Facilitating “DEI” conversations is similar to other places and spaces where you are guiding a group. 

One approach we recommend for DEI is “blended learning”. Simply put, this is a method that combines online learning (asynchronous) with in-person learning - so that learners can control the time, pace, and place of their learning. This means that adult learners can read, listen, watch, reflect on their own time, and their own pace. In-person (or virtual) time with others is used to process and consider how to bring this learning forward to the organization (or your community, a board you serve on, etc). 

Key pillars of blended learning includes: 

• Self-paced knowledge acquisition and group processing
• Learning in small groups and over a period of time
• Modular learning, that ties together with core business activities and daily interactions

Your Role 

As a facilitator, you have three key responsibilities: 

• Select content / course / module - share these with the group ahead of time;
• Develop key learning objectives, that are relevant for the group; 
• Hold space for the conversation and support the group’s learning and process.   

Note: A facilitator is not a neutral party, they (i.e., YOU) play an active role in shaping the conversation. 

Use the tips below, to create a psychologically safe learning environment, address tensions head-on, and guide the group towards learning that leads to actions. 

1. Start Strong - Check-ins and Group Norms 

Starting strong requires knowing where everyone is - during your check-in, ask a question (pick one from the list below, or come up with your own):

• Before we get started with the agenda, what’s on everyone’s mind?
• What is one thing you hope to accomplish in this meeting today?
• What one word best describes your mood at this moment?
• Since our last meeting, in what ways has your awareness shifted? 

After a check-in, and before diving into the content for the day, take a moment to establish some group norms or ground rules. You will come back to these to help dissipate tension or be firm if the conversation gets out of hand. 

The norms we most commonly use are below. 

2.  Review the agenda

A few things to tackle before the meeting:

• Send attendees/participants a set of desired outcome. A statement or list that indicates what you will have achieved by the end of the meeting. E.g., we will have shared vocabulary and skills to amplify the voices of our historically underestimated, marginalized and excluded colleagues 
• Topics/activities. A general breakdown of the time and/or list of what you will talk about and activities to do during the meeting.
• Prework. Instructions for what people should do to prepare for the meeting, and the accompanying materials.

During the meeting: 

• Begin with a review of the outcomes - this allows you to share you expectations with the group and create buy-in for the time ahead. It also allows participants to share responsibility for the time together. 
• How you’ll get there; lay out how time will be spent - so people can understand how many activities and/or conversation topics will be covered during the session. 
• Establish a baseline of understanding, built through completing the prework (i.e., Teachable course or prework). It’s helpful to quickly review what was expected as prework, the themes from the prework - so that all/most participants build off of a shared foundation.   

3. Encourage active listening 

Active listening is similar to mindful eating - enjoying each bite, before taking the next - aware of what we are consuming, without rushing to the next time. Active listening includes four steps: contact, absorb, feedback, and confirm. 

• Contact: Listen to each person attentively and reinforce what is being said by maintaining eye contact or non-verbal responses.
• Absorb: Take in what each person says as well as their body language without judgment or evaluation.
• Feedback: Paraphrase and summarize what the speaker says back to the speaker.
• Confirm: Get confirmation from the speaker that you understand their points accurately.

As a facilitator, you can share your expectations with the whole group. You can encourage active listening by inviting the following behaviors and habits: 

• One speaker, one mic: Encourage the group to allow people to finish talking before jumping into the conversation.
• Listen to understand, not respond: Building a culture of inclusion requires that we listen to truly understand someone’s point of view, not to respond right away.
• Check assumptions: Sometimes we listen to confirm assumptions, active listening asks that we check our own bias and assumptions by paraphrasing and receiving confirmation.  

4. Make silence do the heavy lifting

One of the best tools in facilitation is silence. For most people, silence is awkward and unwanted, but during crucial conversations, it is important to embrace and find comfort in it, giving participants the time to process and develop answers. 

Our brains need silence to process information:

• The brain is actively internalizing and evaluating information during silence;
• Silence replenishes our cognitive resources;
• Silence relieves stress and tension;

Reflecting using a variety of techniques - sticky notes and whiteboarding, journaling, out-loud, pair-share and small groups. Source link. 

And if the conversation gets heavy, or when the energy in the room is low, or if people become restless, take short breaks. 

A mental break is especially helpful for introverts who need to recharge from a lot of talking. In addition, consider leading a quick stretching activity to help people feel physically and mentally refreshed.

• In virtual facilitation, give everyone a 5 min break roughly 10-15 minutes into the meeting (after agenda and objectives) - so they have a moment to code switch 
• For meetings longer than an hour, build in at least 10 minutes of breaks for every 50 minutes of facilitation; Longer meetings require even more break time. 

5. Closing well 

As a facilitator, it’s important to end on an optimistic note. If there has been tension and difference of opinion, strive to end the meeting with grace and warmth (acknowledge what’s happened, and how you may aim for a different outcome at the next meeting). 

• Wind down before the scheduled end time. Rushed closings make the learning feel incomplete. 
• Reiterate the overall objective of the session.
• Connect with the participants one last time. You can ask open-ended questions:
• What’s been one ‘ah-ha’ from this meeting?
• Square (what resonates), Circle (what’s still swirling), and Triangle (what might've been better) 
• How will you integrate learning from today’s session at work, community etc.?
• Schedule follow-up plans and offer concrete next steps.