How can you balance empathy and objectivity in group facilitation?

Always have an agenda. Allow time for processing but not too much time that it takes away from the group. Emotions are important for healing but too much focus on emotional can derail the group. Acknowledge feelings while focusing on changing behavior. Be confident enough to interject if you have someone over sharing or if they are detailing the group. Offer a separate time for 1:1 if necessary. If emotions are too strong, set up a plan with the person after group as to who they will check in with to continue processing.

Absolutely. Having a clear agenda would help guide the discussion and make informed decisions. It also reduces bias and favoritism.

A session might have several goals and objectives, to manage that and bring them out is how the different facilitation techniques come in handy. Managing the others is as simple as having a good set of ground rules at the get go, making sure there is no judgements, participants are not feeling ambushed in anyway and to stay focused these days is as simple as banning phones during session. The more sessions the more targeted and specific the ground rules become.

In my experience, Lead with empathy and create a safe space for all voices. Make it clear through your words and actions that you are there to listen without judgement and understand all perspectives. Build rapport and trust with facilitation techniques like paraphrasing, open body language, and allowing moments of silence for reflection.

In my role as a mental health group facilitator, it's crucial to discern the purpose and prioritize when multiple purposes exist. For instance, if my lesson plan aims to teach a specific skill while the higher purpose of the group is for participants to feel safe, connected, validated, and enjoy themselves, flexibility becomes essential. I may need to allow the group to deviate from the lesson plan, directing the discussion where it needs to go based on the needs of participants and the group as a whole. While possessing the skills to redirect and maintain focus is crucial, it's also vital to recognize when deviating from guidelines will bring more value in the long run. Guidelines and goals matter, but so does flexibility.

La empatía y la objetividad se complementan.. es un trabajo corazón - mente que ve a la totalidad de la persona. Desde esa dupla mente-corazón, se puede, con mayor facilidad, aceptar y comprender. La escucha consciente, es la puerta para que ello ocurra. Si hay escucha libre de juicios, silenciosa y respetuosa, que crea un clima de confianza para que el otro pueda expresare pensamientos y emociones, entonces se habrá creado un ambiente de confianza donde es posible co-crear.

A good facilitator will always see and hear where the pain points are. These in my experience are well tackled during reflection time, and a well balanced session usually has a lot of learning and take away; resolutions, long lasting ones.

L'empathie est la clé de cette écoute active. Ressentir l'autre et le comprendre assure la réussite d'un coaching. être son miroir sans jugement est une des forces de l'écoute active.

One thing I have found useful when practicing active listening is to refrain from passing judgement or jumping into conclusions. I try to keep a good eye contact with the speaker to reinforce that I am listening and avoid interruptions.

constructive feedback is also a way to validate and empower in a group facilitation. Start with highlighting the positive and circle back to the are of concern that requires improvement. For example ‘the quality of your work is beautiful however I noticed some errors in the calculations. Could you take a second look at it?’

Establish Clear Ground Rules. Set clear ground rules at the beginning of the session to create a safe and respectful space. This helps balance empathy by ensuring participants feel comfortable sharing, while maintaining objectivity by outlining expectations for constructive dialogue and respecting diverse opinions. Be mindful of the language you use. Choose words that convey understanding and support without favoring any particular perspective. This helps maintain a balanced and objective facilitation approach.