Virtual Facilitation

17Create Clarity

Figure 17.1

Creating clarity during your session is important to ensure your participants know where you are at each stage of the process, how you expect them to contribute, and that they are clear on what's been decided or achieved so far.

In a virtual space, we lack all the non-verbal signals that we send to each other when we are physically together. The small nod – that we understand and are ready to proceed – is gone, just as is the confused look on people's faces right after you pose a question that is too long or just difficult to understand. Because we don't have these non-verbal signals to rely on, and people tend to talk less, it's even more important that you, as the facilitator, guide your participants through the session with clear instructions and make it easy for them to contribute.

The main reason you need to be clear in every aspect of your session is to ensure you have your participants' full attention. As soon as people can't see how one thing connects to another, what is expected from them or how you're taking a decision, their mental capacity shrinks and they disengage.

Being clear around decision-making is particularly important. If people have come into a meeting believing that they are going to make a decision on something, only to discover part-way through that they're not, then they aren't likely to want to participate. This doesn't ...