Common Facilitation Mistakes (Enhanced DVD)

Have you ever tried to lead a group discussion and found yourself struggling? The primary goal for someone facilitating a group discussion is to make things run smoothly while achieving the meeting's stated goals. Everyone should make meaningful contributions. The facilitator needs to keep group dynamics on track.

Both new and experienced facilitators struggle when leading meetings because they make mistakes. This DVD presentation covers five of the common mistakes made in meeting facilitation.

• Losing control of the group - The meeting leader needs to gain control of the meeting from the start. The amount of control can be adjusted as the meeting progresses.
• Not having a plan for the discussion - The exact structure of the plan will depend on the goal of the meeting. But, going in without a plan can mean trouble.
• Getting uneven participation - Letting one or two people dominate the discussion can stifle constructive contributions from others in the meeting.
• Letting discussions get off track - Talking just for the sake of talking is not productive. The facilitator needs to monitor progress instead of quantity of content.
• Having no focus - The facilitator needs to manage time, avoid regression in the discussion, and push for specifics.

The DVD also contains valuable practical advice for facilitators. You also have access to viewable and printable educational materials online which go along with the DVD contents.