to their relative geographic location within their country or countries. Both this and the previous activity can serve for introductions as well as conversation starters. When you are satisfied that participants seem to be feeling comfortable with one another and their surroundings, use the following speaking points as an outline for making a five to ten minute opening statement about the training. We decided to offer you the speaking points rather than a script to encourage a more extemporaneous approach. You can add substance to these speaking points by using the material in Chapter 4, Volume 3 of this Series and supplementing it with ideas of your own.
Speaking points... ...about the facilitation competency ❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
T H E FA C I L I TAT I N G C O M P E T E N C Y
Facilitating
❑
Facilitation is a process used by a man or woman with no vested interest and no authority over what is to be done to help make it easier for a group to solve a problem or make a decision. Facilitation involves helping a group with the twin responsibilities of maintaining a focus on the task at hand while encouraging full participation in a spirit of open communication, mutual support, and trust. Facilitation is often confused with mediation, a structured process in which individuals or groups who have not been able to resolve a specific issue between them ask for outside help and agree to a abide by a specific set of ground rules. Mediation works best when the men and women involved know each other and agree to ask a neutral party to help them find quick resolution of an emotional dispute as an alternative to expensive legal action. Consensus is another facilitated process which leads to an agreement by all members of a group to support a group decision. With consensus, there is not necessarily unanimity about what to do. Rather, there is a meeting of the minds that anyone needed to implement the decision will do so and that no one who is in a position to block implementation will do so. Meetings are a special facilitation challenge. They work best when everyone knows why they are meeting and has an influence on agenda planning, when there is active participation by everyone in the meeting, and when men and women at the meeting are given something to do in preparation for the next meeting. Much of the execution of government policy is done by teams inside or outside the government structure. Effective teams 63