Moves That Help

Moves That Help

Certain facilitative moves consistently help groups work well. Here are the essential ones.

Opening Moves

Set the frame: "We're here to explore X. We're not deciding today—just understanding the landscape."

Establish safety: "All perspectives are welcome. We're seeking to understand, not to judge."

Clarify process: "We'll do a round of perspectives, then identify themes, then discuss implications."

During Discussion

Invite voice: "Who haven't we heard from yet?"

Summarize: "Let me see if I'm tracking. I'm hearing three main themes..."

Name dynamics: "I notice we keep coming back to X. What's driving that?"

Slow down: "That feels important. Can we stay with that for a moment?"

Bridge: "Sarah, your point about X seems connected to what Tom said about Y. Is there something there?"

When Stuck

Name it: "We seem stuck. What's happening?"

Change mode: "Let's try something different. Take two minutes to write quietly before we continue."

Go meta: "Forget the content for a moment. What does this group need right now?"

Take a break: "Let's pause for five minutes and come back fresh."

Closing Moves

Summarize understanding: "Here's what I heard. What did I miss?"

Surface remaining questions: "What's still unresolved for you?"

Check temperature: "Where's everyone at? A word for how you're feeling?"

Next steps: "What, if anything, needs to happen next?"

The Meta-Move

The most powerful move is often the simplest: name what's happening.

"I notice the energy dropped when we started talking about X."

"We've been dancing around something. What is it?"

"It feels like there's something unsaid in the room."

Naming invites the group to deal with what's really going on.