Integral Facilitation Competencies

Internal/Individual (Subjective) (UL)
The Inner Game: Self-Awareness and Knowledge

Facilitator’s Core Values and Intentions (Ways of Being)

  1. Equanimity: Stillness, silence, and peace make the space for me to be there for others. My ego is in the background.
  1. Intuition: I cultivate and trust my intuition as a source of intelligence greater than my own and actively share these insights in service to the group.
  1. Objectivity: Free of judgment and agenda, I see every situation with clariy and as it is.Trusting in the groups brilliance and commitment, I am detached from the outcomes they produce yet commit myself fully to helping them realize their desired results.
  2. Integrity: I am transparent and easily reflect what I experience for my group.I do what I say I’m going to do, and come clean when I don’t.
  1. Possibility. Knowing that I make my own meaning and that this meaning impacts my actions, actions which ripple into the world with their own effects, I choose to believe in the brilliant possibilities of my group and that they can achieve more than they may currently believe.
  1. Humor: Detached from outcomes, I have a sense of lightness about the work, and knowing that with lightness comes creativity, I remain serious about my role in the process.
  1. Adaptability, Flexibility: Detached from group outcomes, trusting in the intelligence of life and group mind, and taking myself lightly, I honor the flex and flow of energy as it waxes and wanes in the group, and flex my approach accordingly.
  1. Empathy: I relate to the challenging feelings that my participants meet in the face of change and conflict. I honor and respect who they are and the work they do.
  1. Results: I am committed to helping my group define and achieve their desired results.
  1. Learning: Knowing that this work requires all I have and challenges me on all levles, I am committed to life long learning, and open to receiving feedback and coaching, from my participants and peers alike.

Theoretical Knowledge

  • Knowledge componenet associated with each competency.
  • Working knowledge of Integral Theory applied to Facilitation.

Self Mastery

An attitude of continuous personal growth enabled by the ethical and professional practice of facilitation in service to client groups.

External/Individual (Objective) (UR)

Self/Task Management

Self-Managment (In accord with Facilitator’s core values and intentions)

  1. I am empty and present, available in service to others. My ego is in the background.
  2. I am attuned to my Intuition, using my inner guidance to serve the group.
  3. I am content neutral, detached from outcomes, share biases and responsibility for results.
  4. I am true to myself, keep my promises, and come clean when I don’t.
  5. I believe in the group possibilities, challenging participants to stretch.
  6. I am light with the group and serious about the task at hand.
  7. I adapt to the unexpected, changing course to support group’s best interest.
  8. I am understanding, honoring and respectful of participants, who they are, what they do.
  9. I am pragmatic, keeping my eye on the group’s desired results.
  10. I approach facilitation with a beginner’s mind, open to feedback, learning, and coaching.

Presencing(Instrument of Process)

  • I prepare thoroughly, knowing and understanding my material before I present.
  • I demonstrate professionalism, self-confidence, and authenticity.
  • I take command of my voice and use it as an effective tool.
  • I use my body language to connect with and engage participants.
  • I modify my personal behavior/style to reflect the gender, personality, and other needs of the group. (Types)
  • I modify my communication style to address participant developmental levels (Stages/I).
  • I manage available time by tracking progress with objectives.
  • I can clearly explain the role of a facilitator to a group of people.
  • I effectively transition from the role of facilitator to that of presenter, team member, trainer, mediator, or coach.
  • I am directive to manage process and facilitative around content.
  • I let the group own their process and don't compete for their attention.

Task Management

2.1Assessment (Assess audience, self, and evaluate results)

  • I assess desires and expectations of my group prior to designing the event.
  • I use assessments to learn groups presonality and behavioral styles.
  • I assess my personal values and biases and their potential impact on work with clients, and share any such impact with them.
  • I solicit evaluation of the groups I facilitate and make appropriate adjustments.
  • I follow-up with my groups as appropriate to maintain momentum and continuity between one meeting and the next.

2.2Process Design (Design structures and processes)

  • I develop agreement with client on tasks, deliverables, roles & responsibilities
  • I analyze the organizational environment prior to designing meeting.
  • I work with the client to define the desired product and outcomes.
  • I plan and prepare to the unique needs of my audience in terms of language, culture, learning and communication style, gender, and developmental levels.
  • I design meetings to define and achieve clearly defined objectives.
  • I design meetings to facilitate maximum group participation.
  • I employ meeting structures appopriate to the contextual purpose.
  • I select appropriate tools and processes to help a group accomplish its objectives.

2.3Setting (Design environment)

  • I assemble and manage the resources necessary to effectively conduct my group meetings.
  • I plan and prepare a physical environment appropriate to the event.
  • I consider and attend to physical and emotional comfort and safety needs of my participants.
  • I use props appropriate to culture and context to support and enhance group processes.
  • I consciously choose seating arrangements that best supports group process.

2.4Group Memory & Accountability (Produce clear record & action accountability)

  • I effectively use presentation tools such as Flip Charts, Projectors, Chalk, Markers, Microphones, etc.
  • I accurately, concisely, and clearly record and organise participant inputs on Flip charts so it can be read and retrieved by the group.
  • I assure groups are accountable for the results they commit to.

(Darin to elaborate around project management skills for Faciltiators.)

Ethical Behavior (IAF)

  • Client Service: I am in service to my clients, using our group facilitation competencies to add value to their work.
  • Conflict of Interest: I openly acknowledge any potential conflict of interest.
  • Group Autonomy: I respect the culture, rights, and autonomy of the group.
  • Processes, Methods, and Tools: I use processes, methods and tools responsibly.
  • Respect, Safety, Equity, and Trust: I strive to engender an environment of respect and safety where all participants trust that they can speak freely and where individual boundaries are honoured. I use my skills, knowledge, tools, and wisdom to elicit and honour the perspectives of all.
  • Stewardship of Process: I practice stewardship of process and impartiality toward content.
  • Confidentiality: I maintain confidentiality of information.
  • Professional Development: I am responsible for continuous improvement of my facilitation skills and knowledge.

Internal/Collective (Inter-Subjective) (LL)

Social Awareness and Culture

Social Awareness: (Facilitating a working culture)

  • I effectively read the underlying dynamics of a group at each level (State)*
  • I understand and effectively communicate with the primary stages of individual development (Stage/I)
  • I interpret body language to take appropriate action to enhance connection.
  • I listen to what’s said, not said, and how it’s said.
  • I use reflective listening so that everyone is heard and understood.
  • I am inwardly and outwardly silent when listening to my participants.
  • I question what I hear if it sounds incongruent.
  • I look for assumptions and hidden agendas and diplomatically bring them out.
  • I avoid interrupting the speaker except to occasionally check my understanding.
  • I keep the focus on the paricipant and not myself.
  • I honor participant’s ability to do their own work and process their own issues.
  • I encourage, acknowledge, and support participants to build rapport and trust.
  • I'm empathic. I can put myself in the other's shoes.
  • I clarify and reveal assumptions to remove barriers to clear communication.
  • I listen with interest from a charge neutral place, in spite of any biases I feel toward the speaker or what they’re saying.
  • I accurately read key power relationships in groups.

Set(Facilitating States)

  • I read the “state” of the group at the physical, mental, emotional, energetic, spiritual, and synergetic levels and consider this in my selection of facilitative processes.
  • I am skilled at facilitating interventions at the physical level to help keep participants energized and focused on their work.
  • I am skilled at using multiple stimuli and activities such as recorded music, chanting, singing, or other forms of audio or visual stimuls to facilitate group into appropriate mental states and emotional.
  • I know when and how to use visualizations to help align internal states with desired external results.
  • I am skilled at creating and facilitating group rituals to enhance the group’s spiritual connection and to bring groups to effective completion and closure.

External/Collective (Inter-Objective) (LR)

Relationship & Process Management

Relationship Management(In accord with functional group values)

  • I help groups get their Needs Met by balancing their individual comfort, security, and safety needs with the needs of the group.
  • I help groups build Mutual Trust by facilitating honesty, transparency, and expression of personal interests clearly and directly.
  • I help groups build Mutual Respect by assuring individuals act with civility toward one another, and encourage them to share their vulnerabilities.
  • I help groups Embrace Conflict by encouraging them to freely express their thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and feelings and direct communication.
  • I help groups Actively Listen by facilitating understanding around what is said.
  • I help groups build Commitment by facilitating responsibility for sharing the load.
  • I facilitate Full Participation.
  • I help groups be Accountable to their committments.
  • I help groups develop a Shared Vision.
  • I help groups Produce Desired Results by staying on task.
  • I help groups remain Light by encouraging them to take their work, but not themselves seriously.

Group Management

Intervention

  • I know when an intervention is required.
  • I choose the right intervention for the situation and effectively intervene on group dysfunction.
  • I know the five levels of intervention and how to intervene on each one.
  • I intervene from a place of inquiry.
  • I effectively intervene on conflict between participants.
  • I effectively intervene on dysfunctional behaviors.
  • I effectively intervene to break through barriers to deeper awareness.
  • I effectively identify and disarm "group think."

Conflict Management

  • I listen reflectively to facilitate understanding.
  • I effectively use both open and closed-ended questions.
  • I explicitly articulate both sides of an issue, while remaining neutral
  • I formulate and express desired outcomes.
  • I identify underlying interests
  • I develop and analyze options
  • I identify different courses of action and analyze the consequences of each.
  • I identify the elements of a sustainable agreement

Consensus Decision-Making

  • I understand the meaning of consensus and can explain it to a Group.
  • I determine when consensus is appropriate and when it’s not.
  • I help groups work to solutions that satisfy multiple needs
  • I can distinguish between issues, interests, and positions
  • I can facilitate consensus in cooperation with a group leader.

Participatory Environment

  • I honor and recognize diversity in opinion and culture to assure inclusiveness.
  • I inspire, invite, and incite full participation and creativity.
  • I develop and encourage multiple modes of participation.
  • I am skilled at asking open-ended questions to draw out participants.
  • I obtain balanced participation from a group.
  • I facilitate involvement from quiet or withdrawn participants.
  • I manage dominant or overly participatory participants.
  • I give clear, concise directions for group activities.
  • I concisely summarize the key points of a lively discussion.

Process Management

  • I draw on a variety of participation methods to ensure involvement and productivity
  • I understand and can employ multiple problem-solving and decision-making models.
  • I can employ a variety of group methods and techniques such as brainstorming, affinity diagrams, fishbone diagrams, multi-voting, decision matrices etc.
  • I can distinguish process from task and content
  • I learn new processes, methods, & models in support of client’s changing/emerging needs
  • I understand and facilitate groups through their stages of development. (Stages/G)