This came up in a facilitation call today.
What do you do if the group talks too much?
Or the opposite — no one contributes?
The answer in both cases is the same:
Set up the conditions early.
With a group that talks too much, success usually comes from permission-setting near the start of the session.
I’ll often say something like:
“I’m sure this will be a very engaging conversation, and there may be moments where I need to move us on — is everyone ok with that?”
No one has yet said no.
But later, when you need to step in, you can simply say:
“I need to move us on.”
You’ve already established the ‘contract’ with them.
I’ll often also add that I may ask for contributions from different people so that we hear a range of voices. Again, this creates permission in advance for bringing quieter people into the conversation later on.
Quiet groups need a different approach.
It rarely works to begin by saying:
“I expect contributions from everyone.”
You have to create the conditions where it feels safe to contribute.
The first step is to avoid asking open questions to the whole room before the group has warmed up.
It is almost always better to get people talking in pairs or small groups first.
After that, you can move to a technique I learnt from Nick Francis while developing the Get it Right Initiative Train-the-trainer programme:
Pose. Pause. Pounce.
Pose an open question.
Pause to allow someone to answer.
And if nobody does, ‘pounce’ — ask someone specific by name.
This works best when used regularly enough that people come to expect it.
And as with any facilitation technique, remember:
These things often feel awkward before they become natural.
