Six Ways to Use ToP Facilitation Methods in Training

Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in a training workshop for Indigenous community leaders. They were learning new ways to lead in climate change resilience. A key component of this was to navigate land transfers that would help them deal with severe coastal erosion and permafrost thaw. I was invited to facilitate a few parts. It was challenging, humbling and amazing.

This blog will focus on what it is like to be a process facilitator in a training (learning) workshop. It includes ways you might add value as a facilitator when the main emphasis is on learning. We will focus on how six key ToP® (Technology of Participation) frameworks can be used in complex situations (i.e., when time is very limited; language barriers exist and space is not ideal). We include modifications of these six ToP methods: Rational and Experiential Aims, the Focused Conversation, the Consensus Workshop, Strategic Planning, Action Planning, and Story, Song, Symbol Workshop.

It will also speak about lessons I learned and relearned not only about modifying ToP methods but also as a guest to both the territory we were working in and as one of the few white people in the room.

Context and Engagement Techniques Used

The workshop I was invited to assist was three days long. There were about 20 Indigenous participants from nine different remote  villages. There were six trainers, almost all were Indigenous and living within the territory. All generations were present. Language interpretation took place at times. Elders’ knowledge was particularly useful and important to hear.

• On day one, I used the Focused Conversation Method a few times to debrief conversations.
• On day two, I went over the ToP strategic planning model and began to build consensus on part 1 of the model. Another ToP trained Indigenous trainer co-facilitated and taught several parts of the model also.
• On day three morning, I did a modified, super quick version of the remaining parts of strategic planning, and introduced the action planning template.
• On day three afternoon, when I was not there, my co-facilitator encouraged the group to fill in the action planning template.  Another training team member then facilitated an artful integration activity using the ToP Story, Song Symbol Workshop. I had prepared instructions for the latter and given a brief overview on how to do it with this team member.
• Throughout the workshop, the training team provided several opportunities for pair-share exercises and energizers. One energizer in particular (called something like “In MY life, I ..”) struck me as invaluable. I will describe this later.
• The training team leader and team knew, planned for, and used the neuroscience of learning and engagement techniques throughout. They made many accommodations to add process facilitation to their workshop. I knew it would create extra work for them to incorporate a methodology with which some of them were not familiar. it would also take time away from offering content.
• There was a lot of invaluable content to offer, less time than expected, and no space to put up a sticky wall. The seating arrangement we could manage in the small space, was U-shaped table set up facing the screen which worked very well.
• We created a little decor with the addition of artificial, but tundra like wildflower pots and small flowered napkins on the tables and on a centre-piece table. The team also brought fresh flower bouquets. This attention to decor is typical for ToP events to ensure the space is beautiful, special and appealing as possible.

What CAN we do as process facilitators in a training?

There are many ways to help participants in a training workshop learn more deeply. What you do as a process facilitator can also help them take action more confidently and expediently related to the content they have learned. It can increase their sense of contribution to the community of learners by having them share their own experiences with the topic.  Also, sharing experiences amongst participants can provide critical oral information that is not readily available anywhere else and can serve as lessons to avoid or models to follow. This happened many times throughout the training.

We planned to help participants digest and potentially take action on the rich content that was being offered on such things as historical development of the area, mapping of traditional resources, climate impacts over the last many decades, case studies of communities facing similar permafrost and climate related erosion issues, the politics of land transfer, writing land acquisition proposals, and much more.

THE  ToP TOOLS

(1) Setting Rational and Experiential Aims

In the planning stages, the training team had defined the learning objectives. In ToP methodology, we call these Rational Aims. We added the Experiential Aims. See bold words in parentheses below for definitions of both

Here is what the close to final versions were: 

Rational Aims (or Learning Objectives) (what you want people to learn, decide or agree on)

• Discuss the contemporary land-use planning context and traditional land use decision-making processes.
• Provide and discuss examples of climate change issues facing the area, focusing on those issues which involve land-use and planning decisions.
• Provide practical, real-life examples of strategies and planning tips used by communities to address climate change impacts.
• Gain knowledge, tips and tools to make efficient land decisions in the face of climate change impacts

Experiential aims: (what you want people to experience or leave with)

• Feel included and acknowledged to receive this land training.
• Gain confidence around making sound decisions regarding land transfers from various entities
• Be excited about the potential to move away from stalemates and instead toward resolution on land transfers.
• Be motivated to envision how organizations in your communities can approach land and planning decisions.

LESSON / INSIGHT: Experiential aims gave me as a facilitator better clarity on how we could help with the tone and feeling of the workshop. I was glad to have these as a reminder of how I might “be” (stance of facilitator) in ways that would uphold the experiential aims.

(2) Using  ToP Focused Conversation Method to Debrief Content

This was especially useful when the content was very detailed, complex, emotionally heavy, or new to them.

The training team had built in “debriefs” already with some pair-share times. This worked well because participants seemed more readily willing to share in pairs than even in small groups of 4. We observed that it took time to build up comfort with talking with each other this early in the workshop. Later we experimented with bigger groups and that worked well by day 2.

Normally we “hold” the Focused Conversation (ORID)by asking a series of sequenced questions at four levesl of thinking to the whole group. We start with having everyone answer the first question to “break the ice” so to speak.  For this group, however, it seemed better to give them all the questions on a PPT (PowerPoint) slide they could all see. Then we invited them to take turns answering the questions in small groups and report back key insights.

Below is the Version 1 debrief ORID we had originally intended to use after the group heard details of two case studies of nearby communities’ approaches to land issues caused by climate change. Instead, because of an online guest speaker needing to present at a pre-scheduled time, we debriefed both the case studies and the speaker content. I revised the original ORID to be a much more general and shorter. See Version 2.

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Version 1 to debrief case studies only

Take 10-15 min in 3’s to answer:

• What else have you heard about these communities?
• What would you add?
• What is surprising to you? Heartbreaking? What is similar between these two case studies? Different?
• What does this mean for us in this room or for our own communities?
• What is one new approach or thing that might be done in our own communities? Facilitator picks up 1-2 key insights from each small group (10-15 minutes) and takes notes on flipchart.

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Version 2: (after case studies and guest speaker)

• (O) What key phrases did you hear from the case studies and the last speaker?
• (R) What struck you as interesting? challenging?
• What is important or significant about this information?
• How will you use this information?

LESSONS/INSIGHTS: I had never tried to debrief so much information from three very different presentations in a single Focused Conversation. It felt risky because I feared they would only focus on information provided by the guest speaker or last presentation.  Yet, using version 2 of the ORID, when we heard back from small groups, they all had different pieces they recalled from all three presentations. This helped the whole group recall more than they would have on their own. So I would say, even if feels risky or messy, do it. This lesson would repeat several times over the next few days.

Also every time we did an ORID debrief, I jotted down any key items on a flipchart and kept “action ideas” on separate flipchart pages. These action items would come in handy for moving more quickly through the strategy sessions to come.

(3) Using Consensus Workshop and (4) Strategic Planning to Align Ideas

The group had heard a lot of information over two days. Now, perhaps was a good time to think about how they could use this information once they returned home to share with their Councils and other organizations who undertook decisions around land planning. It was an opportunity to synthesize the ideas that were emerging and make sense of how to use it all.

We had 30 minutes to start this process at the end of Day 2. So I introduced a rough modified version of the ToP strategic planning framework (i.e., needs (normally vision), blocks or obstacles, strategy, accomplishments).

We focused on NEEDS vs VISION. At the request of the client, we changed the word from Vision to Needs because “Vision” had been overused in their communities and was less useful to them. They brainstormed ideas on smaller post-it notes to the question: What are your land & climate resilience needs? Before we started the next day, I had summarized phrases that had repeated and put them on larger sheets (see below). For example, Erosion Protection came up four times. Cooperation and Good Communication came up twice. Some were stand alone, but I put them on one sheet, e.g., planning, grant writers and land development.

The third and last day, we had about 2 hours to do blocks and strategy work. Generally, we take a whole day to do these two items, so again, we were taking a risk that we would start something that could not be finished. We covered obstacles by brainstorming ideas to the question “what is getting in the way?”, and loosely grouping responses.  I invited them to try naming one of the blocks together with guidance from me. I started out by sharing what a well-named obstacle might look like. I reminded them that ideally the obstacle phrase would answer the following questions: What is the block, how is it blocking and what is it blocking? (i.e, the brainstorming to a specific question, clustering and naming like ideas is the ToP Consensus Workshop)

Then I assigned one cluster of blocks to each small group. One training team member was with every group to help things along. I circulated amongst many of the groups, encouraging them to dig deeper to their answers by asking “why?” several times. There created several well-named blocks such as: “short summer season and high costs lead to ineffective and failing erosion protection”.  Another well named one was “jurisdictional issues around housing leads to poorly designed and contaminated housing and results in delays in rehab on homes”. An elder shared an astonishingly good “contradiction” that morning too. He announced, “We need to stop treating climate change as the enemy”. This also became part of the strategy making.

The next hour, the group was very focused and accomplished clustering of actions to deal with the bigger obstacles. We posted the action items sheets as reminders of possible actions that might deal with the blocks (i.e., the ones I had flip charted over the previous two days). They came up with four key strategies (using a quick version of the ToP Consensus Workshop again):

• Engaging in Concert:  Collaboration, Cooperation, Communication
• Addressing Climate Change and Assessments
• Finding and Getting Help with Funding
• Strengthening Leadership

LESSSONS/ INSIGHTS: Even when time is severely tight, if you set up the strategy making session well and keep encouraging them to brainstorm actions to the key issues, you can get useful results. Frankly, I was astonished. But, it became clear to me why we were successful. These leader participants were very wise, focused and knew intimately what they were dealing with. They had spent two days thinking and learning more about issues they had experienced first-hand for decades.  The elders in the room were strategists and articulate in their sharing.  The training team had provided key tangible information in visual, oral, storytelling and encouraging ways. My co-facilitator and I provided a good framework to follow. Everything fell into place. Ideally, we could have used another half day to complete the process. Failing having the time you need however to complete action plans after a strategy session, you can always provide a one-page overview of how to do a strategic plan, a one page  overview of their “strategic plan”, and 1-2 examples of action plans they can use as samples to create custom ones of their own. We did this in case it was useful.

(5)  Producing Action Plans and Setting the Stage for Next Steps

My locally based co-facilitator did the following things:  allowed time to work on their action plan and they gave examples of what they had produced verbally; reviewed the whole process from needs, blocks, strategies and emphasized the efficiency and fairness of the process; gave an example of how it could be used if you had your assessment scientist and climate scientist in the room, and shared how they would get input in the context of the decisions being made (rather than a prolonged scientific presentation for example); and finally, also showed how at each step there are ‘mini-agreements’ by the group in posting, prioritizing, sorting and  naming the categories.

(6) Integrating the Training with the Story, Song, Symbol Workshop

This exercise is described below and typically is used to integrate content or learnings from a workshop (training or process facilitation). It can be done very quickly (in about 20-30 minutes) in smaller teams of 3-6 people. We orally gave instructions and printed copies of these instructions for each participant to review as they prepared their parts.  each group is then asked to “present” to the whole group in about 1-3 minutes.

Deepening Your Learning and Inspiration

In groups of 3-5, choose one of these activities to deepen your learning into something meaningful for you. 

• Song – choose a familiar tune to share what you gained from this workshop – establish the rhythm for everyone – It can be a rap or chant or …. Anything is possible…. Compose words (in your native language if you wish) to go with your melody and rhythm –practice it and be prepared to perform it for the others. Write out words or sounds on flipchart for everyone to participate with you..  A song can tap the power of poetry and the spirit of music. It can infuse your work as you go forward with new life and meaning.
• Story – choose a style – fairytale – legend – poem – humorous narrative … anything that inspires you and write “chapters” of 3-4 lines each that weave a tale of your triumphs and tribulations of the past, present and future. The story as a whole connects you back to your learning and insights during this workshop. Write it out on flipchart so others can read along with you as you “perform” it for us. Tell in your native language if you wish.
• Image or symbol – a visual representation of the key insights or learnings of this workshop. Draw it on flip chart paper and use lots of colors! Be ready to explain it to the other groups.

 What I heard from the other trainers/ facilitators: The participants seemed to really like this exercise. They divided into three groups (elders were one, then two others).  Someone even tried to wrap up the exercise and get reports and one group said no, 10 more minutes, and no one disagreed. It worked better than expected.

LESSONS / INSIGHTS: I have never left another trainer who has never done this exercise to do it. Yet, I knew she was an exceptionally good trainer. I learned that it is possible to have someone else do it well, especially if you give every participant the instructions in writing. I reconfirmed that even when done at the end of a long training three days, people of all cultures resonate with this exercise. It is about telling their story in a creative way. I had never thought of having the elders be their own group. That was a brilliant idea because it allowed them to share in their own language if they chose, to synthesize their best thinking, and to be together as valued members of several different communities, reinforcing their wisdom and their sense of contribution.

My Own Personal Cultural Dilemmas

Although we worked regularly for 3-4 weeks as a group on crafting the agenda, there was so much to absorb and work through, I was not as poised and ready to go as I might have been. It felt like I needed to be prepared to NOT use what I was prepared to do. My internal ongoing questions of anxiety were:

• Could I contribute anything? Would I be useful?
• Would my unconscious white dominance/fragility interfere?
• Am I going to make a difference? (I decided that I needed to let this expectation go – I might not make a difference but could I keep my white dominance at as low a level as possible.  I could also commit to doing as much of benefit as possible and as least harm as I could).

LESSON/INSIGHT

I love working with groups. Working with this group of Indigenous leaders of all generations in such “dire” circumstances of losing their homes, infrastructure and lifestyle so rapidly, showed and reminded me of real human resilience. Everyone was working together to solve these huge problems. Everyone was engaged, helpful and thoughtful. Several times, I realized that I overstepped in my “eagerness” to help, made assumptions which were not helpful or used language which led to misunderstandings. The team was able to subtly or directly let me know this at times. I took note and hoped I would learn.

I felt very well treated and sensed that the group was appreciative of my interest and supportiveness to help them. There were many handshakes and hugs as I left. I hold them all in my heart and know that they will succeed because they are strategic and resilient. My insight is that if we work together and learn constantly from Indigenous ways and values, we will all survive.  This understanding and hope came home again to me in this workshop.