“The best facilitators know what they don’t know
and they have discovered the value of knowing that”
Moderating is the third style from The Facilitation Rainbow. Compared to Telling and Proposing, the main objective is to involve people and conduct a meaningful conversation. So, you focus less on your content and try more to involve everyone to come up with meaningful insights.
Compared to the Telling and Proposing style, the extra skills you need are understanding mental models and managing productive conversations. Here’s a list of facilitator tips for the Moderating Style:
- Balance airtime and discussion topics
- Promote active listening
- Avoid war stories, keep people to the point
- Don’t speak when you agree
- Offer alternatives if you are against
- Use LCS method, a simple feedback technique that stands for Like, Concern, Suggestion
- Balance time between proposing own ideas and questioning others
- Don’t preach
- Make sure all discussions add value to the overall goal
- See different opinions as positive
- Confirm to the group what they agree and disagree on
- Take a stance on the content, but make sure you step out of your facilitator role
- Check positions regularly (in favor/against) but do not vote (That’s another style)!
- Limit the number of options to offer depth
