IAF session : Questions that help Facilitation

On 15 June 2024, we attended an IAF online session, a free for Members only workshop , on Questions that help facilitation , by Mr Simon Wilson , CPF , UK .

Before the Break Out Room activity , in the plenary, he made a brilliant opening move.

He asked us, the participants , " What is the best question anyone has asked you ? "

Here were some of the responses I wrote down. I might have missed some . You can add your own . At least one. The best question any one has asked you . Professionally or personally.

MP Sriram : Who are you ? From facilitation process perspective , " What is one biggest take away for you from this session ? "

Monica Kaushik : Is that a fact or a belief ? Or opinion ?

Madhujit Singh : What will you achieve out of this ?

CVR : As a group, what is ONE THING you are going to do, as a result of this session ? And stop doing ? And will continue to do ?

Dr Kalindi Bhatt : Which need of yours will be met ?

Shefali : What would you like to do instead ?

CVR :Do we have all the data ? What are we missing ? what do we have ? Is that enough ?

Mr Simon Wilson, summing up :

Simon Wilson : ( think about ) Questions about identity . questions about intentions ( someone has asked you ) . About actions . Group sessions.

( Anecdoe ) African and latin American participants asked. " What is more important ? Your clock ? Or our need for conversation ? " When the group discussion was taking more time in a session than he planned .

" From then on I became more flexible rather than punctual . " Swedish - British parentage, stickler to time by culture.

There was an interesting book ' Who asked the first question ? ' by Joseph Jordania . In asking a question, we give up some of our thought process. in Facilitation, there is a distinction between open questions and closed ended questions .

Good reads link to the book :

Who Asked The First Question? The Origins of Human Choral Singing, Intelligence, Language and Speech by Joseph Jordania | Goodreads

Free E Book " Who asked the first question ? " by Joseph Jordania . 460 pages . PDF

Jordania.pdf ( channelmcgilchrist.info )

We thank International Association of Facilitators (IAF) , International Association of Facilitators (IAF) - India & IAF_Asia for providing this opportunity and a very thought provoking session . This session has immediate practical value . We can implement these ideas ( questions that help facilitation ) the very next day . What ever is your topic, type of target audience , industry or training objective .