Emergent Facilitation Guide - Organising from Elsewhere

Traditional facilitation often focuses on controlling group process to achieve predetermined outcomes. Emergent facilitation creates conditions for collective wisdom to arise while maintaining enough structure to be productive and inclusive.

Philosophy of Emergent Facilitation

Core Assumptions

Groups have innate wisdom that exceeds any individual perspective
Solutions emerge from authentic engagement rather than expert analysis
Process and content are interconnected and equally important
Diversity creates possibility when skillfully held
Trust develops through experience, not declaration

The Facilitator’s Role

Rather than being the expert with answers, the emergent facilitator:

Holds space for the group’s collective intelligence
Tracks energy and flow rather than just content
Intervenes minimally and at the right moments
Trusts the process while staying alert to what’s needed
Serves the group’s purpose rather than their own agenda

Core Practices

1. Opening and Closing Rituals

Creating clear containers for emergence.

Opening Elements:

Moment of silence or centering
Check-in round (feelings, hopes, what you’re bringing)
Acknowledgment of the land, ancestors, or context
Setting or reviewing intentions

Closing Elements:

Harvesting insights and commitments
Appreciations or acknowledgments
Check-out round (what you’re taking away)
Closing gesture or ritual

2. Working with Emergence

Recognizing and following what wants to happen.

Signs of Emergence:

Energy shift in the room
Unexpected insights or connections
Someone voices what others were thinking
Creative solutions that surprise everyone
Sense of “rightness” or alignment

Facilitator Responses:

Pause to acknowledge what’s happening
Ask “What’s emerging here?”
Create space for the insight to develop
Connect it to the group’s purpose
Test if the group wants to follow this direction

3. Holding Multiple Perspectives

Creating space for complexity and difference.

Techniques:

And/both instead of either/or: “How might both of these be true?”
Appreciative disagreement: “What do you appreciate about that perspective, and how do you see it differently?”
Perspective rounds: Each person shares from their experience without debate
Role perspectives: Have people speak from different stakeholder viewpoints

4. Working with Conflict and Resistance

Seeing difficulty as information rather than obstacle.

When conflict arises:

Slow down rather than speed up
Get curious about what the conflict is revealing
Look for the unmet need or value underneath
Create space for all voices to be heard
Find the gift in the disagreement

When energy drops:

Check if the process is serving the group
Ask what’s not being said
Take a break or change the format
Return to purpose and intention

Design Principles

Balancing Structure and Flexibility

Enough structure to:

Create safety and inclusion
Keep the group focused on purpose
Ensure all voices can be heard
Make progress toward outcomes

Enough flexibility to:

Follow unexpected insights
Adapt to what the group needs
Allow creative solutions to emerge
Respond to changing energy and dynamics

Designing for Different Ways of Knowing

Analytical: Data, logic, research, facts Intuitive: Feelings, sensing, pattern recognition Somatic: Body wisdom, embodied experience Spiritual: Connection to purpose, meaning, the sacred Cultural: Traditional knowledge, community wisdom

Including All Voices

Strategies for participation:

Multiple ways to contribute (speaking, writing, movement, art)
Small group and large group formats
Anonymous input methods
Different time frames (quick responses, reflection time)
Cultural communication styles

Specific Formats and Methods

1. Open Space Technology

Self-organising format for exploring complex topics.

Process:

Opening: Present the theme and principles
Marketplace: Participants post session ideas
Conversations: Self-selected groups discuss topics
Convergence: Share insights and identify actions
Closing: Harvest collective learning

Best for: Large groups, complex topics, when you don’t know what needs to be discussed

2. World Café

Rotating conversations that cross-pollinate ideas.

Process:

Round 1: Small groups discuss question #1
Rotate: People move to new tables, one host stays
Round 2: New groups discuss question #2, building on previous insights
Round 3: Continue with question #3
Harvest: Whole group shares patterns and insights

Best for: Building on ideas, connecting diverse perspectives, generating creative solutions

3. Circle Way

Indigenous-inspired format for deep listening and sharing.

Elements:

Rim: Where participants sit as equals
Center: Visual reminder of shared purpose
Check-in/out: Personal sharing rounds
Guardian: Person who watches for what’s needed
Talking piece: Object that indicates who speaks

Best for: Difficult conversations, building relationships, shared decision-making

4. Appreciative Inquiry

Asset-based approach that builds on what’s working.

4-D Cycle:

Discover: What’s working well? When are we at our best?
Dream: What would we love to create?
Design: What structures and practices would support our vision?
Deploy: What are our next steps?

Best for: Strategic planning, culture change, when groups are stuck in problem-focus

5. Technology of Participation (ToP)

Structured methods for inclusive planning and decision-making.

Workshop Formats:

Focused Conversation: Four levels of questions (objective, reflective, interpretive, decisional)
Consensus Workshop: Systematic process for group decision-making
Action Planning: From vision to concrete next steps

Best for: Strategic planning, problem-solving, when you need clear outcomes

Advanced Skills

Reading the Field

Sensing the collective intelligence and energy of the group.

What to notice:

Physical energy and posture
Emotional tone and shifts
Level of engagement and participation
Quality of listening
Emergence of insights or solutions

Intervention Timing

Knowing when and how to intervene in group process.

Types of interventions:

Content: Reflecting back what you’re hearing
Process: Suggesting a different format or approach
Energy: Changing pace, taking breaks, movement
Emotional: Acknowledging feelings, creating safety
Systemic: Addressing power dynamics, inclusion

Working with Power Dynamics

Creating equitable participation despite differences in social power.

Strategies:

Name power differences explicitly
Create multiple ways to participate
Use formats that don’t privilege certain communication styles
Track who’s speaking and who isn’t
Address interruptions and other exclusionary behaviors

Common Challenges and Responses

”This feels chaotic”

Acknowledge the discomfort
Explain the purpose of emergence
Provide more structure if needed
Trust that clarity often comes through confusion

”We’re not making decisions”

Clarify decision-making process upfront
Use structured decision-making methods when needed
Distinguish between exploration and decision phases
Help group recognize when they’re ready to decide

”Some people are dominating”

Use structured formats like rounds
Explicitly invite quiet voices
Address interrupting and other exclusionary behaviors
Create small group opportunities

”We’re avoiding conflict”

Name what you’re sensing
Normalize disagreement as valuable
Create safer ways to express differences
Address the underlying fear or pattern

Preparing Yourself as Facilitator

Inner Work

Self-awareness: Know your triggers, biases, and patterns
Emotional regulation: Ability to stay centered when groups are activated
Ego management: Serving the group rather than looking good
Trust in process: Faith that groups can find their way

Skill Development

Active listening: Hearing content, emotion, and what’s not being said
Pattern recognition: Seeing themes and connections
Intervention skills: Knowing when and how to act
Cultural competence: Working skillfully across difference

Preparation Practices

Meditation or centering to clear your own agenda
Research and context to understand the group and issues
Design flexibility with multiple options for different scenarios
Support systems for processing challenging situations

Campaign Strategy

Use emergent facilitation for:

Campaign planning that includes all voices
Strategy sessions that adapt to changing conditions
Coalition building across difference
Learning from campaign experiences

Organizational Development

Apply principles to:

Strategic planning processes
Leadership development
Conflict transformation
Culture change initiatives

Movement Building

Support movements through:

Cross-sector alliance building
Visioning processes for systemic change
Learning and adaptation practices
Healing and resilience building

Resources for Deeper Learning

Training Programs

Art of Hosting communities of practice
Technology of Participation certification
Circle training programs
Cultural-specific facilitation approaches

Books and Materials

Facilitation guides and activity collections
Theory and philosophy of emergent processes
Cultural wisdom traditions about group process

Practice Communities

Local facilitation networks
Online communities of practice
Movement-based facilitation collectives

Conclusion

Emergent facilitation is both an art and a practice that develops over time. It requires courage to trust in collective wisdom, skill to create conditions for emergence, and patience to allow solutions to unfold naturally.

When we learn to facilitate emergence, we unlock the collective intelligence that exists in every group. This creates possibilities for solutions that are more creative, inclusive, and effective than what any individual could generate alone.

The world’s challenges are too complex for expert-driven solutions. Emergent facilitation offers a pathway toward the collective wisdom we need to navigate complexity and create transformative change.