Know the Four Types of Conversations

The first step in being able to support effective decision making is awareness
that all conversations fit into one of the following four categories:

Sharing Information - this involves things like giving update reports, reviewing bring-
forward items from previous meetings or making lists for later ranking. Note that
brainstorming falls into this category and is not a decision-making discussion.
Information sharing discussions are chaired, rather than facilitated and result in little
collaboration amongst participants.

Planning - this involves participants in such activities as visioning and creating goal
statements, describing objectives and output measures, assessing needs, identifying
priorities and creating detailed action steps. Budget planning and program planning
meetings fall into this category. Managed change initiatives are also planning activities.
Lots of decisions get made during planning conversations, thus they require structure
and active facilitation to insure input from all members.

Solving Problems - encompasses activities that engage participants in identifying and

resolving issues together. The core activities involve gathering data, identifying
problems, analyzing the current situation, using criteria to sort potential solutions and
planning for action. Customer service initiatives and process improvement projects fall
into this category. Since it results in actions that create change, problem solving also
needs to be carefully structured and systematically facilitated .

Building Relationships – this includes activities that help people get to know each other
and bond. The core activities include those that build cohesion and shared commitment
such as ice breakers, norm development sessions and conflict mediations. Structured
team building sessions are an example of relationship building discussions. Important
agreements are made during relationship building discussion, so they also need to be
carefully structured and assertively facilitated.

At the start of each conversation, facilitators need to determine which of the

four discussions is taking place and whether or not the group is making decisions:

If it’s information sharing, If it’s planning, problem solving

list making or brainstorming: or relationship building:

- no decisions will be made - decisions will be made

- facilitation isn’t critical - a clear process is needed
- synergy isn’t important - facilitation is important

Facilitating with Ease!

© 2005 Ingrid Bens and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
 - closure is not needed - people need to build
on
each other’s thoughts
- closure and clear next steps
are needed

Facilitating with Ease!

© 2005 Ingrid Bens and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.