CF Facilitator Principles & Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the 'boomerang' technique in facilitation?
- Ending the session by returning to the opening question
- Redirecting a question back to the group instead of answering it yourself (Correct answer)
- Repeating a participant's statement for emphasis
- Rotating facilitation roles among participants
Correct answer: Redirecting a question back to the group instead of answering it yourself
The boomerang technique deflects direct questions back to the group, reinforcing that participants own the content.
Question 2: A group has reached a decision but one member says 'I can live with it but I don't fully support it.' This represents which level of consensus?
- Full agreement
- Gradients of agreement — reservations noted (Correct answer)
- Blocking objection
- Abstention
Correct answer: Gradients of agreement — reservations noted
Gradients of agreement scales (e.g., Fist to Five) capture nuanced positions, and 'can live with it' typically indicates a middle-range endorsement with reservations.
Question 3: What is the key difference between facilitation and mediation?
- Mediation is used only in legal settings while facilitation is used in business
- Facilitation focuses on group process for any task; mediation specifically resolves disputes between opposing parties (Correct answer)
- Facilitation requires a certified neutral; mediation does not
- Mediation involves more participants than facilitation
Correct answer: Facilitation focuses on group process for any task; mediation specifically resolves disputes between opposing parties
Mediation is specifically designed to resolve conflict between disputing parties, whereas facilitation supports any group working together toward a goal.
Question 4: During an affinity mapping exercise, participants silently group sticky notes into clusters. What is the main benefit of the silence?
- It prevents dominant voices from influencing how ideas are categorized (Correct answer)
- It saves time by eliminating discussion
- It allows the facilitator to control the groupings
- It ensures only the most confident participants contribute
Correct answer: It prevents dominant voices from influencing how ideas are categorized
Silent affinity mapping prevents groupthink and verbal dominance, allowing the natural logic of the content to drive clustering.
Question 5: A facilitator uses 'Yes, and…' instead of 'Yes, but…' during an ideation phase. Why?
- 'Yes, and' closes down debate faster
- 'Yes, and' builds on ideas and maintains positive energy, avoiding premature judgment (Correct answer)
- 'Yes, but' is more respectful in formal settings
- 'Yes, and' signals the facilitator's personal agreement with the idea
Correct answer: 'Yes, and' builds on ideas and maintains positive energy, avoiding premature judgment
The 'Yes, and' improv principle encourages idea expansion rather than the evaluation or dismissal that 'Yes, but' implies.
Question 6: When a facilitator paraphrases a participant's statement, the primary goal is to:
- Correct inaccuracies in what the participant said
- Demonstrate that the facilitator agrees with the statement
- Confirm understanding and make the speaker feel heard (Correct answer)
- Speed up the conversation by summarizing multiple points
Correct answer: Confirm understanding and make the speaker feel heard
Paraphrasing checks comprehension and validates the speaker, which builds trust and encourages further participation.
Question 7: Which approach is most consistent with the principle of psychological safety in a facilitated group?
- Keeping ground rules confidential to avoid group resistance
- Establishing ground rules collaboratively at the start of the session (Correct answer)
- Allowing senior leaders to set all ground rules in advance
- Avoiding ground rules to keep the atmosphere informal
Correct answer: Establishing ground rules collaboratively at the start of the session
Co-creating ground rules gives participants ownership and signals that all voices are equally respected, building psychological safety.
CF Facilitator Principles & Techniques 3
Which of the following best describes the 'boomerang' technique in facilitation?