When the participants do it all by themselves Kate Lindley Scheidegger Geneva Facilitators Network November 17, 2010

We, facilitators and trainers, come calling … When there is a need to improve? When there is a problem to fix? When we know better? When the others don’t know? When there is a deficiency?

Traditional approach Group leader is expert, knowledge- able, skillful and resourceful Often blind to dominant cultural stories Seeks difficulties and deficiences to improve Participants are « in deficit » Participants are positioned as less powerful Ignores their success stories and skills, knowledge and experience within context

Appreciative /narrative approach The group leader gives « voice » to the participants. What is talked about is based on what is meaningful to the group. Meaning is explained through stories. Focus on strengths and preferred ways of being. Participants uncover meanings in their stories Open space to story strengths and preferred ways of being Lived experience: knowledge, skills and expertise

Principles Always try to be helpful Always stay in touch with the current reality Access your ignorance Everything you do is an intervention It is the client who owns the problem and the solution Edgar H. Schein « Process consultation revisited. Building the helping relationship » 1999

Warming the group up I can imagine that there is a lot of knowledge in the group already about how to deal with ……….. that I don’t know about. You would have had to be ……………. in ways that I have not had to be. I would want to try to understand your stories.

Establishing group rules I’m wondering if there are any rules or ways of behaving that you would like the group to observe that would help you to be able to share stories and experiences. Could you talk to the person next to you about what, if any, rules you would like for this group? Would you like to share some of the things you spoke about?

What does it mean to you? I would like to understand what …… means to you. Can we brainstorm some of the words and meanings? Can you tell me of a time when you have done that? How have others managed to do something similar? What other meanings and stories can you tell us about?

Group wisdom When I hear your stories, I say to myself there is a lot of wisdom in this group about how to …………………… What do you think about the wisdom in this group? What would you say about a group of people who had just got together and who could produce this?

Emerging stories of reality When I listen to your stories, I hear of things that limit your ability to do …………. What are some of the things that you have heard others talk about that limit their ability to do ……………? What are some of the effects of not being able to do ……….. well?

Emerging stories of resistance When things have been difficult and made it difficult for you to do ……………., what ways have you found to resist? What stories can you tell about this? How would you prefer to describe your ability to ……………?

Moving forward – interviews one week later What experiences have you had since last week that have contributed to the ongoing development of your preferred description? In what ways have you noticed others responding differently to you in your preferred description? How would you account for those developments in a way that makes sense of your own contribution? Do they have any connections with other occasions, or are they completely new? Are there ways that the group has been supporting new development of yours?

Curious, not-knowing style of conversation Uncovering people’s stories. Asking questions without having pre-conceived ideas or theories about what the outcome or solution will be Attempting to use the participants’ language and understand their meanings Using externalising language to separate group members from the issues or problems. Looking at the meaning of problems and their effects and listening for alternative stories Being expert in participating in developing meaning and understanding. Assisting people in thinking about how they think.

References Appreciating indigenous knowledge in groups, Chapter 9, Glen Silvester, in Narrative therapy in practice, eds. Gerald Monk, John Winslade, etc Process consultation revisited, building the helping relationship, Edgar H. Schein 1999 Appreciative Inquiry, Social construction in Practice, Sheila McNamee