Originally published on: 05.06.2014
One of my program participants recently mentioned the workplace value of the skills of moderation and facilitation. This conversation piqued my interest, so I searched the Net for the best books about facilitation and chose one that is considered a classic text on the topic of facilitation: The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches by Roger Schwarz. As a trainer who very often works with groups, one of Schwarz's theories caught my eye: establishing ground rules for groups. Schwarz compiled a list known as The Ground Rules for Effective Groups that help make sure groups are communicating effectively. Below, the nine Ground Rules are listed with a short description (some or all of these rules can be adopted, or the group can create their own, at the first group meeting).
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Making inferences from available information is a valuable skill, but what if we make these assumptions based on incorrect information or a misunderstanding of what someone else said?
If members of the team don't share all of their information, this can lead to incorrect decisions. Even worse, if it's discovered later that someone withheld information, it can cause major problems.
If important terms are fully defined, team members can be assured that they're speaking about the same issues in the same way.
If you can explain your line of reasoning to your colleagues, they'll be better able to understand where you're coming from. In addition, listening carefully to your colleagues' explanations will help you understand the situation more fully.
Closely linked to Ground Rule 4, number 5 suggests that we discuss the interests of the people involved and not the position they are taking. Rather than, for example, “He says the budget can't go up, but I want a new computer,” think, “He needs more money for the advertising costs, but I can't process the graphics with my old, slow computer.” Then, we're thinking in terms of what people really need, instead of what we think they might want.
In a nutshell, this ground rules means that when you state an opinion, you ask for comments and questions immediately.
Agreeing on a system for solving disagreements beforehand can save time and make sure disputes don't bring the meeting to a halt.
Bringing sensitive subjects out into the open needs to be handled very carefully, but can ultimately lead to a group that is moving forward rather than constantly avoiding an uncomfortable conversation.
If these (or other) ground rules are followed, hopefully all members will feel that they have all the information necessary to make an informed choice and that their voices have been heard. If this is the case and a consensus is reached, every member of the team will feel more dedicated to following-up on the decision, as they they have been an active part of the decision-making process.
The short description of the ground rules above doesn't really do the book justice. If you're interested in this topic, I'd recommend getting a copy of The Skilled Facilitator for yourself. If you have experience with groups that work well together (or more tips for how to make group interaction more effective), please share them with us in the comments section below.