Problem-solving sessions are essential for groups to address challenges, generate ideas, and create solutions. However, sometimes groups can get stuck in unproductive patterns, such as repeating arguments, avoiding conflicts, or jumping to conclusions. How can you help groups recognize when they are stuck and get unstuck?
As a facilitator, it is important to help groups recognize the signs of being stuck. Common signs include a lack of progress towards a goal, low energy or engagement from participants, frequent interruptions or distractions, confusion or frustration among group members, and dominance or withdrawal of certain voices or perspectives. Check in with the group periodically to identify these signs and determine what they need in order to move forward.
If the conversation begins to sound circular, evaluate whether everyone is on the same page about the real problem that needs to be solved. It's easy to go down a tangential rabbit hole in big group meetings and get lost trying to solve ancillary issues.
As a facilitator, you can use questions to help groups get unstuck and stimulate dialogue. Open-ended, probing, and reflective questions can help clarify a group's purpose and objectives, explore different angles and assumptions, challenge existing beliefs and biases, generate new ideas and alternatives, evaluate options and criteria, and decide on next steps. Additionally, you can encourage group members to ask questions to each other and to themselves.
- Tell me all the reasons why (solution x) will work? - Tell me all the reasons why (solution x) won't work? - What would you think of this strategy if you saw a competitor doing this? -What could we be missing here?
Another way to help groups get unstuck is to apply frameworks and tools to structure their problem-solving process. As a facilitator, you can introduce and guide groups through various frameworks and tools such as SWOT analysis, root cause analysis, design thinking, or action planning. These can help organize and analyze information and data, identify and prioritize problems and opportunities, brainstorm and select solutions and strategies, plan and implement actions and outcomes, as well as monitor and review progress and results. Additionally, you can adapt and customize them to suit the group's context and needs.
Sometimes, the best way to help groups get unstuck is to introduce breaks and changes to refresh the group's energy and perspective. Breaks and changes can help relax and recharge their mental and physical state, connect and bond with each other on a personal level, shift and diversify their mode and style of working, as well as experiment and learn from new experiences and feedback. As a facilitator, you can manage breaks and changes by scheduling regular pauses and intervals during the session, providing snacks, drinks, or music to create a positive atmosphere, changing the seating arrangement, room layout, or venue to create a different environment, or incorporating games, exercises, or activities to create a fun and interactive experience.
Finally, you can help groups get unstuck by seeking feedback and support to improve the problem-solving process. As a facilitator, you can ask the group to evaluate and rate their problem-solving process and outcomes, invite external experts or stakeholders to provide insights and advice, join a community or network of facilitators to share experiences and learnings, or access online or offline resources or courses to enhance your skills and knowledge. Through these strategies, groups can recognize when they are stuck and get unstuck in problem-solving sessions, while also achieving better results and having a more satisfying and enjoyable experience. Additionally, feedback and support can help groups recognize and appreciate their strengths and achievements, identify and address their gaps and challenges, and learn and apply best practices and tips from others. It also encourages collaboration and leverages the resources and expertise of others.