Removing the Blocks to Participation

Ensuring that people participate actively is a primary facilitator responsibility. There’s no excuse for running a meeting that a few people dominate or in which half the group sits in silent withdrawal. Here are some strategies to encourage involvement.

Break the Ice

Even in a group in which members know one another, they need to engage in icebreakers to set a warm and supportive tone. With groups of strangers, warm-up exercises are even more important. They help people get to know each other and they help to remove barriers to speaking in front of strangers.

Books of icebreakers abound. Do your homework so that you have at least four to six simple warm-up exercises handy at all times.