Facilitation Skills, Methods and Tools: Tips and Resource Sheet
Facilitation Online Resources
Running Effective Meetings and Facilitating Groups
http://sabes.org/resources/facilitationguide.pdf
The Community Toolbox: Group Facilitation and Problem Solving
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter_1016.aspx
Tips for Effective Facilitation
http://ideafacilitators.wordpress.com/tips-for-effective-facilitation/
8 Tips for Effective Facilitation
http://ezinearticles.com/?8-Tips-for-Effective-Facilitation&id=931364
An example of a Facilitation Tip Sheet provided to a community group:
Your role is to move the group through the process of developing an action plan and to facilitate
the flow of comments from group members. Here is a list of points to help you as you lead
group discussions.

You are not a participant as much as you are the “conductor” of the meeting. You will be
looking at participants’ body language, listening carefully to what they are saying, drawing
out those members who are not speaking and moving the meeting along when a member
monopolizes the conversation

Prepare for the meeting in advance – develop an agenda, review what you did at the last
meeting, get materials ready, go over the process for the meeting

Set the expectations for the meeting – at the beginning of the meeting, establish the
expectations for the meeting (go over the agenda to ensure a common understanding of the
purpose of the meeting)

Keep your head up and watch the group

Check for meaning – check your understanding of a participant’s statement or ask the
participant to clarify what she/he is saying

Identify common interests/ideas – spot common ideas and bring them out in the open for
discussion

Use open ended questions to stimulate thinking and discussion – ask questions to spark
ideas, to bring the discussion back on track or to bring closure (“Is there anything else
before we move on?”)

Expand on what participants are saying – provide examples
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
Consolidate participants’ ideas – pull ideas together, showing their relationship to each other

Avoid stating that a person is wrong for any idea or opinion that is expressed – ask for
comments and ideas on the topic

Be certain that the entire group is involved in the discussion – encourage everyone to speak

Be aware of people who look confused or lost – restate questions and ideas and summarize
key points

Change the process –if the method for obtaining participation isn’t working, try something
else

Keep the group on track – ask questions to bring the group back to the agenda, deal with
difficult or distracting behaviour

Ask the group for help – how do you think we should do this? What do you think about this?

Summarize the main decisions at the end of each section and at the end of the meeting – be
clear about any follow up actions and who is responsible

Leave time for questions and the discussion of next steps – what needs to be done between
meetings? What will be the focus of the next group meeting?
Effective Meetings Online Resources
The Community Toolbox: Conducting Effective Meetings
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/section_1153.aspx
Effective Board Meetings
http://www.nald.ca/literacybasics/boardgov/meetings/1.htm
Meeting Tools
http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/About_London/orgdevelop.htm#Meeting_Tools
Icebreakers and Team Building Activities Online Resources
Icebreakers, warm ups, energizers and deinhibitizers
http://www.wilderdom.com/games/Icebreakers.html
Team builders, icebreakers, songs, name games, etc.
http://www.residentassistant.com/games/index.htm
Icebreakers, energizers and activities
http://humanresources.about.com/od/icebreakers/Ice_Breakers_Energizers_and_Activities.htm
Free icebreaker games and activities
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http://www.team-building-leadership.com/free_icebreakers.html
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