For Better Conversations, Extend Invitations to Contribute (Facilitation Friday #79)
Inviting others to contribute is a facilitative gift anyone can extend.
The invitation was extended; she accepted.
When she offered her previously unspoken opinion, the conversation shifted. Some echoed her sentiments, building on them from their own perspectives. Others gently probed to learn more. In the end, the insight she shared produced a new action item for the group.
How did this happen?
It began with a simple invitation, one I extended as the facilitator:
“Before anyone else responds, I'd love to hear from some individuals who we have yet to hear from in our large group conversations.”
Inviting others to contribute is a facilitative gift. While commonly offered by a facilitator, it is one that any individual in a group can extend. Used strategically, these invitations help ensure diverse voices and perspectives are heard—including those from more introverted participants—and decision-making discussions are more robust.
While I mentally track how sharing occurs during in-person meetings, when involved in virtual conversations, I actually place a tick next to participants’ names when they speak. This visual helps me see who might benefit from an invitation to do so.
Why invitations to contribute matter
Effective invitations can bring into a discussion what individuals feel would help make it better. Invitations should never embarrass others or single out people in unhelpful ways.
As I have written before, effective facilitation helps make it easier for a group to do its work. Regardless of their role or tenure in a group, anyone can—and everyone should—make facilitative contributions, including inviting others to share.
As with any invitation, those invited retain the right to RSVP “No thank you.” They should not be judged negatively for doing so. This is particularly important if someone invites a specific participant to share, something more common in groups where participants know each other well.
Helpful invitations to extend
Here are some invitations I often extend in my facilitation work, frequently prefaced with “I'd love to hear from anyone who ...” or, “I wonder if we could hear from anyone who …”
might see things a bit differently.
hasn't spoken much yet today.
can offer relevant historical insight on this topic.
has a perspective we haven't considered yet.
can offer a specific example of the concept being discussed.
is less certain about the direction or decision under consideration.
can distill our discussions to this point.
has some data to contribute to this discussion.
knows how others have handled a similar situation.
Bottom Line
Extending invitations to contribute helps diversify and balance participation and perspectives in a discussion. Accepted invitations often bring forth new thinking and feelings that shift conversations in beneficial ways. Facilitators should ensure participants commit to offering invitations and equip them to be comfortable and capable of doing so.
Getting in Action
Think about the meetings and workshops you facilitate. Given the discussions that may occur more frequently, what invitations should you prepare to offer?
How would you discuss the value of everyone extending invitations and equip participants to offer them in a positive and productive manner?
Expand the provided list of invitation examples with a few you might extend to improve the quality of conversations.
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