How to Facilitate Groups and Make Decisions
Develop Your Facilitation Skills and Improve Group Processes
May 26, 2009
When a group of people attempt to make a decision, there can be chaos with each individual wanting to be in charge and do things their way. By appointing an external facilitator a group, be it a management group or community group such as a PTA or service club, can work towards effective decisions without the heartache.
Group Facilitation and the Role of the Facilitator
In any group setting, the role of the facilitator is to lead the group in the process to be used to make a decision. The facilitator should not get bogged down in the content of the discussion but rather keep the group’s members focused on what they are at the session to achieve and ensure that participation in the discussion is open to all members, not just a select few. In order to fully appreciate the facilitator’s role, an understanding of the stages of group development is required.
Tuckman’s Five Stages of Group Development
In his, now classic, 1965 article “Developmental Sequence in Small Groups”, psychologist Bruce Tuckman, identified that groups go through five stages of development, namely: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. It is important for a group facilitator to recognise that each stage of group development presents its own challenges.
Forming & Storming – Early Stages of Group Development
At the initial meetings, members may be somewhat shy, unsure of the group rules and norms and there may be a level of leadership and dominance from more extravert group members. As a facilitator, it is important that, in conjunction with the group, behaviour rules are identified and agreed to and the task is defined. Other facilitation skills that are important at this part of the group process are helping members to become comfortable with one another and ensuring that all members feel accepted and part of the group.
During the storming phase of group development, conflicts and jockeying for group position start to arise. There may be a level of anger or frustration directed towards the facilitator as the group starts to test out the boundaries. Two important facilitation skills to utilise during this period are conflict resolution strategies and barriers to effective participation by all group members.
Norming & Performing – Team Building & Decision Making
As the group gains its structure and clarifies group roles, a level of norming takes place. Norming means that the group creates it own unique identity and each person knows where they fit and how to behave. At this point, the facilitator can discuss with the group which process or processes the group would like to use in order to make decisions. The ideal is to get the group to a point where a consensus decision can be made. Processes that aid group decision making include hot potato, drilling down, forcefield analysis, option 1 and a ½ and Edward De Bono’s 6 thinking hats tool.
When roles in the group have become clearly developed, the group is functioning together and decisions making is possible are hallmarks of the performing stage of group development. There is a structure in place and it is the role of the facilitator to ensure that the group remains true to the agreed structure. The facilitator should also ensure that group agreements are recorded.
Decision Making Complete – The Group Adjourns
The final stage in Tuckman’s Five Stage Model of Group Development is adjourning. During this stage, the group disbands, due to the fact that the tasks and goals have been achieved. Facilitation skills to be used here include summarizing what was achieved, focusing on the future, having the group provide feedback and a celebration of what was achieved by the group members.
There are many tools for facilitators to use in group settings to assist in decision making. However the important points to remember are:
- understand how groups develop and the potential challenges in each stage;
- stay focused on the process and not get bogged down in content;
- have faith in your decision making tools, if applied correctly they will work regardless of the group or faciliator;
- be prepared to deal with conflict in a non-threatening, respectful manner.
The facilitator does not have to agree with or like the group’s decision, the role of the facilitator is to ensure that the group is able to make a decision and that all group members feel valued and heard.
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