Managing External Relations - Disaster Management Center ...

EP
04
24
Managing External Relations
Feedback requires trust and acceptance. Relationships among group members may not be
developed enough to readily accept other members’ feedback. Giving feedback may be awkward in
very formal settings. In some cultures, giving comments on another’s behaviour may be considered
rude or may be misinterpreted.
Facilitate the discussions — Regardless of the nature of your role as facilitator, your main job will
include 1) keeping the discussion on track, 2) clarifying or asking for clarification when something
seems confusing, and 3) helping to create and maintain a situation where everyone can participate in
a co-operative manner. The way you do this will depend on your personal style. It is imperative that
you keep communication lines open among group members. You can provide members with
opportunities to express and hear each other’s feelings (‘How do you feel about this issue?’), ask for
group feedback (‘Does anyone else have an interpretation of this?’), and provide suggestions for
group response (‘Why don’t we return to this issue after lunch?’)
Evaluate progress — While a facilitator may be able to guess how well a meeting is going, it is
usually best to have a formal evaluation, either verbal or written, to verify or correct his/her
impression. Taking a few minutes to evaluate group progress can allow the group to decide if there is
a need for future meetings and give participants an opportunity to express thoughts they may have
held back. If the group process is a long one requiring many meetings, you might issue updates and
records of progress to the group via email or a briefing document.
Problems in facilitation
The problems of non-participation, resistance, and time constraints can make facilitation more
difficult. Consider each of the following situations and answer the questions based on your own
experience. Afterward, compare your answers to those in the text.
Non-participation
Reasons:
Solutions:
One or two people have dropped out of a group discussion about co-ordination
arrangements for the emergency although the rest of the group seems
involved. What might be some of the reasons and solutions for this situation?
They may have personal reasons for being distracted or may not be able to relate to the rest of the
group. It is important to read this situation carefully to determine if the problem should be dealt with
openly by the group. If the behaviour is disruptive, you may try to ask the dropouts if there are any
comments they would like to make—giving them an opportunity to express dissatisfaction. If no
disruption is involved, you may wait for a break in the meeting to ask in a friendly manner if they are
dissatisfied with the meeting. While a facilitator should respect the privacy and wishes of participants,
if the problem has to do with the purpose or process, it may be necessary to bring it to the
attention of the whole group for resolution. In an emergency, group acceptance of the plan may be
as important as the elements of the plan.