TEchNOLOGy TRaNSFER MODEL - Javna agencija

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BUSINESS CULTURE
and doing their very best.
“... a safe place for communication cannot be created and sustained if the participants have been coerced into taking part in the
interpersonal or group dialogue. This means that planners, facilitators/mediators of such interactions must be open and honest with
potential participants about the aims of the encounter and the use of the materials that will result from such encounters, making sure
that each individual is there of his/her own volition and that he/she agrees to future use of the content of the meetings. Once the
encounter begins this atmosphere of openness and honesty must continue; if the participants feel that they are being manipulated,
then they will either drop out of the group or keep a very close watch on what they say or how they respond to others.” (Chaitin,
2003)
“Safe places in communication also tend to be created and sustained when the ground rules of the encounter are clearly set forth
and agreed upon at the first meeting. Rules such as no interrupting, giving every participant equal opportunities to speak yet not
pressuring individuals to speak who do not yet feel comfortable doing so, ending with a round in which each participant in the interaction
is asked to make some comment about the meeting, and refraining from judgmental and caustic responses are commonly
used techniques. It is important not just to clearly state the ground rules and acquire group consensus to abide by them at the first
meeting, but to reiterate them and reinforce them from time to time in subsequent encounters.” (Chaitin, 2003)
After clearly defining the objectives, time frame, methods of work and the roles of people involved (facilitator, co-facilitator if
present, participants themselves) in a facilitated process, there is a time to create a safe space. When creating a safe space I tend to
ask my participants (at facilitated processes and at trainings) simple questions like:
- What do you need to be able to fully participate (to learn as much as possible) and contribute to the objectives of the process/
training?
- What are you willing to contribute to this process?
After answers from all the participants are gathered, they are looked at, organised, and we all, as a group, agree we are sharing
responsibility to see the expressed needs/rules be met. I would usually also ask whether there are any objections to the expressed
needs, and deal with that, too.
When we are under time pressure (a big group, little time) I would suggest some rules to stick to (I call it “Agreement and guidelines
for cooperation”) during the process and invite the participants to add what is missing and is important for them to the list. This is
what I did at our training for TTF in March in Maribor.
Agreement on cooperation
Guidelines for cooperation
1. WE RESPECT DIFFERENCES IN VIEWS AND IDEAS
2. WE LISTEN AND OBSERVE
3. WE PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY AND CONTRIBUTE
4. WE ARE BRIEF AND CONCISE
5. WE ARE ALL EQUAL AND IMPORTANT
6. WE HELP EACH OTHER
7. WE REJOICE AT MUTUAL PROGRESS AND SUCCESS
1. WHAT IS EXPRESSED IN THE GROUP, REMAINS IN
THE GROUP
2. EACH VIEW, FEELING, SUGGESTION, THOUGHT
COUNTS AND IS CONSIDERED
3. WE DO OUR BEST TO ACT AND CONTRIBUTE TO
THIS WORKSHOP GOALS
4. WE RESPECT OTHERS AND THEIR FREEDOM – EVE-
RYBODY SAYS WHAT THEY WANT TO SHARE WITH
OTHERS
5. WE ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OWN
PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT
3.4.3 Who is a facilitator and what are his roles
“A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand
their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them
without taking a particular position in the discussion. The facilitator
will try to assist the group in achieving a consensus on any disagreements
that pre-exist or emerge in the meeting so that it has a
strong basis for future action. The role has been likened to that of a
midwife who assists in the process of birth but is not the producer
of the end result.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator)
There are a variety of definitions for FACILITATOR:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator)
• »An individual who enables groups and organizations to work
more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy. She or he is
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