Preparing for Dialogue – by Henrietta Hopkins

I am writing this blog on the train journey down to Arundel.  Hopkins Van Mil is running a series of 9 Autumn workshops (3 sets of 3) for the South Downs National Park Authority and this is the 2nd one of the 2nd set in West Sussex.  I’m excited at the thought of facilitating what I’m sure will be a lively debate on proposals for objectives for the South Downs National Park’s Management Plan.  I suppose I could be sitting here fretting about the session, but instead I’ve finished off the desk research for a completely different workshop that HVM is facilitating for the British Science Association’s National Science & Engineering Week on 18 October – and turned my mind to this blog.

As I do so I’m asking myself why I am multi-tasking in this rather ludicrous way.  And then I realise that I’m doing it because:

• It’s a really efficient use of my time;
• I’ve enjoyed the desk research and want to finish it;
• My travelling companion who has been working through the week-end is having a power nap and I’ve no one to talk to!
• I’m looking forward to working with the community and our Associate Facilitators again;
• And happy that we’ve prepared the session as well as we can to ensure an effective dialogue.

So here are HVM’s top tips for preparing for dialogue:

1. Agree as a whole team what you want the dialogue to achieve, being clear about how you will satisfy the needs of all those involved;
2. Read around the subect as much as possible so that you can guide (not influence) the discussion effectively;
3. Design a very clear discussion guide (sometimes called a process plan) for the facilitation team so that everyone follows the same clear path to achieving the session’s objectives;
4. Brief the team really well in advance and make sure everyone understands and can use the discussion guide;
5. Make sure you have considered the venue and how it will be used (despite any limitations it may have) to best effect to facilitate the discussion. This isn’t always easy when the venue might have been booked by someone else, but do make sure that as a minimum you’ve seen photos of the venue (and better yet visited it in advance) to work out how you will run the session in the space; and that all accessibility requirements can be met;
6. It may sound obvious, but make sure you have the right kit for all the facilitators to do their job properly.  Without the right tools your dialogue will lose its purpose.  Planning to do a post-it exercise?  Then make sure you have post-its; Planning a roving brainstorming session? Then make sure you have blu-tac, flip chart paper, flip chart pens and enough wall and other space for participants to move around the room.

Well I hope I haven’t jinxed the session by saying all this! But the best thing about being prepared for dialogue is that you can be a bit more flexible if any surprises should happen.  Whatever happens Anita and I feel incredibly lucky to be facilitating sessions in such beautiful surroundings as I quick snap on the way to the venue will testify. Do let us know what your top tips for preparing for dialogue are – we’d love to hear from you.