Re: Dialogue processes LO1749

jack@his.com
Thu, 22 Jun 95 22:45:04

Replying to LO1716 --

Referring to early stages of dialogue, where groups continue old habits of
discussion, Margie Mulligan inquired about the role of the facilitator:

"I am interested in how to balance the guidance process by the facilitator
against the natural process of group gaining awareness. I notice that my
intent here is to "reduce some of the frustration" which group members
feel at the discrepancy between ideal and actual behavior..."

Margie, the simplest recipe is to be authentic with the group. Tell them
of this frustration and then help them with some practices that puts
intervention more in their hands. Some suggestions: Schedule time for
reflection (a pause of x duration every y minutes, for example); create a
method for a group member to call for reflection *instead* of speaking (a
ground rule that all must honor); distribute "kush" or other soft
playthings - enough so that one is within everyone's reach - to be thrown
at a group member who is hogging the floor; etc. The main thing is to
provide some tools - later to be discarded - through which people can
remind each other that they are working on a different kind of
conversation.

But whatever you do, trust the group...

--
Jack Hirschfeld
jack@his.com

Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar and be better off than you are? Or would you rather be a mule?