DYNAMIC FACILITATION: HOW IT WORKS?
The primary role of the dynamic facilitator is to support the creative process of each person in the group, by listening deeply and appreciatively to each contribution. In turn, this helps the group as a whole enter the “creative flow zone” of choice-creating. Choice-creating is similar to dialogue in that people explore topics open-mindedly and open-heartedly, yet unlike many forms of dialogue it helps groups address practical problems and reach specific conclusions. Choice-creating is similar to deliberation in that the result can be a thorough examination of a practical issue, including pros and cons of various solutions; yet unlike deliberation, it uses a non-judgmental and open-ended process for its examination of an issue or topic.
The dynamic facilitator helps people to determine an issue they care about deeply. Then he or she helps them to be authentic, speaking their minds and hearts. Normally, this causes problems because others can take offense, but the dynamic facilitator assures that each comment is an asset to the conversation, using four lists:
- Solutions
- Concerns
- Data
- Problem Statements
Dynamic Facilitation:
- works with people as they are, without pre-meeting trainings or complex guidelines;
- encourages people to work on “big” problems and “impossible-to-solve” issues;
- does NOT constrain people to a linear, step-by-step process o a pre-established agenda, but instead creates a safe listening context for surfacing the complexity and diverse perspectives that exist within the group;
- does NOT seek to negotiate compromises or reach agreements that “everyone can live with,” but instead helps groups arrive at creative breakthroughs -- outcomes that are better than anyone thought possible;
- leads to results that people are naturally motivated and committed to implement since they “arrived at the solution themselves”.
See the chart of comparison.
The dynamic facilitator works more completely with self-organizing change than a traditional facilitator. The traditional facilitator uses methods of control to manage how people think, talk, and decide. They aim toward managing problems by breaking big issues into smaller ones, following an agenda or logical steps, and tracking progress toward predetermined goals. This approach works well for smaller, unemotional issues, but is less effective for the big messy ones. It aims to minimize what might go wrong.
The dynamic facilitator elicits a self-organizing dynamic both in what people talk about and how they talk. He or she follows group energy as being more important than any preset agenda, expecting progress to happen in “shifts” of insight, feeling, and awareness. This process builds trust and new capabilities via a more heartfelt, creative thinking process known as “Choice-creating”. This approach maximizes what might go right instead of minimizing what might go wrong.
Download a chart comparing Dynamic Facilitation with Traditional Facilitation: Chart DF vs TF
