding. Have patience and persevere - a number of high activists have said that the process was in the end very important for them. All-round learners, or integrated learners as they are sometimes referred to, are clearly best equipped to manage all four stages. However most people develop learning style preferences that assist with some of these stages and hinder others (e.g. have learning style strengths that help with stages 1 and 4 and weaknesses that hinder stages 2 and 3). Either you can accept this situation or do something to nurture the undeveloped aspects of your learning style. The advantages of having a broader range of learning skills are that you become a more effective learner from life’s events and, if you are a trainer, you are more likely to be able to help a greater range of people with learning style profiles that are very different from your own.

The most effective logs include specific statements rather than general statements, both about things experienced and about action plans arising from them. An example might be: “I tried to persuade the group that we should set measurable objectives before we started. I was only partially successful in this because I hadn’t thought of possible examples in advance and couldn’t think of any fast enough when asked, at the meeting, what I had in mind.”

An action plan would similarly have something like, “I learned that I should have some specific examples to offer rather then expecting to convince people of the general desirability of whatever I have in mind. I will do this for the meeting on Monday.”

Other Ideas for your Journal:  Record your learning objectives  Any ‘serendipity’ i.e.: unexpected learning; new insights; pee (powerful emotional experiences); any ‘ahas’!  Perspectives for another person’s point of view. Stand in someone else’s moccasins and look at the situation again  Your feeling before, during, and after an event  Your willingness/blocks to new experiences/risks/challenges and the way you handled your responses  Your own problem solving model

Buddy Call Guidelines

Recommend 30mins minimum, between each webinar, ensuring each person has equal time to share.

Possible topics:  What are your strengths and challenges in facilitating?  Share your personal learning goal(s) for participating in the program, and what progress has been made to date?  How did your facilitation experience go? Key learnings?

My Buddy is: ______Phone No:. ______

Our calls are scheduled for: An Introduction to the GRPI Tool The GRPI model is a tool used by teams to increase the effectiveness of their team development, for better project management and many other areas. Developed by Richard Beckhard, the GRPI tool is simple enough to be memorable with enough depth to be useful again and again in a variety of situations. If your team is lost in the weeds, the GRPI model helps team members reconnect with a common purpose and realign with what’s most important for you all. GRPI stands for:

 Goals

 Roles

 Process

 Interpersonal Relationships Goals – The G in the GRPI Model Imagine a flock of geese flying south for the winter. You hear them first and search for them up in the sky. There, high overhead they are in a V formation or long line, heading south in a clear direction. Their goal is clear. They know where they are going. They don’t know what they’ll encounter along the way, but their inner GPS has the destination programmed in. Goals give direction to a team, and to an individual. This is the first step for any successful venture, to have a common target, to know who you are and where you want to go. Noel Tichy also says that unclear goals are the cause of 80% of team conflict. If a goal isn’t clear (and agreed on by everyone on the team), there isn’t much hope of success. Gallup’s Q12 survey of employee engagement begins with: “Do I know what is expected of me at work?” Goals are where it all begins – the first and most important step. Roles – The R in the GRPI model The goal is clear for the geese flying south. So are their roles. They each take turns at the front, the most challenging position in the flock. The other geese tuck in behind in each other’s slipstream, drafting each other to conserve strength. The lead goose neither stays too long or too briefly in this lead role. He or she doesn’t worry about perceived authority or hierarchy – if you’re fresh and have energy from resting, you’re going in the front. When you’re tired, you’re getting helped. Clear roles let people on the team know who’s doing what and who is responsible for what. People know for sure who has authority to do what (authority that’s based on expertise and talents, not hierarchy), who’s accountable for completion of specific tasks. Noel Tichy found that this is the next most common cause of group conflict after unclear goals.

Process – The P in the GRPI Model You hear geese flying south long before you see them. They’re constantly communicating with each other – it’s a very efficient process. I don’t know what they’re communicating, but it clearly works very well. They don’t stop mid-flight to argue about directions, who’s going to make decisions or deal with internal conflict. I’m sure it comes up for them in some manner, but they clearly have an elegant, simple process that allows them to deal with it when it does come up. Standardized processes for teams have the same benefit. Successful teams have clear (and frequent) communication, constructive ways of dealing openly with inevitable conflict, as well as elegant processes for group decision making. Noel Tichy found unclear process to be the third most important cause of group conflict. Interpersonal – The I in the GRPI Model The geese flying south trust each other to spell the lead goose when needed, that the lead goose won’t stay for too long or too short a time, that at a certain point they’ll all need to rest and eat in a safe place before continuing on. And they give each other feedback – you can hear it often. They trust each other and communicate openly. Teams that have successful interpersonal relationships know the individual strengths of members on their team, care about each other as people, make and keep commitments with each other, and take the often difficult actions that establish mutual trust. The interpersonal relationship piece is an elusive (and often forgotten) part of the GRPI tool. When people do care about each other as people and know that they’re cared about as well, teams become very strong and very durable in the face of adversity. Group Development Stage Analysis

Consider the statements below and assess each one using the following criteria: RED: not working and needs significant improvement AMBER: positive signs, not fully established or understood and needs attention LIGHT GREEN: some improvement has occurred and further development required DARK GREEN: functioning very effectively

ELEMENT STA RED LIGHT DARK TEM ENT GREEN GREEN Goals There is a common purpose and clear goals for our group

Goals There is a clear plan for achieving group tasks, and everyone understands it

Roles Group members are clear about their accountabilities and responsibilities

Roles Everyone pulls their weight and supports others when they need assistance

Interpersonal Group members interact constructively and show respect and appreciation for Relationships each other’s styles and differences Interpersonal Acceptable and unacceptable behaviours are agreed and documented Relationships Interpersonal People resolve issues effectively before they result in unhealthy conflict Relationships

Procedures There are clear, effective systems and processes to achieve work output

Morale There is a strong group spirit / morale and energy & commitment is high

Productivity We achieve our group milestones and goals RED AMBER LIGHT GREEN DARK GREEN

Subtotal X 2 X 1 X 3 X 4 Score Total (add all 4 scores together)

FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING

PRODUCTIVITY MORALE

10 18 26 34 40 Stages of Group Development

FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING

When my group is: When my group is: When my group is: When my group is:  New to me  Confused about our  Performing, but not at its  Focused on performance  New to one another direction optimum  Open to expressing ideas   Faced with new  Forming coalitions Beginning to embrace self-  Committed to the group’s management challenges  Competing for attention values, roles and goals  A new project/support group or authority  Struggling with Problem  Solving and Decision Making

Common characteristics may be: Common characteristics may be: Common characteristics may be: Common characteristics may be:  Moderate eagerness  Confusion and frustration  High productivity  Increasing levels of self-  High, often unrealistic around goals and roles  High or variable morale management expectations  Low level conflict  Self-Directed group  Commencement of  Polite and cautious  Unstated tension collaboration with the group  High dependence on  Low levels of trust  Moderate productivity authority  Interpersonal conflict and improving morale  Low productivity with  Variable productivity and moderately high morale  low morale

Their issues may be: Their issues may be:  Their issues may be:  How to maintain the Their issues may be: Power Control  Conflict Friction  How to share control momentum of good work  Personal wellbeing  Frustration with leadership  Avoidance of conflict  New challenges  Inclusion  Continued growth and  Acceptance learning  Trust  Unclear group direction FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING

Tasks of this stage: Tasks of this stage: Tasks of this stage: Tasks of this stage:  Functioning well  Joining  Airing Dissatisfaction  Re-setting expectations  Seeing conflict as an opportunity  Welcoming  Finding Ways through conflict  Re-establishing styles  Understanding the purpose  Assessing Leadership  Re-learning leadership & member To build group capability in this stage, you  Building relationships  Assessing Member role roles need to:  Set challenging goals  Setting expectations  Re-establishing processes  Establishing styles To build group capability in this stage,  Re-establishing goals  Evaluate and learn from  Learning leadership & member roles you need to: experiences  Establishing processes  Develop group communication & To build group capability in this stage, you  Establishing goals meeting skills need to:  Continuously improve as a  Make effective group based  Understand behaviour during group To build group capability in this stage, you decisions conflict need to:  Deal with conflict  Celebrate success  Clarify group purpose, values and code  Redefine goals, roles & of behaviour  structure  Manage change  Maximizing challenges and

 Understand behaviour of group  Create mutual accountability &  Have effective listening skills opportunities members responsibility  Collaborative problem solving  Give and receive feed-  Agree on roles, goals and standards  Develop interpersonal group skills back  Give and receive effective feedback  Identify accountabilities and  Do a ‘support the leader’ exercise  Formerly appreciate authorities  Have leaders stating expectations  Have individual discussions members and leaders  Understand diversity and build  Allow individual confrontations and personal connections  Do some team-building on listening expectations, work preferences or  Do individual outreach and listening style inventories (e.g. Team Management Systems or Learning openly to members Styles Inventory) Stage 5: Adjouring/Mourning This stage is about putting closure on tasks, relationships and preparing for the next group. If group members have unspoken feelings about closure, they may procrastinate or otherwise sabotage the end of projects. It is important to have team-building activities about “closure”. Also, it is important to acknowledge individuals feelings whilst taking care of the tasks P a g e | 22 Effective Group Questioning (Open Questioning)  The best single mark of an honest, open question is that the questioner could not possibly anticipate the answer to it.  Ask questions aimed at helping the person rather than satisfying your curiosity.  Ask questions that are brief and to the point rather than larding them with background considerations and rationale – which makes them into a speech.  Ask questions that go to the person as well as the problem – questions about feelings as well as facts.  Trust your intuition in asking questions, even if your instinct seems off the wall.  Consider holding onto a question rather than asking it immediately, particularly if you’re not sure it’s a good question. If it keeps coming back to you, ask it later.  Allow questions to “bubble up” or emerge, rather than force them.  Watch the pacing of your questions. Questions coming too fast can feel aggressive.  Avoid any storytelling, or behaviours that call attention to you.  The best questions are simple questions.  Avoid questions with right/wrong answers.  Sometimes questions that invite images or metaphors can open things up in ways that more direct questions don’t.  As you listen deeply to what is being said try to allow questions to come from your heart, rather than your head. (Given on a Circles of Trust retreat, Silver Wattle, Canberra, Nov 2012) P a g e | 23 Handling Difficult Behaviours In The Discussion Behaviour Recommendation 1. KNOW-ALL Encourage other group members to comment freely on the person’s remarks. Let the rest of the group imposing opinion on everyone members resolve the issue and state their views. else Build up the confidence of the group in their own selves, so that they will not be imposed on by this type of individual. 1. CONTINUOUS ARGUMENT The first rule in this type of situation is to keep cool. The leader should not lose their head or allow others trying to trip up the leader. to do so. Use questions. Draw out the individual Quibbling over the most trivial and seek the groups input. Use a parking lot for the detail and love to make others issue. As a last resort let them go until they realise annoyed. they are on their own. Do keep discussion members from getting personal. Get the opinion of the majority. 2. EXPERIENCED CHIP-ON-THE- Get them to feel that their experience can be SHOULDER valuable to his fellows - that the purpose of the Believing s/he has plenty of discussion is to exchange ideas and to pool experience, who thinks that experience. you are telling him/her “how to suck eggs” and resents it. 3. SHY Call on them by name to give an opinion; but ask them an easy question they are sure to answer well and then praise them. Find something for them to do in connection with the discussion; for example, to assist in a demonstration or to help lay out the venue. 4. WRONG Always avoid direct criticism, sarcasm and ridicule. Incorrect information given, but Use indirect methods. Analyse a similar case without whom the others in the group, reference to them personally. out of respect, refuse to Talk to them in private. correct. 5. OVER-TALKING Be tactful, but interrupt and ask others to comment. It may be necessary to ask them politely to refrain Continuously talking from talking and to give somebody else a chance. If it cannot be done without embarrassing the individual, a private talk would be advisable. Fail to recognise them when asking for opinions. Don’t look at them when you are presenting a question. This makes it difficult for them to “get the floor”. Deliberately turn to another person and ask for their opinion. Establish a rule that no member should speak too long on any question until everyone has had a chance to talk. P a g e | 24

Behaviour Recommendation 6. The OBSTINATE In a tactful way, bring the discussion of the point in question to a close by calling for a majority opinion. Who thinks that courses and Study the individual to determine their likes, dislikes discussions are a waste of time and any special interest. Hold up the good points in - who doesn’t believe in these their arguments to illustrate points discussed. ‘new-fangled ideas’ 7. DISINTERESTED Ask direct questions affecting them and their work. Ask their advice. Quote tactfully a remark they made to you outside the discussion room. Carefully bring out things in which you know they are interested in. 8. OPINION-SEEKING Refer the question back to the group and then back Attempting to get others’ to them. opinions instead of giving theirs Be aware of “moment of truth” questions. If you fail to answer these you lose credibility. 9. HOLDING A GRUDGE Avoid discussion about their pet “whinge”. Explain that any problem discussed must be for the greatest Carrying and expressing a good to the greatest number and no personal gripes personal grudge will be discussed. Don’t discuss their habits or any other gripe they bring up. If the grudge is between two individuals in the group whom hold a personal grievance against each other, avoid discussion between them. Try to switch one to another group or syndicate.

Which behaviour above is your greatest challenge? What are some ways you could deal with this type of behaviour? P a g e | 25 Self as Facilitator

Learning Styles

Your preferred method of learning can be linked to the experiential learning cycle:

Copyright: Honey and Mumford P a g e | 26 Learning Style Inventory General Descriptions

Activist Preference Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the here and now and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: “I'll try anything once”. They tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activity. They tackle problems by brainstorming. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next. They tend to thrive on the challenge of new experiences but are bored with implementation and longer term consolidation. They are gregarious people constantly involving themselves with others but, in doing so, they seek to centre all activities around themselves.

Reflector Preference Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. They collect data, both first hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to any conclusion. The thorough collection and analysis of data about experiences and events is what counts so they tend to postpone reaching definitive conclusions for as long as possible. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before making a move. They prefer to take a back seat in meetings and discussions. They enjoy observing other people in action. They listen to others and get the drift of the discussion before making their own points. They tend to adopt a low profile and have a slightly distant, tolerant unruffled air about them. When they act it is part of a wide picture which includes the past as well as the present and others' observations as well as their own.

Theorist Preference Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step by step logical way. They assimilate disparate facts into coherent theories. They tend to be perfectionists who won't rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. They like to analyse and synthesise. They are keen on basic assumptions, principles, theories models and systems thinking. Their philosophy prizes rationality and logic. “If it's logical it's good”. Questions they frequently ask are: “Does it make sense?” “How does this fit with that?” “What are the basic assumptions?” They tend to be detached, analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous. Their approach to problems is consistently logical. This is their “mental set” and they rigidly reject anything that doesn't fit with it. They prefer to maximise certainty and feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements, lateral thinking and anything flippant.

Pragmatist Preference Pragmatists are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They are the sort of people who return from management courses brimming with new ideas that they want to try out in practice. They like to get on with things and act quickly and confidently on ideas that attract P a g e | 27 them. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussions. They are essentially practical, down to earth people who like making practical decisions and solving problems. They respond to problems and opportunities “as a challenge”. Their philosophy is: “There is always a better way” and “If it works, it's good”. Learning Styles Inventory Questionnaire This questionnaire is designed to find out your preferred learning style(s). Over the years you have probably developed learning “habits” that help you benefit more from some experiences than from others. Since you are probably unaware of this, this questionnaire will help you pinpoint your learning preferences so that you are in a better position to select learning experiences that suit your style.

There is no time limit on this questionnaire. It will probably take you 10-15 minutes. The accuracy of the results depends on how honest you can be. There are no right or wrong answers. If you agree more than you disagree with a statement put a tick by it. If you disagree more than you agree put a cross by it. Be sure to mark each item with either a tick or cross.  1. I have strong beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad.  2. I often act without considering the possible consequences.  3. I tend to solve problems using a step-by-step approach  4. I believe that formal procedures and policies restrict people.  5. I have a reputation for saying what I think, simply and directly.  6. I often find that actions based on feelings are as sound as those based on careful thought and analysis.  7. I like the sort of work where I have time for thorough preparation and implementation.  8. I regularly question people about their basic assumptions.  9. What matters most is whether something works in practice.  10. I actively seek out new experiences.  11. When I hear about a new idea or approach I immediately start working out how to apply it in practice.  12. I am keen on self-discipline such as watching my diet, taking regular exercise, sticking to a fixed routine, etc.  13. I take pride in doing a thorough job.  14. I get on best with logical, analytical people and less well with spontaneous, “irrational” people.  15. I take care over the interpretation of data available to me and avoid jumping to conclusions.  16. I like to reach a decision carefully after weighing up many alternatives.  17. I'm attracted more to novel, unusual ideas than to practical ones.  18. I don't like disorganised things and prefer to fit things into a coherent pattern.  19. I accept and stick to laid down procedures and policies so long as I regard them as an efficient way of getting the job done. P a g e | 28  20. I like to relate my actions to a general principle.  21. In discussions I like to get straight to the point.  22. I tend to have distant, rather formal relationships with people at work.  23. I thrive on the challenge of tackling something new and different.  24. I enjoy fun-loving, spontaneous people.  25. I pay meticulous attention to detail before coming to a conclusion.  26. I find it difficult to produce ideas on impulse.  27. I believe in coming to the point immediately.  28. I am careful not to jump to conclusions too quickly.  29. I prefer to have as many sources of information as possible - the more data to think over the better.  30. Flippant people who don't take things seriously enough usually irritate me.  31. I listen to other people's points of view before putting my own forward.  32. I tend to be open about how I'm feeling.  33. In discussions I enjoy watching the manoeuvrings of the other participants.  34. I prefer to respond to events on a spontaneous, flexible basis rather than plan things out in advance.  35. I tend to be attracted to techniques such as network analysis, flow charts, branching programmes, contingency planning, etc.  36. It worries me if I have to rush out a piece of work to meet a tight deadline.  37. I tend to judge people's ideas on their practical merits.  38. Quiet, thoughtful people tend to make me feel uneasy.  39. I often get irritated by people who want to rush things.  40. It is more important to enjoy the present moment than to think about the past or future.  41. I think that decisions based on a thorough analysis of all the information are sounder than those based on intuition.  42. I tend to be a perfectionist.  43. In discussions I usually produce lots of spontaneous ideas.  44. In meetings I put forward practical realistic ideas.  45. More often than not, rules are there to be broken.  46. I prefer to stand back from a situation and consider all the perspectives.  47. I can often see inconsistencies and weaknesses in other people's arguments.  48. On balance I talk more than I listen.  49. I can often see better, more practical ways to get things done.  50. I think written reports should be short and to the point.  51. I believe that rational, logical thinking should win the day. P a g e | 29  52. I tend to discuss specific things with people rather than engaging in social discussion.  53. I like people who approach things realistically rather than theoretically.  54. In discussions I get impatient with irrelevancies and digressions.  55. If I have a report to write I tend to produce lots of drafts before settling on the final version.  56. I am keen to try things out to see if they work in practice.  57. I am keen to reach answers via a logical approach.  58. I enjoy being the one that talks a lot.  59. In discussions I often find I am the realist, keeping people to the point and avoiding wild speculations.  60. I like to ponder many alternatives before making up my mind.  61. In discussions with people I often find I am the most dispassionate and objective.  62. In discussions I'm more likely to adopt a “low profile” than to take the lead and do most of the talking.  63. I like to be able to relate current actions to a longer term bigger picture.  64. When things go wrong I am happy to shrug it off and “put it down to experience”.  65. I tend to reject wild, spontaneous ideas as being impractical.  66. It's best to think carefully before taking action.  67. On balance I do the listening rather than the talking.  68. I tend to be tough on people who find it difficult to adopt a logical approach.  69. Most times I believe the end justifies the means.  70. I don't mind hurting people's feelings so long as the job gets done.  71. I find the formality of having specific objectives and plans stifling.  72. I'm usually one of the people who puts the life into a party.  73. I do whatever is expedient to get the job done.  74. I quickly get bored with methodical, detailed work.  75. I am keen on exploring the basic assumptions, principles and theories underpinning things and events.  76. I'm always interested to find out what people think.  77. I like meetings to be run on methodical lines, sticking to laid down agenda, etc.  78. I steer clear of subjective or ambiguous topics.  79. I enjoy the drama and excitement of a crisis situation.  80. People often find me insensitive to their feelings. Source: Honey & Mumford P a g e | 30 Learning Styles Inventory Questionnaire - Scoring

You score one point for each item you ticked. There are no points for items you crossed (x). Simply indicate on the lists below which items were ticked.

2 7 1 5

4 13 3 9

6 15 8 11

10 16 12 19

17 25 14 21

23 28 18 27

24 29 20 35

32 31 22 37

34 33 26 44

38 36 30 49

40 39 42 50

43 41 47 53

45 46 51 54

48 52 57 56

58 55 61 59

64 60 63 65

71 62 68 69

72 66 75 70

74 67 77 73

79 76 78 80

Totals

Activist Reflector Theorist Pragmatist

Circle your scores on this chart and join them up with lines P a g e | 31

Activist Reflector Theorist Pragmatist 20 20 20 20 19 18 19 19 17 19 Very strong 16 18 18 preference 15 14 18 17 17 13 16 12 17 15 16 Strong 16 preference 11 15 14 15 10 14 13 14 Moderate 9 13 12 13 preference 8 12 11 12 7 6 11 10 11 Low 5 10 9 10 preference 4 9 8 9 3 8 7 8 7 6 7 6 5 6 2 5 4 5 Very low 4 3 4 preference 1 3 2 3 2 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 P a g e | 32 RESOURCES

Get-To-Know-You Activities/Games

1. Personal Shields: Name in centre and draw symbols, in each of 4 quadrants. For example: 1. Hobbies 2. Key moment in life 3. Favourite place 4. Strengths in a group One minute autobiographical sharing of what symbols mean to the larger group.

NOTE: You can create whatever themes you wish for the 4 quadrants. Your intention is to warm-up the participants’ to sharing themselves. 2. Unique and Shared: is a get-to-know-you game as well as a team-building activity. The game helps people see that they have more in common with their peers than they might initially realize, while highlighting their own individual strengths that they can contribute to the group. An indoor setting is preferable. Participants will split into groups of about five people, so this activity works fine with medium, large, and even some extra-large groups. Each group of five needs paper and a pen. This activity is for all ages. Instructions for Unique and Shared Ask participants to form groups of five people with the people around them. Pass out sheets of paper and writing utensil. The first half of the activity is the Shared part. Instruct a note taker for each group to create a list of many common traits or qualities that members of the group have in common. Avoid writing things that are immediately obvious (e.g. don’t write down something like “everyone has hair” or “we are all wearing clothes”). The goal is for everyone to dig deeper than the superficial. Allow about five or six minutes and then have a spokesperson from each subgroup read their list. If there are too many groups, ask for a few volunteers to read their list. The second half is the Unique part. Keep the same groups or, optionally, you can ask everyone to rearrange themselves into new groups. On a second sheet of paper have them record Unique traits and qualities; that is, items that only apply to one person in the group. Instruct the group to find at least two unique qualities and strengths per person. Again, strive for qualities and strengths beyond the superficial and past the obvious things anyone can readily see. Allow another five or six minutes. When time is up, share the unique qualities in one of the following ways: (1) each person can share one of their unique qualities themselves; (2) have each person read the qualities of the person to their right; or (3) have a spokesperson read a quality one at a time, and have the others guess who it was. P a g e | 33 Unique and Shared is a valuable team-building activity because it promotes unity as it gets people to realize that they have more common ground with their peers than they first might realize. As people become aware of their own unique characteristics, they can also help people feel empowered to offer the group something unique. P a g e | 34 Ground Rules

IAF Canada Monograph Series, Number 5, January 2009

The mission of the IAF is to promote, support, and advance the art and practice of professional facilitation through methods exchange, professional growth, practical research, collegial networking, and support services. This is accomplished through peer-

to-peer networking, professional development, and annual conferences which are critical means for fulfilling the mission and reflecting our core values.

Sylvie Lapointe-Lemaire Organizational Change Specialist Canadian Forest Service Natural Resources Canada (613) 947-8994 [email protected]

Do you remember the book by Robert Fulghum entitled All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? It made the case that we have learned many (if not all) of the “rules” of life very early on, as children. Here is an excerpt: All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. P a g e | 35

We all have a set of rules we live by (whether consciously or unconsciously). Those rules influence our personal and professional lives. Teams of people have rules too. Sometimes the rules are proudly displayed in the meeting room, but sometimes the rules are unspoken or informal. If you are leading any kind of group process, you need to determine whether to have “Ground Rules” for the group’s time together, and, if so, what those rules should be. What are Ground Rules? Ground Rules are a code of conduct for the group. They answer the question: “How do we want to work together as a group in order to be the most productive?”

Ground Rules can address at least four different areas.

Values and principles: These could include: respect for diversity of opinions, conversational courtesies (e.g. one person speaks at a time and no side-bar conversations), confidentiality, promptness, or even……having fun! Group process: How the group makes decisions (e.g. definition of consensus), handles disagreements, collects and transcribes flip charts, etc. Attendance: How many people will be needed for quorum, protocols for notification of absence, naming of replacements, etc. Interruptions: How we want to handle cell phones, blackberries, and knocks on the door during the meeting, etc.

Ground Rules – Are they a must?

This is cause for debate in the facilitation community. Some facilitators swear by Ground Rules and use them as a matter of course. Others never use them. As for me, it depends…..

 Is this a newly formed group? Or has this group worked together several times?  Am I, as the facilitator, new to this group? Or is this a regular client group?  What is the history of this group? Do it members work well together? Do they have a history of conflicts?  Are the members of this group driven by output and very task-focused? Or is it a professional network focused on relationships?  What is the objective of the session? Are rules as necessary when it is a team- building day as opposed to a strategic planning day? What kinds of rules are more appropriate in these contexts?  What would be the purpose of the Ground Rules for this group? Manage relationships? Manage process? Manage both?

How to develop Ground Rules?

If the group decides that it does indeed want explicit Ground Rules, suggest a process to help develop them at the very beginning of the meeting. The manner in which you P a g e | 36 create Ground Rules can have an impact on the team dynamics. Choose your approach based on the objectives of the session and what you know about the dynamics of the group.

There are many ways to develop Ground Rules, but here are a few suggestions.

1. Straightforward Approach: I have seen many facilitators use this simple approach. They write 3 to 5 potential basic Ground Rules on a flip chart prior to the start of the meeting. As the meeting opens, they present these Ground Rules to the participants and ask if there is anything they would delete or add to the list presented. The facilitator manages the ensuing discussion among the group’s members as they reach agreement on their own rules of conduct for the duration of the meeting.

2. Traditional Brainstorming: Present one of the areas listed above, such as values and principles, and ask the group to brainstorm some potential rules. Record their ideas on a flip chart. Then move on to the next area and repeat the process. Once the list is complete, ask participants for their agreement to adopt these rules as their code of conduct for the meeting.

3. Appreciative Inquiry: Ask participants to go back in memory to one of the best meetings they have ever attended. Give them a minute or two to reflect on what made that meeting so positive and memorable for them. Ask them to jot down their thoughts. Facilitate a round-robin process where each participant describes one of the factors that contributed to a positive meeting and record this on the flip chart. Repeat the process until all of the different ideas have been expressed. Ask the group members if they are willing to adopt these principles as their Ground Rules for this meeting.

For a group that has a long history of working together and that only needs to be reminded of its Ground Rules, the Straightforward Approach is probably best. However, a new group that has asked you to do some team building might gain a lot by creating its Ground Rules through a more visionary approach, such as the Appreciative Inquiry method, that helps the group get clear about what it values and what its members want to work towards in their team.

But increasingly, I use another process to open meetings that I facilitate: Meaningful Conversation. This approach is drawn from a book by William Isaacs entitled Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together. In his book, Isaacs explains that we tend to have a misconception of what dialogue is. Dialogue is not talking at each other or talking with each other. Real dialogue is THINKING TOGETHER. Isaacs says that “dialogue is about a shared inquiry, a way of thinking and reflecting together…..a living experience of inquiry within and between people.” I try to convey this concept to participants by giving a mini- teach of Isaacs’ definition of dialogue at the beginning of each session.

Here is what I do. Transcribe the text below on a flip chart and post it in the P a g e | 37 room. State the root meaning of each word. Give examples of each type of communication as we experience them in our organizations. Tell stories. Finish with the concept of dialogue as Isaacs describes it. Invite people to listen attentively, suspend their judgments, take time for reflection before speaking, and enter into conversations for relationship throughout the day.

Dialogue – Bill Isaacs Root Meaning of Words

DEBATE - TO BEAT DOWN

DISCUSSION - CONCUSSION / PERCUSSION To shake apart

CONVERSATION - TO TURN TOGETHER TAKE TURNS SPEAKING Deliberate - suspend what you think and stay open to new ideas or defend it with the assumption that you are right

DIALOGUE DIA - through LOGOS - word or meaning Flow of meaning

DIALOGUE = a conversation in which people think together in RELATIONSHIP

How do we ensure adherence to Ground Rules?

The Ground Rules should be posted and visible to all participants. The Ground Rules belong to the group and its members are responsible for their enforcement. It is up to the group to self-monitor and keep itself on track. This means that the facilitator should resist the urge to take responsibility for enforcing the rules and should trust the group process (and believe me sometimes that takes a lot of personal discipline!). Being a great believer in the wisdom of groups, I have been rewarded many times for my decision to not interfere and let the group take care of itself. However, I have to admit that there are times when things derail and it becomes necessary to point out the Ground Rules to the group to remind them of the commitment they have made to each other at the beginning of the meeting.

In the end…

There is no right way or wrong way to do Ground Rules. It is what works for you and the group you are facilitating. Your experience and your intuition will let you know what is best. And in order to get experience…. you need to have a few successes, and, yes, a few failures along the way. Facilitation is a partnership. The group owns the process P a g e | 38 and the outcome, and you, the facilitator, act as a guide along the journey.

References:

Fulghum, Robert. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten (Random House Canada, 1988) ISBN: 0394571029.

Isaacs, William. Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together New York (Currency, 1999) ISBN: 0-385-47999-9.

P a g e | 39 Effective Facilitator Behaviours

Focusing techniques Examples of What to Say or Do 1. Set up the room You can prevent a number of potential meeting problems from occurring, simply by how you arrange the room in advance.

2. Establish ground rules - Contracting with the group. Agreement or general define roles procedures - e.g. try for decision by consensus first.

3. Suggest a process “Why don’t we try brainstorming?” “I would suggest looking at criteria before trying to evaluate the options.”

4. Get agreement on process “To make sure we are clear, group 1 will present its report without interruption, then we’ll ask questions for clarification” “If there are no objections, we’ll brainstorm different possible definitions of the problem, stating them as “how to” questions. Any questions about how we are going to proceed?

5. Get agreement on “Which issue are you going to discuss first?” content/outcome Now we’re just dealing with the issue of induction training – not training in general. That’s right?

6. Get permission to enforce “If you want to get through all these reports by the process agreements 11.00, I’m going to have to hold you to your five minutes time limit. Is that OK? Any objections?” “Is it alright with you if I push a little harder to get finished on time?” “You’ve agreed not to bring up old war stories. Do I have your permission to cut you off if you do?” “If you want to get through by 4.00pm I’m going to have to hold you to a time limit - Is that OK?”

7. Get the group to take “This is your meeting, not mine. What do you want responsibility for its to do?” actions “It’s up to you to decide if you want to change the agenda.”

8. Get ownership of the Even though an agenda has been prepared in agenda - check advance, don’t assume that everyone in the meeting expectations has seen it or agreed to it. Check for additions, revisions and reordering of agenda items. Once people have had a chance to revise or approve the agenda, then it becomes their agenda, not P a g e | 40

Focusing techniques Examples of What to Say or Do yours, and they are less likely to feel they have been manipulated.

9. Educate the group on “You can’t solve two problems at once.” process “If we don’t agree on the problem, we’ll never agree on a solution.”

10. Stay neutral / stay out of Don’t get drawn into contributing your own ideas or the content opinions, when the group have the information.

11. Be positive (win/win If you really believe a win/win solution can be attitude) found, you will increase the chances of it happening. “This is a difficult issue, but if we take our time and work our way through the problem I’m sure we can find a solution you can all live with.” P a g e | 41

Interventions Examples of What to Say or Do 1. Boomerang Don’t get backed into answering questions the group should be answering for themselves. Boomerang the question back to the group.

2. Maintain/regain focus “Wait a second. Let’s keep a common focus here.” Refocus on end objectives. Summarise position or ask a group member to summarise. “Excuse me, Elizabeth. Are you addressing the issue of...?’ “Let’s work on one thing at a time.”

3. Play dumb When the group has gotten off track or the meeting has broken down in some way, playing dumb is a way of getting the group to focus on its own process by having to explain it to you. It is easy to do when you’re really confused. “Can someone tell me what’s going on?” “I’m confused. What are we doing now?” “Where are we?” “I’m lost. I thought we were...”

4. Say what’s going on Sometimes, simply identifying and describing a destructive behaviour to the group is enough to change that behaviour. Be sure to check for agreement after your process observation. “You are not letting John finish his contribution.” “I think you are trying to force a decision before we’re ready.”

5. Check for agreement Almost any time you make a statement or propose a

process, give the group an opportunity to respond.

Don’t assume they are with you.

A powerful way of checking is to look for the negative. Rather than saying, “Do you all agree?”, ask: “Are there any objections?”

6. Avoid process battles Don’t let the group become locked into arguments about which is the “right” way to proceed. Point out that you can try a number of things, deal with more than one issue. The issue is which one to try first. P a g e | 42

Interventions Examples of What to Say or Do 7. Enforce process Once the group has agreed to a procedure, your agreements credibility and neutrality may be at stake if you don’t enforce their agreement. You can refer the group back to the ground rules for review.

8. Encourage “Could you say more about that?” “Why don’t you try?” “Keep going. I think this is useful.”

9. Acknowledge Recognise contribution by writing it up and/or responding. Acknowledge disruptive behaviour rather than ignoring it.

10. Don’t be defensive If you are challenged, don’t argue or become defensive. Accept the criticism, thank the individual for the comment, and boomerang the issue back to the individual or group. “You think I’m pushing too hard?” (lots of nods) Thank you for telling me. How should we proceed from here?”

11. Use your body language There are five ways to control groups. 1. Verbals 2. Non verbals 3. Visuals 4. Space 5. Body language. One and two are used most commonly, but we tend not to use the others. Many interventions can be reinforced, and sometimes even made, by the movement of your body or hands. For example: regaining focus by standing up and moving into the middle of the group. Enforcing a process agreement by holding up your hand to keep someone from interrupting. Encouraging someone by gesturing with your hands. Use violation of personal space to stop side talking (walk closely) walk towards group to close input; away to open. Open posture to get response (open palms, not point) Standing up increases psychological status.

12. Use the record The record can also be used to reinforce many of the interventions and preventions. For example: Regaining focus can be facilitated by walking up to the charts and pointing at the agenda item the group should be dealing with. Getting agreement on content can be greatly P a g e | 43

Interventions Examples of What to Say or Do supported by writing down or circling the subject to be discussed.

13. Don’t talk too much The better facilitator you become, the fewer words you will have to use. When you have really done a good job, the group may leave thinking that the meeting went so well it can do without you next time. Use your hands, eye contact, and partial sentences to communicate economically.... “I’m sorry. You were saying that ...” “Could you say that again?” “The point you were making was...”

14. Little steps Get little agreements along the way. Encourage progress. “Could I suggest a process?” - Yes!

15. Whose responsibility is it? Don’t take responsibility for the group, reinforce. “It’s your meeting- What do you want to do?” Success doesn’t depend on you.

P a g e | 44 Five Ways to Facilitate Quiet People and Get Them to Participate More Fully

The following are ideas facilitators can implement to transform the velocity of contributions from quiet people.

Interview Your Participants It is so important, especially with quiet people, to establish a connection before the meeting. When you speak with participants in advance, transfer ownership of the deliverables, by establishing the importance of their contribution. Emphasize the roles in a workshop, especially the protection of participants that is assured by the facilitator. Break-out Sessions Using break-out sessions gives quieter people permission to speak freely. When they assemble in smaller teams, they are better able to have a conversation with fewer people than needing to speak to a larger group. They discover that they are not a “lone” voice giving them increased confidence to speak on behalf of “our team,” when otherwise they might remain quiet. Non-verbal Solicitation Actively seek and beseech their input with open hands and eye contact. Let them know in advance that you understand their quiet nature, but want to ensure that their input is not lost at critical and appropriate moments. Therefore, you intend to approach them with non-verbal signals to encourage their participation, with the absolute confidence that you will protect them by separating the value of their message from their personality. Emphasize that the facilitator protects the people first and then secures participants’ input because the content gathered is being assembled to serve the people, not the other way around. Reinforce During Breaks Constantly remind them (in private) that their input is important and valued. Reinforce your role as protector and ask them if they have avoided making a contribution when, perhaps, they should have spoken. Ask them if there is anything else that you can do, as facilitator, to make it easier for them to provide input. Other Support Other steps may be used when all else fails. Instead of a spoken round-robin, ask everyone to write down their ideas on post-it notes or other paper so that you can gather their ideas anonymously. Consider asking a confederate (ie, another participant) to encourage their participation by specifically referring to the quiet person, stating that they “would like to hear X’s opinion.”

http://facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/five-ways-to-facilitate-quiet-people- and-get-them-to-participate-more-fully/ accessed 30 July 2012 P a g e | 45

Decision Making Processes

Six Thinking Hats – Introduction

Six Hats There are six imaginary thinking hats, each hat having a different colour. Each of the six hats represents a different type of thinking. When you “put on” one of the hats, you operate exclusively in that mode of thinking. When you change from one hat to another, you change from the thinking mode indicated by the first hat to the thinking mode indicated by the second hat.

Six Types of Thinking When you play golf, you have several different clubs in your bag. You have a driver for long shots and a putter for hitting the ball into the hole on the green. In a similar way, each of the six hats has a specific function. Just as you select a golf club, so you would select a type of thinking.

Not categories It is very important to be clear that the six hats are not descriptions of thinkers or categories of thinkers. Every thinker should be able to use each hat just as every golfer should be able to use each club. It is true that some people may be better at one hat than another. Some people may also prefer to use one hat rather than another. But the hats do not represent descriptions of thinkers. Each hat specifies a direction and focus for thinking.

Using the hats It is important that all members of the team us e the same type of thinking at the same time. This allows a team to fully explore all aspects of an issue and ensures that members do not get ‘stuck’ in one mode of thinking that is more comfortable to them. (i.e. always using the ‘black hat’).

‘WHITE HAT’ ON THE HATS

There are six metaphorical hats and the thinker can put on or take off one of these hats to indicate the type of thinking being used. This putting on and taking off is essential. The hats must never be used to categorize individuals, even though their behaviour may seem to invite this. When done in a group, everybody wears the same hat at the same time.

This covers facts, figures, information needs and gaps. "I think we need some white hat thinking at this point..." means “Let's drop the arguments and proposals, and look at the data base."

This covers intuition, feelings and emotions. The red hat allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any need to justify it. "Putting on my red hat, I think this is a terrible proposal." Usually feelings and intuition can only be introduced P a g e | 46 into a discussion if they are supported by logic. Usually the feeling is genuine but the logic is spurious. The red hat gives full permission to a thinker to put forward their feelings on the subject at the moment.

This is the hat of judgment and caution. It is a most valuable hat. It is not in any sense an inferior or negative hat. The black hat is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts, the available experience, the system in use, or the policy that is being followed. The black hat must always be logical.

This is the logical positive. Why something will work and why it will offer benefits. It can be used in looking forward to the results of some proposed action, but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.

This is the hat of creativity, alternatives, proposals, what is interesting, provocations and changes.

This is the overview or process control hat. It looks not at the subject itself but at the 'thinking’ about the subject. "Putting on my blue hat, I feel we should do some more green hat thinking at this point." In technical terms, the blue hat is concerned with meta-cognition.

Excerpt from John Culvenor and Dennis Else Engineering Creative Design, 1995

Six Thinking Hats Summary

White Hat

Think of white paper and computer print outs. The white hat, like paper, is concerned directly with data and information. White Hat Questions What information is available? What information would we like to have? What information do we need? How are we going to get the missing information?

The White Hat Notes both views when there is conflicting information Assesses the relevance and accuracy of the information P a g e | 47 Separates fact from speculation Pinpoints action needed to fill gaps Reports on someone else’s feelings (but is not used to report your own feelings) Red Hat

Think of a red fire in a grate. Think of warmth. The red hat is concerned with feelings, emotions, and intuition. Red Hat Questions What are my feelings right now? What does my intuition tell me? What is my gut reaction? The Red Hat Should be brief – 30 seconds for each person Gives us “full permission” to express feelings, hunches, and intuitions Does not require us to justify or explain the reasons for our feelings Can be used as part of the thinking that leads to a decision Can be used after a decision has been made

Feelings may be based on years of experience and cannot always be analysed. But they can be valuable ingredients in a discussion. Normally they are excluded because they are neither fact nor logic. The Six Hats system gives feelings a valid place in the exploration of a subject.

Black Hat

Think of a judge’s robes. Judges are influential people, and they usually wear black. The black hat is powerful, effective and an essential ingredient in the thinking process. The role of the black hat is to point out the weaknesses in our thinking. It highlights the points of caution, existing and potential downsides, and concerns. This is one of the most useful hats, as it helps us make good decisions. Black Hat Questions What problems could there be? What could some of the difficulties be? What are points for caution? What are the risks? The Black Hat Helps us make good decisions Points out difficulties Explores why something may not work Must give logical reasons for concerns May sometimes offer information that also appears under white hat. Is a powerful assessment tool when used after the yellow hat Supplies a P a g e | 48 road map for improvement and problem solving when used before the green hat

overuse It is easy to overuse the black hat. This habit arises from the Western tradition of placing so much emphasis on critical thinking. Some people feel that it is enough to be cautious all of the time. Whenever an idea comes up, they think only of the difficulties with that idea. The black hat is an excellent hat, and when it is in use it must be used as thoroughly as possible. But it is important to use all the other hats as well. Overuse of the black hat means using it exclusively and not acknowledging the importance of the other styles of thinking.

Yellow Hat

Think of sunshine and optimism. The yellow hat represents the logical, positive aspects of thinking. The yellow hat looks for benefits and value. The yellow hat looks for feasibility. Yellow Hat Questions What are the benefits? What are the positives? What are the values? Is there a concept in this idea that looks attractive? Can this be made to work? The Yellow Hat Requires a deliberate effort Is less natural than the black hat Complements the black hat Reinforces creative ideas and new directions Must give reasons why an idea is valuable or might work Is a powerful assessment tool when used with the black hat P a g e | 49

Green Hat Think of vegetation and growth, natural energy. The green hat is the “Creativity” hat. Green Hat Questions Are there other ways to do this? What else could we do here? What are the possibilities? What will overcome our difficulties? The Green Hat Encourages a search for new ideas and alternatives Seeks to modify and remove faults in existing ideas Sets up a micro culture for creativity Makes time and space for a creative “effort” Allows us to balance the natural dominance of the black hat

The green hat is for possibilities, even if they are remote. Unlike the black and white hats, the green hat does not need to have a logical base. The green hat permits suggestions to be made. The value of the suggestions can then be checked out later. When the green hat is in use, everyone is expected to be creative. Creativity is now everyone’s business.

Blue Hat

Think of blue as the blue sky, or overview. The blue hat is concerned with “process control”. The blue hat manages the thinking process itself. With the blue hat, the thinker stands back and looks at the thinking that needs to take place, or is taking place. In psychological terms, the blue hat is concerned with “meta-cognition” (thinking about thinking). Just as the conductor of an orchestra tries to get the best from all the instruments, the blue hat tries to get the best thinking from all its participants. Blue Hat Questions What is our agenda? What is our next step? Which hat are we using now? How can we summarise the discussion so far? What is our decision? The Blue Hat Is usually the role of the facilitator Can be worn by any member of the group Focuses and refocusses thinking Handles requests for certain types of thinking Points out inappropriate comments P a g e | 50

Asks for a summary of the thinking Makes or calls for the group to make decisions

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Team Planning Exercise

This is a simple way to involve all team members in planning the team’s work and sharing out the workload. by Irene MacWilliam — last modified Aug 04, 2010 02:30 PM This exercise works as part of a wider team planning process. Once you’ve agreed the main aims of the team you can go on to form more detailed objectives.

Resources needed  post-it notes in two different colours  flip chart paper

Method

1. Write each team objective on a separate post-it note (all of the same colour). When you’ve finished, attach all the post-its on a piece of flip-chart paper.

2. Now place each objective in order of importance (high, medium, low). How many do you have? What are your priorities?

3. Starting with your top priority take one post-it (objective). Stick it on a new piece of flip-chart paper.

4. Now discuss and agree what tasks need to be done to achieve that objective. Write each task on a separate post-it note (in a second colour).

5. Go on to do this with all your objectives until you end up with a piece of flip-chart for each one. Each flip-chart should have the objective in one colour and a number of tasks in another colour.

6. Review the whole. Is it manageable within the resources you have (people, time, finances)? What’s essential? Is there anything you can drop?

7. Once you’ve come up with a final list, decide how you will share the work. Will one person take responsibility for a particular objective? Or will the tasks for that objective be shared? Who will carry out each task? Who will coordinate?

8. As objectives and tasks are allocated hand the relevant post-it note to its ‘owner’.

9. The pile in front of each person represents their contribution to achieving the team’s objectives. You might go on to discuss:  How evenly distributed is workload?  Who needs to work with whom?  What support do people need to carry out their tasks?  What resources are needed?  Are there any learning or training needs? P a g e | 52

Outcomes You should go away with a well-thought through plan to which everyone has contributed. Individuals will be able to see how important their own work is in enabling the team to achieve its overall goals http://www.knowhownonprofit.org/people/teams/effectiveteam/exercise

Resource Websites

 http://learningfor sustainability.net/tools/facilitation/php - Facilitation tools & techniques ***** Very Useful Ideas ****

 http://www.mindtools.com/ - Practical, straightforward skills for all aspects of work (inc. facilitation)

 http://www.thiagi.com/tips.html - Tips for Facilitators

 http://www.knowhownonprofit.org/people/teams

 YouTube clip TED talk: ‘ Amy Cuddy - Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are’

This Workbook was created by Catherine Allen Director, Callen Consulting www.callen.com.au