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FACILITATIONANDSKILLFULDISCUSSION

ImTomRomito.ImafacilitatorandIworkwithorganizationsthatwanttoimprove
themselves.Thisshortpaperisabouthoworganizationscanachieveclarityinwordsand
thoughtwiththehelpofafacilitator.

Manyorganizationswastetimebecausetheycantagreeonanything.Maybeyourorganization
islikethis.Awaytoovercomethisproblemisskillfuldiscussion.IborroweditfromThe
FifthDisciplineHandbookbyPeterSenge.Skillfuldiscussioncanhelpagroupofpeople
achieveclarityinwordsandthought,whichinturn,willhelpthemreachconsensusandmake
decisionsintheshortestpossibletime.Therearefourfactorsinpracticingskillfuldiscussion.

First,theleaderoftheorganization,whetherheorsheistheCEOofacorporationorthe
presidentofagrassrootsnonprofitorganization,mustbeinvestedinimprovingthe
organization.Itshouldgowithoutsayingthattheleadermustalsobepresentatallmeetings
whereskillfuldiscussionisgoingtooccur.

Second,aconsistent,criticalmassofcommittedpeoplemustbeinvolvedintheeffort.This
meansthat,asoftenaspossible,thesamepeopleshouldattendthemeetings.Thisisbecause
skillfuldiscussionisatechniquepeopleonlylearnthroughpractice.Themoreoftentheywork
togetheronissues,thebettertheyaregoingtocommunicatewitheachother.

Third,everyonemusttreateachotherascolleagues.Theymustallhaveimmunityfrom
retributionfromanyoneinthemeeting,regardlessofwhattheysay.AsRogerSchwartzpoints
outinhisbook,TheSkilledFacilitator,theymustbewillingtodiscusstheundiscussable.
Thatmeansthattheymustbewillingtoaddressissuestheywouldratheravoid.Otherwise,they
willnevergettotherealcausesofproblems,whichwilljustcontinuetofesterandimpede
effectivedecisionmaking.

Asanexampleofthisthirdfactor,Ihavefacilitatedworkgroupswherewegottoaction
planningandnobodytookresponsibilityforanyworkitemsexcepttheleader.Isaid,AmIto
understandthatnobodyexceptMaryiswillingtodoanything?Then,slowly,thehandsstarted
togoupandpeopletookchargeofgettingthingsdone.Peoplemusttreateachothercolleagues
andpulltheirownweightiftheorganizationisgoingtosurvive.

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com

Fourth,everyonemustbewillingtoraisequestionsthatdonthavehardandfirmanswers.Here
aresomeexamplesofthosekindsofquestions:

Whatledyoutohavethatpointofview?

Howdidyouarriveatthatconclusion?

Whenweusethatterm,whatarewesaying?

Whatdoweagreeon,andwhatdowedisagreeon?

Insummary,skillfuldiscussionwillhelpyourorganizationmakequalitydecisionsquickly.

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com