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DEVELOPMENTCATEGORIES

Systemsthinking

Thisisaprocessthatgetspeopletolookattheinterrelatednessofforcesinordertoseethem
aspartofaprocess.
ItanswersthequestionofHowdidwegettowherewearenow?andWheredowego
fromhere?Anexampleisinstrategicplanning,whereIgetthegrouptolistallthebarriers
thatkeepthemfromachievingtheirgoal,andultimatelydevelopstrategiestobreakdownthe
barriers.
Itinvolvesexaminingfactorssuchasrootcauses,boundaries,individualperspectives,
commonthemes,andidentificationoftherealproblemathand.

GroundrulesforgroupworkIhaveused

1.Theturfofthemeetingbelongstonoone.
2.Allarecolleagues.
3.Allhaveimmunity.
4.Externalsourcesprovidenewperspectives.
5.Imaginetheotherpersonsviewpoint.
6.Look,act,andbeinterested.
7.Speakonlyaffirmatively.

Protocolsforskillfuldiscussion

Theleadermustbeinvolved.
Theremustbeaconsistent,criticalmassofcommittedpeopleinthegroup.
Theremustbeanatmosphereoftrust,whichIbuild.
Peoplemustbecourageousenoughtoraisequestionsthatdonthavehardandfirmanswers.
Beinterestedenoughandwillingtoasksomeone,Whatledyoutothatpointofview?
Becuriousenoughtoasksomeone,Whenyouusethatterm,whatareyousaying?
Whenthegroupisstuck,ask,Whatdoyouagreeon,andwhatdoyoudisagreeon?

Questionsforfocusgroups(groupsofexternalstakeholders,orpeoplewhoarenotinthe
organization,buthaveavestedinterestitin)

Whatyouknowabout(whateverorganizationwewantthemtotellustheirperspectives
about).
Whatshouldtheorganizationdoforthecommunityatlarge?
BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com

Howcantheorganizationworkbettertogetherwiththesepeople?
Whatshouldbetheorganizationshighestpriorityforimprovingitself?

Fundraisingsteps

Studytheorganizationspastperformanceinfundraising.
Evaluatedonorreceptivenesstotheorganizationsappeals.
Assessfundraisingmethodstheorganizationhasused.
Developwaystomaximizethesemethods.
Identifyfundraisingtargets.

Openspacetechnologyprinciples

Whoevershowsuparetherightpeople.
Everyoneparticipates.
Nobodydominates.
Themeetingbeginsandendsontime.

Notesaboutmystyle

Groundrulesgoverntheprocess,butcanbeoverdoneandartificial.Someareimperative,such
asthosenotedunderGroundRulesandOpenSpace(above).Itypicallygovernagroup
throughappropriateselfdisclosure,whichhelpsmetobondwiththegroupwithoutbeingpartof
itandthusgaintheirtrust.TheyknowImaprofessional,heretodoajob,thatImeanbusiness.
SometimesIhavetochastisethegrouptogetthemtolevelwithme.Icanputpeoplewhoare
toooutspokenorofteninterruptothersintheirplaceswithoutoffendingthem,becausetheyhave
cometotrustme.

WheneverIstepinfrontofagroup,ItellthemIdonthaveanagenda.Itellthemtheydo,itsin
theirheads,andmyjobistopullitoutofthemandgiveitshape.Isaytothem,Sowhyarewe
here?Wethentalkaboutwhattheywanttotalkabout,whichistheirobjectives.Thenwe
buildanactionplantoaccomplishtheseobjectives,andeveryone,oralmosteveryone,signsup
todosomething.TheymarvelthatIcangetthemtoagreeonanything!

Ibelieveallgroupsaregoodgroups,andtherearenobadgroups.Withthisphilosophyinmind,
Iapproachthemaswellmeaningpeoplewhoseenergyissofragmentedandunfocusedthatthey
cantclearlydirecttheirefforts.Ihelpthemtochangethis.

ReferencesIhaveused

TheEffectiveFacilitator
byRogerSchwartz
TheFifthDisciplineHandbook
byPeterSenge
StrategicPlanningforNonProfitOrganizations
byMichaelAllisonandJudyKaye
OpenSpaceTechnology
byOwenHarrison(article)
OpenSpaceGuideforGroupStructureandMeetingPlanning
byMorganGoodwinand
TimothyDenHerderThomas(article)
BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com

QualityActionTeams
byOrganizationalDynamicsInc.
TheFacilitatorsGuide
byTheUnitedStatesCoastGuardQualityCenter
TheEffectiveExecutive
byPeterDrucker

FrequentlyAskedQuestions(aboutfacilitation)

Whatdoesafacilitatordo?

Idrawpeopleoutonwhatsgoingonwiththegroup,ororganization,ifthatswhattheyall
belongto,andcaptureitonfourflipcharts.ThenIdumpitallintoaformat,dependingon
whetherthepurposeforthemcomingtogetheristeambuilding,strategicplanning,etc.Idothis
intheirpresence,rightinfrontofthem.ThenIwriteitupindependentlyandsendittothem
electronicallysotheycanreviewtheyaccomplished.

Whydoweneedafacilitator?

Manygroupsthinktheyarealreadyorganizedanddontneedanyonetohelpthemfigureout
whattheyaredoing.Myexperienceisthatfewgroupsareactuallylikethis,andtheyjustdont
wanttobefacilitated.Idontpursuegroupsthatarentreallyinterestedinmyprocess.

Howlongwilltheprocesstake?

Dependingonwhattheywanttodo,myprocesscanbeasshortasfourhoursinonesessionoras
longasninemonthsinseveralsessions.

DoIhavetoattend?

Theprojectowner,whoisusuallythepresidentoftheorganization,hastobethere,alongwith
keyofficersorboardmembers.Iftheorganizationcantmusteratleastthesepeople,Iwontget
theinputIneedtorunaneffectiveprocess.

Howmuchdoesafacilitatorcost?

Iknowprofessionalfacilitatorswhocharge$3,000aday.Iveworkedmostlywithnonprofit
organizations,whichtypicallydonthavealotofmoney.Iwantopportunitiestokeepmyskills
sharp,andIgetthembyemployinganonprofitfeeschedulesogroupswillbewillingtowork
withme.

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com