1. Chapter 9: Group Facilitation
Dr. Allan Barsky
“Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions”

2. Agenda Group Types Group Stages Challenges to Group Process
Group Facilitation Skills and Activities
Approaches to Facilitation
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

3. Group Facilitation
Helping 2 or more people communicate more effectively
Making communication “facile”
Helping group members:
Think together
Discuss difficult issues
Make decisions
Assign tasks
Ensure decisions implemented and evaluated
Not necessarily to resolve conflict, a mediator is a type of faciitator…
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

4. Types of Groups Psycho-educational Task Therapeutic Counseling
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

5. Group type: examples
Ten clients dealing with underlying causes of PTSD (trauma)
Seventy probation clients practicing anger management strategies.
Five elders learning how to prevent falls and hip injuries
Sixty health professionals reviewing and updating hospital policies
Which type of group is represented by each example?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

6. Group Stages Forming Norming Storming Performing Adjourning
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

7. Consider an “Alcoholics Recovery Group.”
What types of conflict may arise at each stage?
What roles could the facilitator play?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

8. Challenges to Group Process - 1
No Focus
Domination
Interruptions
Different Agendas
Silence
What are the possible causes?
What strategies could be used?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

9. Challenges to Group Process - 2
Confusion about Decisions
Difficulty Listening to Others
Others Put on Defensive
Not Saying What They Think
Lost Attention
What are the possible causes?
What strategies could be used?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

10. Group Skills & Activities: Preparation for meeting
Assesses concerns
Invites and encourages attendance
Obtains agreement on agenda
Establishes guidelines for porcess
Clarifies roles
Helps members prepare
Identifies issues that may arise
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

11. Group Skills & Activities: During meeting
Focusing
Punctuating
Confronting constructively
Establishes decision making norms
Reflective listening
Audiovisual aids
Pacing
Pre-empts distractions…
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

12. Approaches to Facilitation: Debate
Purpose
Structure
Examples
Advantages
Disadvantages
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

13. Approaches to Facilitation: Dialogue
Fosters:
Understanding
Cooperation
Positive relationships
Safe time and place
Openness to difference
Deep reflection
Creativity
Shared meaning
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

14. Dialogue & Civility Language Tone Listening OK to disagree
Demonstrate Respect
Language
Tone
Listening
OK to disagree
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

15. Approaches to Facilitation: Problem Solving
Engage
Identify problem for work
Gather information
Analyze & discuss
Make decision
Plan
implement decision
Monitor
Evaluate
Follow Up
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

16. Approaches to Facilitation: Identity
How we identify ourselves
Socially constructed
Ethnocentric lens
In & out groups
Protracted conflict
May appear as if the dispute is over money, land, power, values
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

17. We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are. ~ Anaïs Nin
Which one of these men is in a gang? Which one fits the stereotype of an African American man? According to..?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

18. Identity Exercise Identity: Aspects of ourselves that we hold dear.
Write down
3 characteristics about yourself that you strongly relate to
1 example of a behavior showing you acted the way you see yourself
1 example showing you have also behaved in ways opposite of each of your identified characteristics
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

19. Identity-Based CR
Contact theory – bringing groups together, strategically
Interactions designed to help re-evaluate perceptions
How each group sees itself as victim, and other as perpetrator
Groups act as mirror
Challenge stereotypes, generalizations, assumptions, and self-perceptions
Reduce assumptions and fear
Foster empathy, shared understanding, and comon ground
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

20. Identity-Based CR: Strategies
Opening discussion of each group’s views for purposes of listening and building empathy
Acknowledging differences rather than ignoring or minimizing them.
Framing issues to allow both groups to engage openly in discussion.
Helping members move from individualistic questions (e.g., who am I, what is important to me, what do I want to see happen) to mutualized questions (e.g., who are we, what do we care about, and what do we want to see happen)
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

21. Discussion Questions 1. Assessing Conflict 2. Staged Conflict
5. Oppressed Witches
6. Lobby Group Conflict
8. Confidentiality
9. Dying Wishes
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

22. Role-Play 9.1: Paraprofessionals & Professionals
Conflict: Professionals vs. Paraprofessionals
Context: Social Agency
Issues - salaries, jobs, caseloads, status
Assumptions, stereotypes
Debate? Dialogue? Problem solving? Identity-based process?
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

23. Role-Play 9.3: Clients and Staff
Conflictia Group Home
Staff vs. Teens
Breakdown in collective bargaining
Work to rule
Teens upset: no recreational activities, more chores, skimpy meals, early curfews…
Teens acting out
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018

24. Major Assignment 9A: Process analysis of a Real Conflict
Intro – describe who (people & roles), what, where, when, why
Conflicts – nature of disputes, process used, skills attempted
Challenges
Alternatives
References
Allan Barsky - Ch.9: Group Facilitation
11/16/2018