Questions to Help Groups Get Unstuck (Facilitation Friday #48)
How stocked is your list of questions proven to help groups get back in action?
Ever sat in a car with the wheels spinning as they try to gain traction on ice or snow?
If so, you know that getting moving often requires putting something under the wheels for traction or receiving a generous push from some passengers or passersby.
It is no different when groups get stuck in discussion and seem unable to make a decision. Often, introducing a simple question can refocus participants’ thinking and conversations and help them get unstuck. Here is a short list of some I find make it easier for groups to move forward.
Which value(s) do you most want to advance and which option(s) are most aligned?
Are there any perspectives or positions that haven’t already been considered that might help you move forward?
What would most help you contribute more to the discussions and decision-making right now? I usually pose this an invite to individuals for anonymous responses that I then read aloud to the group and facilitate their reactions.
What option(s) does the data most support?
What is the most significant action you can commit to right now?
Which option might have the greatest desirable impact?
Who might each option best serve and what implications does this have for decision-making?
What information, if available to you, might help you make a decision?
Which option do you think has the greatest likelihood of succeeding? Why?
What is most keeping you from collectively making a choice and what can we learn from that?
And the rarely used, but very valuable question to have at the ready: Have you gone as far as you can today? If so, what should be your next steps?
Bottom Line?
A stalled discussion or decision-making process is not a cause for alarm; rather, it is a routine and natural occurrence facilitators should prepare to address. Every facilitator should develop (as well as maintain and expand) a list of useful questions that can help participants reflect a bit and potentially jumpstart their efforts.
Getting in Action
What have you found, either as a participant or a facilitator, seems to frequently contribute to group discussions or decision-making stalling? How might you address this in your meeting or workshop design and facilitation?
What questions might you add to the list provided that you believe would—or have already found—help groups get unstuck?
Shoring up shared values and group agreements upfront often can reduce the likelihood of stalled discussions or decisions. What is an example of a group norm or agreement you might suggest to participants that could help in this manner?
Bonus Reading
Small group work during meetings and workshops often is less productive than envisioned because groups are inadequately set up to succeed. Avoid this recurring phenomenon by considering these tips for your design and facilitation efforts.
© Facilitate Better and Jeffrey Cufaude. All rights reserved.
To affordably license this content for reprint on your site or in electronic or print communications or to contact me regarding customized facilitation skills workshops or consultations, complete this form.