In The Workshop Book: from individual creativity to group action, Brian Stanfield lists a number of “short courses” facilitators can use. A short course is ideally just one sentence that contains the wisdom that the group needs at that moment. Any longer than a sentence, Stanfield warns, and you are venturing into lecture territory rather than facilitating.

Here are some short courses he provides. A facilitator can pull these one sentence zingers out of their hat, gently, when necessary:

1. You do not have to agree with any piece of data. You do need to understand it or try to understand it so that you can authentically dialogue with it.

2. The whole picture is attained through hearing and understanding all the perspectives.

3. There will be conflicts. Many are surface conflicts from not understanding each other’s perspectives and experiences.

4. Use your public voice so that everyone can hear and participate.

(p.139)

As a facilitator focused on a group that is hearing each other, listening to each other, and making new discoveries together, sometimes I forget the value of conflict.

Brian Stanfield’s The Workshop Book reminded me (p.124):

Tension is a sign that a group is healthy and thinking.

A diversity of views is valuable to ensure that decisions are sound and well thought-through.

Groups do need to gain an understanding of the perspectives involved, resolve issues, and make choices.

Most arguments happen when people are really getting to the central questions and are moving toward choices.