The why, what and how of Facilitation This 90 minutes session is part of a series of short and focused masterclasses. The series is meant for people who have little or no experience applying design thinking methods, tools and frameworks. This is a Masterclass by Arne van Oosterom

2. Arne van Oosterom
Creative Leadership Coach at Blue Sky Republic
Founder DesignThinkers Group & Academy
Advisor HBA Ambassador program

3. YOUR QUESTIONS
ABOUT FACILITATION

4. - Introduction
- Practical / Tips & Tricks
- Team Dynamics
- The Facilitator… You

5. WHAT IS IT?
Introduction

6. A Facilitator is
a Leader
Introduction

7. Introduction
Not like this

8. Servant
Leadership
Introduction

9. Moderator
Introduction

10. Facilitator
Introduction

11. Why do we need
Facilitators?
Introduction

12. When do we need a
facilitator?
Introduction

13. Helping people explore
and develop solutions
to a problem
Introduction

14. Guiding teams
through a process with
multiple connected
parts
Introduction

15. FROM A TO…
Introduction

16. …. better
Introduction

17. …. new
Introduction

18. …. the unknown
Introduction

19. From a known situation
to an unknown
situation
Introduction

20. Introduction
How It Feels
Research Concept/prototype Implement

21. Introduction
It is always a Change Process

22. Insider or
Outsider?
Introduction

23. Questions

24. - Introduction
- Practical / Tips & Tricks
- Team Dynamics
- The Facilitator… You

25. Preparation is everything
Tips & Tricks

26. Online
Of
fl
ine
Introduction

27. Tips & Tricks
You need to understand Context
People, Team, Organization, larger systems
Legacy, history, background information
Tensions, Expectations, Emotions
How much do you control?

28. Set realistic Goals and expectations
Involve the Sponsors/ client/
stakeholders as much as possible
Interview participants to understand
context and language
Tips & Tricks

29. Check and prepare the
Physical Space. Is there light,
wall space, tables, air…
Tips & Tricks

30. Co-create the workshop together
with the sponsor
Tips & Tricks

31. Tips & Tricks
Creative Safe Space
needs Trust

32. Know your Methods, Tools and Technology (Of
fl
ine too)
Test test test… practice practice practise
Tips & Tricks

33. Tips & Tricks
Have people experience the tech before the Session
Organise a learning session…
Gamify the learning

34. Tips & Tricks
Send participants materials to read,
watch experience in advance. (85%
will do their homework)

35. Experience enables you to adapt
on the spot and improvise
…you’ll need to
Tips & Tricks

36. practice practice practice
Tips & Tricks

37. Questions

38. - Introduction
- Practical / Tips & Trick
- Team Dynamics
- The Facilitator… You

39. DURING / THE
SESSION
Team Dynamics

40. Set the conditions and basic rules
- Suspension of disbelief
- Trust the process
Team Dynamics

41. “Team dynamics are the unconscious, psychological forces that in
fl
uence the
direction of a team’s behaviour and performance. They are like undercurrents
in the sea, which can carry boats in a different direction to the one they intend
to sail.” teamtechnology.co.uk
Team Dynamics

42. Warm ups, Exercises, Ice beakers , Stokes,
Mindsetters
Why?
Make them purposeful. Plan them. Make them support
what you are trying to achieve.
Energy management … calm or high energy?
Widening the Comfort zone …
stretching the behavioural
boundaries
Team Dynamics

43. High-Performing Teams
Need Psychological Safety
Team Dynamics

44. Team Dynamics

45. Create the space, set the stage,
stretch the boundaries
Team Dynamics

46. “Trust the process”
Team Dynamics

47. Silence is your friend
Team Dynamics

48. The participants
do the work
Team Dynamics

49. you need to be OUT
so you can step IN
Team Dynamics

50. Sitting or standing up
Everything has a purpose
You

51. ONLINE
People are in a personal bubble. Make this work for you. The
personal space can be a safe space for personal re
fl
ections
Camera on or off… make it functional and part of the experience
Make everyone aware of their space.. use it
Let them design their online presence with intention
Team Dynamics

52. You give the team
Feedback
Team Dynamics

53. You report what you
observe and feel
Team Dynamics

54. Meta Level
Team Dynamics

55. “The
fi
sh will be the
last to discover water”
Team Dynamics

56. Humility
Team Dynamics

57. “Con
fl
ict is one of the drivers for improved team performance. Managed well,
con
fl
ict can lead to better decisions, more creative ideas and higher quality
output from the team. Managed badly, it can stop teamwork and hinder
individuals from achieving their personal goals..” teamtechnology.co.uk
No shine without friction
Team Dynamics

58. BREAK BIGGER
TASKS DOWN
INTO SMALL
STEPS
Team Dynamics

59. Time Boxing
Time is your tool
To put pressure on the team or release them
Say 7 minutes not 5
Show a timer or don’t show a timer
Team Dynamics

60. Have breaks
Team Dynamics

61. You can let them go…
Team Dynamics

62. Questions

63. - Introduction
- Practical / Tips & Tricks
- Team Dynamics
- The Facilitator… You

64. It starts with you
You

65. Your Style
You

66. Use the tech/ tools / Methods you’re comfortable with
If you’re comfortable experimenting… do so… but let everyone in
on it so it becomes a learning experience for all
You

67. How do you respond to messing up.. making a mistake?
What if you are nervous?
What if you sense there is something wrong?
You

68. You are enough
You

69. Disruptors

70. THE MONOPOLIZER
You know this trick, seen it before, done it before, what is new?
You are continuously taking the stage and are talking.
You have more to say than the others;
You are dominating the discussions and this happens at the
expense of the other participants, You might actually generate
some resentment.
Disruptors

71. What do you do?
Disruptors

72. Focus the attention on the Monopolizer and then
divert the discussion to other people by asking their
opinion: If necessary use body language to keep the
monopolist quiet. This can be achieved by using one
arm to point to who’s talking and the other with a
stop sign pointing to who should not be talking.
Disruptors

73. Another way to use body language is to place yourself
slightly in front of the Monopolist, blocking free view to
the rest of the team. Give a task to the Monopolizer to
write down all the input from the team; this will give the
monopolist less time to give his/her opinion; If this doesn’t
work discuss the problem with the individual concerned in
a positive and sensitive way.
Disruptors

74. THE OBSERVER
You are passionate about observing and do not need to
participate orally;You observe quite passively and just
make some notes for yourself; Hands in pocket, sitting
down, etc;You don’t understand the group dynamics, and
could, for example, go to the bathroom at inconvenient
moments;Furthermore you are somewhat shy so are
easily intimidated by others’ opinions or speaking up.
Disruptors

75. What do you do?
Disruptors

76. Apply a positive and encouraging approach to get
the Observer’s input. Remember: the Observer
might have very valuable ideas or insights but is
not at ease to present them within the team;
Mingle with the team and give all team members
time to speak or plan some quiet storming
activities to allow everybody to formulate and
express their option (and with no escape, if
possible)
You

77. You
An example of an exercise is to ask everybody the 2 strengths/
weaknesses of the topic being discussed and ask the Observer
to start (to avoid having them to just agree with the rest of the
group); A quiet storming activity is to have every team member
individually for a speci
fi
c persona take an insight plus tension
and de
fi
ne a point of view/idea based on this information. The
point of view/idea can be visualized with a sketch. Optional is to
have the sketch plus short description rotate in the team, again
without group discussion. The group discussion can come after a
few rounds.Address the Observer by his/her name: “So, [name]
what do you like about this idea?”; Do an exercise in pairs where
you pair the observer with a not too dominant personali

78. THE SALES EXECUTIVE
You are present but not with your thoughts, so you exhibit
a very inconsistent behavior; You check and start
answering an urgent email, make a phone call, come back,
and go back and forth, in and out of the workshop
session;One moment you participate very actively and are
very convinced about your opinion, but then you
disconnect again.
Disruptors

79. What do you do?
Disruptors

80. ACTIONS FOR THE FACILITATOR
Explain the ground rules that e-mails & phone calls can
only be made during the break;
To avoid
fi
nger pointing and get input from the team you
can say: “I have noticed that some people step out to take
phone calls or are doing e-mail. Shall we establish some
ground rules as a team on how we deal with this?
”Give a task to the Sales Executive that will keep him/her
busy and at the same time generate more involvement in
the group. e.g. to write down all the input from the team;
Another way is to make the sales executive a sub-team
leader;Get the Sales Executive back to the group (after
being disconnected), by addressing a direct question: “So
[name] what do you think about these insights?”If none of
the above doesn’t work discuss the problem with the
individual concerned in a positive and sensitive way.
Disruptors

81. THE SOLOIST
You are doing your own thing and have a non-
collaborative attitude.You already know the answer, where
to go, what to do. You do not respect the group deci- sions
and always interrupt with your idea/suggestions - even
during group presentations. You expect people to follow
you, if not, you continue on your journeyYou don’t need the
help of others.
Disruptors

82. What do you do?
Disruptors

83. The Soloist can be a big disturbance for the group
dynamics and activities should be used to slow down
and neutralize the ‘Soloist’ so that the rest of the group
does not feel left behind; Watch-out that the
fl
ow of
activities is respected by the Soloist: he or she will have
the tendency to skip some activities because the
fi
nal
answer is already ready;
Disruptors

84. Disruptors
Mix with the team and give all team members time to speak and plan
some voting activities to get to a common team position; If required,
use body language to stop the Soloist from speaking;Apply an activity
fl
ow where there’s space
fi
rst for individual input and then team
voting. Be careful that the Soloist might ignore the voting results.If this
doesn’t work discuss the problem with the individual concerned in a
positive and sensitive way.

85. THE BOSS
You can speak up and make clear to the others that you are the
one with authority in the team. You are the highest ranking
person in the group and are sponsoring this effort.You let a
design thinking workshop happen because apparently it’s magic
but you are skeptical. After a bit you are really worried that this
fl
uffy approach is not going to get you anywhere. You want to
start listing the solutions and prioritize them by value.
Disruptors

86. What do you do?
Disruptors

87. In general it’s best to avoid having the boss or approver in the
session, and only invite this person to join at the start and
end of the session to help choosing the best options; The best
approach is to have one facilitator focus on this kind of
person to avoid the situation from escalating;
When choices need to be made by the group, ensure that the
decision is made by the team; This can be achieved by using
voting dots or do the voting anonymously.
It can be an option after the team vote to ask the ‘Boss’ to
give his/her perspective on the
fi
nal team choice.
Disruptors

88. Disruptors
As a facilitator, repeat the planned process and steps to
make sure that the team and Boss know the reason
behind the steps. This is to avoid the Boss wants to skip
some activities;
If this person is stopping or blocking the team, have a
1-1 discussion, and if necessary ask this person to come
back towards the end of the workshop to review the
fi
nal
ideas, and to provide her feedback.

89. You are enough
You