This thread has moved me to reflect on the critical role questions have
played in my learning over the past 6 years and the role they now play in
my facilitation work. I have been amazed and gratified at the results a
particular type of questions has produced.
As an example: This morning I facilitated a brief meeting of the Working
Group responsible for Human Resource Development for Nunavut. Nunavut is
the new territory in Northern Canada, created as a result of land claims
settlement with the Inuit. Nunavut will have its own government structure
April 1, 1999 and is in the early stages of staffing leadership positions.
One of their long term goals is a public service that is representative of
the population - 85% Inuit. The challenge of education/training to meet
this goal is BIG. The working group is facing a significant transition
time as their responsibilities devolve to the operating organization and
there are tensions typical of any transition time among the participants.
I started by giving them 3 reflective questions:
1)What is the importance of this work to you?
2)What has been most satisfying about the work up until now?
3)What is the biggest challenge facing you now?
I gave them time (usually quiet time) to write the answers, then read them
aloud to the group.
The nature of the questions and the process :
1 encourages people to name and reinforce their personal connection to
the work
2 allows reflective time to get to the interests beneath the issues
3 allows people to be listened to in silence without debate
4 can contribute to a sense of community around the work by identifying
which values/experiences/fears are shared
5 provides non-confrontational communication of feelings, fears,
perceptions, hopes
6 can help to focus the thoughts of the group
and somehow....though I can't quite put my finger on it.....creates a
respectful, reflective basis for the rest of the work. It takes people
deeper.
It usually provides a wealth of information which is helpful to the
facilitator in assisting the group to achieve their purpose.
I have found this style of questioning effective in every group
facilitation I've done since I first learned the process, regardless of
the task, the group or the time available.
Sue Starr
Yellowknife, NWT Canada
starr@internorth.com
--Sue Starr <starr@internorth.com>
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