What are some best practices for facilitating a diverse group of stakeholders?

Leading a diverse team is like conducting a symphony. Encourage inclusivity, open communication, and trust. Celebrate differences, set clear expectations, and foster teamwork. Stay informed and seek feedback. Be the maestro of diversity, old sport! ??????

The fact of the matter is that whenever you are in the company of you plus one you have diversity right there even if you are of the same race, gender, belief system or from the same location. Fact: everyone has a nuanced background not exactly similar to yours and therefore see the world differently and invariably bring perspectives that may differ from yours. Its important in any encounter to expect opinions different from yours. That being said its also that a diverse group can converge and diverge on issues but still work towards a common goal as long as expectations and objectives are clear.

Setting clear expectations is of utmost importance at it lays the foundation and makes all that is to come possible. Without clearly defined expectations and standards you are making all that you hoped would follow more difficult to achieve. Clearly defined expectations, standards, rules, and norms also will contribute in a major way to the overall culture of its people and/or workforce. So before anything gets put in place think about what the standards and expectations are going to be and how and who will be responsible for committing and enforcing these standards and expectations.

As we were preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I was confronted with an unprecedented challenge - leading a brand ambassador program for South Africa with a diverse group of stakeholders. We had corporations, government officials, volunteers, locals, and international spectators. Each group had its own expectations, demands, and biases. The first thing I did was to listen and understand each stakeholder's viewpoint. This not only helped me understand their concerns but also made them feel valued. The second thing was to set a unified vision that everyone could rally behind. We were hosting the World Cup, a world-class event, and this was the common goal that brought all diverse groups together.

Outside of the usual concepts many folks share around setting clear expectations, the most important thing most miss is having a bias for transparency. Delivering a 'textbook' approach doesn't cover it all. You need to build trust, and that happens with transparency.

Allow everyone to contribute. Sometimes the quietest people in the room have the best ideas. Pause throughout the discussion to offer opportunities for folks to share their perspective. If you can, provide a way for people to share their ideas in writing too. Some folks might not feel comfortable speaking up. When possible, give everyone a topic to discuss. The more engaged everyone is, the better the discussion.

As a facilitator, I place a deep trust in the process as a pivotal aspect of my approach. Trusting the process means having unwavering confidence in the structured framework and methods I've meticulously put in place. It encompasses my commitment to adhering to the predefined agenda, upholding the established ground rules, and employing the selected facilitation techniques, even when our discussions become challenging or complex. This approach, coupled with the other best practices I follow, cultivates an environment where diverse perspectives can flourish. Ultimately, it leads to more inclusive, well-informed, and successful outcomes that benefit all stakeholders involved.

It's easy in my opinion: seek to understand. You do this without bias and it becomes collaborative. Don't overthink it. For example, my family uses collaborative problem-solving. Don't do this when things are heated, but be proactive in addressing "what's up" with colleagues and constituents to create solutions for the future.

As your Executive Coach and facilitator on call, I suggest asking the group what they need from me, and what they need from each other to feel that they can share, ask questions, and challenge when needed. In my experience calling it out goes a long way and saves a lot of time.

Creating a safe and welcoming environment, where individuals feel free to express their thoughts without the fear of judgment, is a fundamental aspect of effective facilitation. The facilitator plays a pivotal role in fostering this atmosphere of trust and openness. Diverse groups are particularly valuable in this context because they enable the refinement of ideas; what may initially appear as a "bad" idea can often be transformed and elevated through collaboration with others.

In my experience of facilitating, I have found that conflicts are the best thing to happen. I set up the frame at the start of the session that we expect conflicts to arise and in fact they are great but under 2 conditions: - the conflicts are about the ideas and not with the people in the room. So, every time there is a conflict of personalities, I can bring them back to discussing ideas. - conflicts when paired with curiosity can lead to places which we can only go to as a team. And it is in these places we find breakthrough ideas. So, every time there is a conflict of ideas, we apply curiosity and explore deeper. Framing both at the start of the session makes it easier to take charge and bring people together again..

Acknowledging and valuing diversity is not just a benefit but an essential strategy when facilitating a diverse group of stakeholders. Their varied knowledge, skills, and perspectives are invaluable assets. However, this diversity also brings different opinions, preferences, and communication styles to the table. As a facilitator, it's imperative to embrace and appreciate these distinctions, fostering a safe and supportive environment for all to freely express their views and experiences. Employing inclusive language, posing open-ended questions, actively encouraging participation, and offering positive feedback are pivotal techniques in achieving this inclusivity and maximizing the potential of diverse groups. Hope this helps -N

It's important to be comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. One thing still missing in most conflicts is trust - because there was never any transparency. I've seen this over and over in my career. Until you get to the root cause, which requires folks to be transparent, conflicts and challenges will likely become or remain chronic.

Conflict management is challenging as everyone believes strongly in their opinions. As a facilitator it is most effective to have a group consensus on issues that fragment the group. Voting on issues is a non-bias approach to resolve disagreements.

Without conflict, there is no value in a workshop. Teams and individuals need to be encouraged to challenge ideas and this is an important frame at the start of any session. Gathering ideas before the workshop via questionnaires etc can help ensure that everyone, no matter their situation, can propose ideas. When it comes to debating them, facilitators need a strong hand to ensure confident voices don't dominate.

Utilizing appropriate tools and methods is pivotal when working with diverse stakeholder groups. Depending on your group's size, composition, and objectives, consider a range of tools and techniques. Online platforms, breakout rooms, polls, and surveys can enhance engagement and gather valuable feedback. Additionally, employing facilitation techniques like brainstorming, voting, prioritizing, action planning, and evaluation will guide the group effectively toward achieving their goals. Adapting your approach to suit the unique needs of your stakeholders is key to success. Customize, modify, evaluate, adjust, and improve -N

Be creative. See how it flows & let it be a little more organic. Send thank you notes to the team. Care. Move forward. Be bold. Innovation. Challenge people to be better. Thanks - Sheila

An example that I have deployed successfully with my orgs has been written comments and feedback from each stakeholder in a Ride Document. I add a grid at the bottom and tag each member to add their own thoughts, pain pain points and recommend solution. By allowing each stakeholder, a place to have their opinions, valued and seen by the group also allows a lot more buying for the solution .

Engagement is critical to any group. The bottom line is tools can support, but the format and structure of the interactions are the cornerstone for building something successful. There needs to be consistency in this and each interaction must be additive to provide value for folks. Then, the tools you need will surface. Don't start with the tools.

The best way to really build relationships is to invest in the interactions after the session. It signals you’re not just in it for the outcome… you also care about them as people. This is a key characteristic of a leader - they don’t just care about people “under them”. The care radiates in all directions. Reach out 1:1. Ask about their experience… because you truly want to know. Not everything is said out loud. You can gain additional valuable insight in these conversation, while also strengthening your connection.

After group interactions, evaluation and follow-up are important to keep the momentum and energy up on topics. Be clear on the next steps and share important outcomes from the interactions. Depending on the types of interactions, create a safe space for stakeholders to unite and collaborate async. Not everyone works on the same schedule and giving folks a place to communicate their creativity when it comes to them is the secret sauce.

Don’t underestimate the power of evaluation and follow-up, whether it’s a diverse group of stakeholders or not. These are often two of the most overlooked areas of opportunity. It’s easy to get through the stakeholder event, wipe your brow, and move on. Unfortunately, this leaves you with major gaps in knowing whether you actually accomplished what you intended or whether the desired change occurred post-event. Furthermore, stakeholders are people, so it’s a relationship, not a task to be completed. While it may make you feel better on the surface since not knowing means you won’t know when you fail, you also won’t know when you succeed. It also prevents you from being able to adapt and change to improve the ongoing relationship.

?? When facilitating a diverse group of stakeholders it is imperative that you clarify their pain points as well as their passion points! ?? 1. Decide who is the ideal champion to drive the desired #results! 2. What are the #stakeholders #1 goal for next several quarters! 3. How can you #collaborate with them & bridge the gap! #LeadLoudly #leadership #peakperformance #negotiation #success

Every human being is unique, it's crucial to adapt to individual personalities, ensuring each person feels both appreciated and heard. I believe the most impactful action a leader can take is to instill confidence in stakeholders, empowering them to make decisions and take risks without the shadow of micromanagement. As Maya Angelou insightfully said, "People don't remember what you say, they remember how you make them feel." It's essential to ensure each individual feels valued and acknowledged at all times.

People always think about the outcome for themselves out of any initiative or activity. The question asked - WIIFM? What’s in it for me? It’s important for the Facilitator to understand what is the benefit each stakeholder will derive from the activity and then present the case accordingly. The initiative or training or Project should keep this in mind before getting started.

Another helpful consideration is deliberately structuring the conversation to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. This could look like asking a question and then: -Providing a few minutes of individual think time. -Then have participants share their thoughts with a partner or small group. -Then ask the small groups to share themes. -Finally, open it up for large group discussion. This allows participants time to gather their thoughts and engage in meaningful dialogue. It tends to create a safer environment to speak up as it gives folks time to prepare and “read the room,” and it helps prevent loud, quick voices (like me!) from accidentally dominating the conversation.

Handling diverse group of stakeholders requires a lot of patience and listening Handling diversity requires acceptance and ego at its minimum so that everyone views is given a heed and everyone is listened to