Learners are experts
Learners are experts on their own lives. They know what is best for them. They are capable of determining their own needs and goals. They are willing to learn. Show your confidence in their ability to overcome problems.
Limitations and qualifications
Facilitators should be aware of their professional qualifications and limitations.
Impartiality
Facilitators do not judge participants. They don't give more or less weight to the statements of individual participants. They try to include every participant's perspective in the discussion. Using boards for documenting ideas, they recognize every idea mentioned, regardless of whether they find it relevant, or whether they agree or not.
Cohesive body language
Body language, behavior in the space, and intonation all support the moderating role of facilitators, and help participants respond to what a facilitator is saying.
Other perspectives
Facilitators encourage different perspectives, respect divergent opinions, and accept minority positions. They respond actively to stigmatization or stereotyping by the participants.
Encouraging alternative paths and methods
Facilitators allow things to be done differently. They demonstrate flexibility in the way a goal can be achieved, and are willing to change plans accordingly.
Encouraging disagreement
Facilitators treat disagreement constructively and view the open communication of disagreement as a sign of trust and confidence in the facilitators to deal with it.
Fairness
Facilitators and participants negotiate rules and common norms. They are committed to following and enforcing these rules actively.
Patience
Facilitators stay patient when decisions or participants need time. They negotiate the speed of a process with their participants.
1 Focus on the participants' goals, evaluations, feelings and opinions.
=> Which for you means, to step back with your personal contributions or opinions.
2 Take every participant serious and treat all participants in an equal way.
=> Allow all opinions and ideas to be presented.
3 Don't evaluate contributions of your participants.
=>Just describe what you perceive in a neutral way.
4 Have the goal of your unit always in mind.
If needed, help the group in seeing the goal again.
5 Motivate the group to find constructive rules for discussion.
=> Reintroduce these, if necessary.
6 Make your observation of group's behavior transparent.
=> Mirror, how they deal with irritations or conflicts.
7 Focus on Constructive Questions rather than on answers.
=> Let participants formulate their answers and conclusions.
8 Hear better, speak less.
9 Strive for clarity, help participants understand clearly what is being said.
=> Paraphrase aspects, opinions, findings
10 Support clarity with visual support.
=> Visualize
