Communication skills
At general meetings, all participants must be heard and hear their colleagues. I consider facilitator communication skills to be essential and often use them in sessions and dialogue. For example, I use paraphrasing to ask for the interlocutor’s opinion on a particular issue to demonstrate understanding and sometimes clarify the idea. In this technique, I can say, “If I understand, you mean,” and then rephrase the speaker’s words. Another example of applying these skills is tracking the direction of the discussion and summarizing ideas for all participants.
Leadership skills
I show leadership skills as the facilitator when I establish expectations of the meeting and its goal. I also involve all participants by establishing equality, but at the same time, allowing them to express personal expertise. In particular, at general meetings, it is necessary that everyone sit together and be heard, for example, with the help of a round table. At the same time, specialists in various departments should provide an opinion on the issues included in their specialization.
Group dynamics skills
First of all, I control the dynamics of the group, making sure that everyone understands their role in the group, which helps to include each participant and does not allow employees to stay away. Secondly, I try to understand the group members better and promote their communication with each other. For example, during the session, they can discuss a safe topic as the importance of work to improve communication.