Whether you are new to facilitating group discussions, or you have been doing this for a while, here are some good reminders of how to lead a great discussions.
7 Tips For Great Discussions
Get comfortable with silence.
Be ok with silence. Don’t be the first to answer your own questions. It usually takes time for people to process the question and think of an answer.
Ask followup questions.
After someone answers a question, use follow up questions to draw out more thoughts from them or someone else.
Use statements like “Tell me more”, “What do you mean?”, “Anything else?”, “Someone else?”.
Give affirmation whenever you can.
You may not always agree with someone's answer, but the more you are able to affirm their thoughts, the more likely everyone will be to keep sharing. Use phrases like “Great question!”, “Thanks for sharing!”, “I love that”, “Very helpful”.
Try to involve everyone.
The more people you can involve in the discussion the better. Use phrases like “Anyone who hasn’t shared yet?”, “How about someone on this side of the room?”, “Guys, any thoughts from you?”.
Begin and end on time.
Know ahead of time when to begin and end discussion. Plan how long you want to discuss each question. It is better to leave people wanting more with a short discussion than to drag on too long.
Don’t focus on getting through all of the material.
The goal of discussion is to help everyone apply their faith, not answer all of the questions. It is ok to only ask a few questions. Make sure to focus on application questions.
Get Feedback.
After your first time facilitating, ask your leaders for feedback. It’s the best way to keep improving.
