Meetings are a necessary part of any group’s work; they provide an opportunity to share information, make decisions, and ensure that tasks are completed. But all too often, they drag on, people get on each other’s nerves, interrupt one another, and no decisions are made. We then leave these frustrating meetings wondering why we even bothered to attend. Unfortunately, this pattern is common in groups. However, with a few facilitation techniques, it’s easy to avoid these pitfalls, make meetings more enjoyable, and turn them into inspiring experiences.

Facilitation is about taking responsibility for making meetings as easy, inclusive and effective as possible. It is rooted in the values of shared power, equality and the belief that everyone’s needs matter and all voices should be heard. Facilitation is a proactive role, but not a ‘power-over’ role. The facilitator doesn’t have more power than anyone else, or makes decisions for the group. Good facilitators remain neutral, earn the trust of every meeting participant, and treat them as equals. At no time do they make decisions on behalf of the group, nor do they take sides in a conflict.

Content - What was accomplished? Did you achieve the necessary results? Were the issues resolved, and were the group’s objectives met? Form - How was it done? How did people feel, and how will this affect the group’s morale and cohesion? Did the meeting make good use of the various talents present? Was it enjoyable?

• Helping the group decide on a realistic agenda and time-frame for the meeting. Keeping the meeting on time, and ensuring that a written record is made of any action points and decisions agreed at the meeting. (A minute-taker can be appointed to make notes).

• Finding out about and accommodating any access requirements in the group that will help people to participate, e.g. seating requirements, different ways of processing information, or regular breaks.

• Regulating the flow of discussion, e.g. drawing out quiet people, or those with the most relevant experience. Often in meetings some people are heard more than others; this power dynamic can be a reflection of wider society. Facilitators should pay attention to who has spoken a lot and try to make sure everyone is heard.

• Keeping the meeting focused on one item at a time until the issue is resolved. This can be helped by clarifying and summarising points, and checking for agreement in order to make clear decisions.

• Address aggressive, discriminatory, or derogatory behavior.

• Suggest techniques such as brainstorming, round- robin discussions, and working groups to make meetings more productive and participatory.

• Clarify and summarize, ensuring that everyone understands the discussion.

• Assess whether there is agreement and ensure that the decisions made are clear.

• Ensure that tasks and decisions are recorded (for example, in meeting minutes).

• Manage time.

• Help the group manage conflict.

• Be attentive to underlying issues, concerns, and emotions. Help ensure they are expressed so they can be taken into consideration

Instead of having just one facilitator, there may be two or more people who share the various tasks:

• Co-facilitators can take turns facilitating and support one another.
• Managing requests to speak: be mindful of the order of requests to speak and manage speaking time.
• The “vibes-watchers” pay attention to the energy or “emotional atmosphere” of the meeting. They are attentive to individuals’ feelings and intervene if necessary.
• The timekeeper monitors the timing and agreed-upon deadlines for addressing agenda items, negotiating extensions if necessary.
• The note-taker takes notes, writes a report, and draws attention to unfinished decisions. For example: “Who will contact this person, and when?” Etc.
• The “greeter” welcomes (new) attendees, informs them about the meeting and the practical details.

• Good listening skills to identify the underlying concerns within the group.
• Respect for all participants and an interest in what each person has to offer
• Neutrality on the issues under discussion. If this becomes difficult, or if you know that you’ll have trouble remaining impartial:

1. step aside and let someone else take over to facilitate
2. make a point of distinguishing when you are speaking as a participant, or as a facilitator.

• Understanding of the meeting’s objectives, as well as the group’s long-term goals.
• Assertiveness: Knowing when to step in decisively and set a clear direction for the meeting
• Clear thinking and observation: Pay attention to both the content of the discussion and the process itself. How do people feel? What is being expressed?

The goal is to prioritize participation and the most equitable distribution of power possible. Effective facilitation plays a key role in ensuring the success of this process. The key to guiding a group toward consensus is to help all members clearly express their needs and perspectives, find common ground, and then identify solutions for each area of disagreement. Active listening, recapitulation, and summarising are three practices that help the facilitator achieve this.

Active listening: The conscious effort to get an accurate understanding of where someone is coming from. In active listening you set aside your own response to what someone is saying and instead focus on really listening and helping them feel heard.

Questioning: Asking questions can clarify issues and support people to explore their needs. Facilitators can ask clarifying questions to get a clearer understanding of what someone is saying, or put open questions to the group to open up more exploration.

Summarising: Regular summaries of the discussion can help avoid repetition by reassuring people their points have been heard, and highlighting the key issues raised. The facilitator should offer the summary tentatively and give people space to correct them, e.g. “What I've heard people saying so far is… Did I miss anything out?”