Addressing Problems and Barriers
Solutions to address some common challenges that might arise during a facilitated session
A variety of challenges and barriers might arise during a facilitated session. It is important to have a bank of easy solutions to immediately respond to these issues in a respectful and constructive manner.
| Problem | Response |
|---|---|
| One or more participants dominate the discussion | “Thank you…I welcome other’s thoughts…” |
| A participant continues to change the subject | “That is a very interesting point. What is your perspective on …” |
| Individuals are interrupting one another | “Let’s begin with Jason, followed by Trish and then Stacey” |
| Conflict arises among the group | “Your points of view demonstrate the complexity of this issue.” |
| The group lacks sufficient information to progress the conversation | “How about we push pause for now and gather further information after this session?” |
| Not enough time is allocated | Focus on the main objectives and begin to approach next steps:
“I want to be respectful of your time, are there any other final comments or questions? |
Last Updated: May 18, 2021