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Skillful collaboration is facilitated by an open mind and heart, keen powers of observation of self and others, compassionate communication, a whole-systems view, and a willingness to witness and experience transformation. The principles defined below are from the Practice Makes Presence workshop which promotes a holistic and relational approach to facilitation while enhancing leadership skills, self-awareness and the capacity to contribute to positive change at any scale. 

Self Reflection

You can’t facilitate others unless you can facilitate yourself. The first core practice of good facilitation is the ability to be self-reflective.

Collaboration

Holistic and community based approach to facilitation requires the ability to study and understand others, collaborate creatively, embrace collaborative values, and understand context so that you can use the right tools for the job at hand.

Collaborative values and ground rules that are explicitly defined at the start of a meeting are important facilitation tools. Over the course of a collaborative effort, facilitators can refer back to them as needed to keep things moving in a productive direction. Ground rules that a facilitator might enforce or refer back to could include “avoid generalizations,” “Aspire to be non-defensive,” “Be aware of how often and how much you speak”

Balance

A good meeting requires a facilitator to balance the conversation with the 4 categories listed below without reacting from personal opinion or preference. The model is called “Kantor’s Four Player Model”.

  • MOVE: Proposing a direction, initiating action, or sharing a new idea
  • FOLLOW/SUPPORT: Appreciating, adding to, or expanding on an idea
  • OBSERVE/BYSTAND: Labeling, naming, reflecting on, providing context or perspective
  • OPPOSE: Correcting, surfacing differences, playing devil’s advocate, or questioning 

Successful facilitation is fluid where participants can move between/inhabit all four quadrants.

The Transition from White Dominant Organizational Culture to Embody Systems, Indigenous, and Relational Thinking

Power dynamics make facilitation complicated! It is critical for facilitators to reflect on and work to counter the ways in which dominant meeting structures and organizational hierarchies may perpetuate racial and gender inequities, uphold white supremacy, and more.

Principles of Dominant vs Relational Facilitation

Examples of Conventional vs. Systems Thinking in Groups

Conclusion

There are numerous tools and strategies that facilitators can employ in order to help groups achieve their objectives. No tool or strategy is perfect; the most important thing is to choose tools or strategies that will work for your specific situation.

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