What are some ways to encourage engagement from a group member who is not participating?

For several reasons, a group member may refrain from participating in a meeting or learning session. One reason could be that they do not feel psychologically safe. As a facilitator, it is imperative to establish an environment that is conducive to safety early. One way to do this is through effectively using an agenda, ground rules, and well-crafted group introductions. Another reason could be that they are an introvert. As a facilitator, it is essential to introduce activities to support this communication style. Ask questions that require only one-word answers, use a round-robin approach, or think pair share works well to involve everyone safely and non-threateningly.

In my experience, the best way to learn why a person is not participating is to find a quiet, safe place and how I can best support them. This gives the person time to reflect and provide feedback. Depending on how they respond, it's best to remain curious and continue to ask open-ended questions that encourage reflection. In an ideal world, we would collaborate on the best way forward.

Here are some of my favorite open-ended questions: How clear are you about this issue? How can I best serve you in this moment? What are your thoughts on this? What does this mean for you? What impact is this having on you? Open-ended questions are the best way to encourage reflection of others and an invitation for further self-exploration, working under the premise that everyone has the answers inside of them.

I find the suggestion to provide positive feedback interesting as it immediately struck me as contradictory. If a member is not participating (observation), then what is the observed behaviour or data to provide positive data coming from? On reflection I can see 2 instances where there may be opportunity to provide +ve feedback. 1. the member is known to you and other members - recognise and call out his / her strengths / genius and invite him / her to apply that strength to the current situation or discussion. 2. the member has made contributions; comparatively less than others - notice when the member contributed and how it was done. Can those conditions be recreated? Lastly, I'd look at my contribution to the member not participating.

There was a time when, as a facilitator, I'd call on the "quiet" ones in the room, but those times are gone. I have come to realize that since people have different ways of learning and applying the knowledge, it's important not to call out people by name or by pointing a finger (virtual or in-person), instead, try to use inclusive language to encourage them, say things like "I'd like to hear from others" on this issue. They know they are quiet, you need to make them feel like their input is appreciated and valued and usually, this is incentive enough for them to get involved.

Creating a supportive and therefore safe space involves that the person facilitating is aware of the many different personality types out there. Some people feel immediately comfortable when in a training session and do participate, but others do tend to take more time to adapt to the group and different group dynamics. Give them that time, but also encourage them to give their input or generate games and activities that give them the opportunity to shine for their skills & highlight that!

Within the facilitation container, every person is having their own unique experience. There are no "rights" or "wrongs" for how a person processes information and emotions. Approaching facilitation from this perspective supports each individual and takes the pressure off of assuming that you, as the facilitator, are supposed to have all the answers.

Everyone brings different preferences for listening, learning & participating. You need to find a balance, ensuring you capture as wide a selection of input & views so that the outcome is representative & honest. Using different methods, (mixed groups, formats, materials etc), helps. Remember to keep checking in, not just about the discussion content but about the approach. A workshop of endless break out sessions would be very annoying to some. Others might relish a 5 minute self contemplation or enjoy a group exercise. Listen & observe to ensure that a few don’t dominate. When preparing for a breakout or small group session remind everyone to help each other to engage - a subtle message to the extroverts to help the introverts.