Rules for Discussion Leaders
A group discussion is a planned conversation between three or more people on a selected topic, with a trained discussion leader. The purpose is to express opinions, gain information on the topic, and team from the other group members.
USE GROUP DISCUSSION:
 | To share ideas and broaden viewpoints |
| To stimulate interest in problems |
| To help participants express their ideas |
| To identify and explore a problem |
| To create an informal atmosphere |
| To get opinions from persons who hesitate to speak |
| With ten or fewer people |
GROUND RULES FOR A DISCUSSION:
| Be an active part of the group. |
| Work to solve common problems. |
| Discuss completely, but do not argue. |
| Contribute ideas related to the subject. |
| Ask questions to clarify ideas. |
| Be clear and brief -- no speeches. |
| Listen and team. |
| Write down good ideas. |
PREPARE FOR THE DISCUSSION:
| Preferable seating arrangement is a circle, semicircle, U, or hollow square so that each person in the group can see every other person. |
| Make the room as comfortable as possible. Check the ventilation and lighting. |
| Have paper and pencil ready to record main points. |
| Start the discussion on time. Close on time. |
| Encourage informality and good humor. Permit friendly disagreement, but on the point under discussion, not between personalities. |
LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
| Help the group feel at ease. See that everyone knows everybody else. |
| Give everyone a chance to talk. Let the person talking remain seated. More people will participate and those talking will feel more at ease. |
| Set the tone for the discussion: emphasize that there are no dumb questions or comments; stress that there are many ways of handling any situation; point out that everyone's ideas are of value during a teaming experience. |
| Foster discussion by asking questions such as: "How does that apply to your job?", "How would you handle that situation?", "What are your thoughts?" |
| Be careful of the person who tries to monopolize the discussion. Interrupt the "speechmaker" tactfully and lead the discussion to another person. |
| Call on individuals who seem ready to talk, rather than going around the circle. |
| Direct rather than dominate the discussion by easing yourself info the background when the group gets into the swing of it. |
| Keep the discussion general so that it is of interest to all present. |
| Keep the discussion on the track. If it gets sidetracked, bring it back to the main subject by suggesting there are some other important points which need to be covered in the limited time. |
| Observe and respond to participants' body language (nodding head, leaning forward or backward, hand position, eye contact, etc.) |
| If you feel that some important point is being neglected, mention it. |
| Summarize periodically. Stop occasionally to review the points that have been made. |
| Stick to the time limit. If there doesn't seem to be sufficient time to cover the subject, mention this in your training session evaluation, and take action to correct this before the next session. |
| Keep spirits high. Encourage ease and informality. Let everyone have a good time. Don't let the discussion drag or get boring. |
| Quickly summarize the conclusions in such a way that everyone will realize the important facts brought out in that discussion. |
HANDLING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS:
| Anticipate participants' responses to the material presented. |
| Identify potential problem situations before hand and plan contingency approaches. |
| Consult other trainers for approaches and insights they have found helpful. |
| Turn difficult situations and comments back to the group. Allow group members to work through the situations or comments themselves. |
| Limit your opinions on controversial subjects and avoid expressing personal opinions. |
| Never argue with a participant. |
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
| Prepare for the discussion. |
| Get the group to feel at ease. |
| Give everyone a chance to talk. |
| Keep the group on the track. |
| Summarize periodically. |
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