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Moderatingfor

Deliberation

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What Does Moderating for Deliberation Mean?

• Any experienced moderators or facilitators?• Moderating for deliberation

– Choice work, not brainstorming actions– Common ground for acting (together and

individually), not voting– Identifying what’s valuable to people and the

tensions between values; the struggles– Understanding the issue from other people’s

perspectives– Finding trade-offs

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Resources onModerating for Deliberation• Your notebook – Section 3• Your NIF Moderator’s Guide for the issue• Guidelines poster• Reflections poster• The issue guide• Practice forum on training Day 2

Stages in a Deliberative Forum

Stage 1 – OpeningStage 2 – DeliberationStage 3 – Reflections / Closing

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Purpose of theDeliberative Forum

• We must talk/understand together before we can act together.

• Get to common ground for action.• Moderators can use selected comments

from p. 2 in the forum introduction.

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Compromise Consensus Common Ground for Action

Mutual concessions Mutual agreement Mutual understanding

Get the best deal Agree on actions, even if not on values

Agree on underlying values

End with “what’s best for me”

End with solidarity or conformity

End with stronger connections; the public good

Leads to individual, self-interested action

Leads to unified, homogeneous action

May lead to public action

Leads to hardening of positions

Leads to group think Leads to mutual understanding of differences

Is constructed Is artificial Is organic

Success = each satisfied with costs and benefits

Success = general agreement on what to do

Success = mutual understanding; creates possibilities

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Preparing to Moderate

Preparation = relaxation1.Keep in mind the moderator’s purpose.2.Remember the purpose of the deliberative

forums.3.Get to know the materials.

4. Study the framework.– What is truly at issue – the problem

behind the problem?– What are the key arguments for and

against each option?

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5. Prepare remarks for Stage 1 – Opening– Introductions– Setting the stage for deliberation– Recording– Reporting– Guidelines / Ground Rules poster– Personal Stake icebreaker

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6. Prepare remarks for Stage 2 (deliberation of each option)

7. Prepare questions for Stage 2 (encourage deliberation)– Values (appeals & concerns)– Consequences, costs/benefits– Tensions/dilemmas/conflicts between values– Common ground for action

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8. Prepare comments/questions for Stage 3 (Reflections / Closing)– Approximately 20-25% of the forum– Reflect on what has been accomplished

• Recorder reviews the flipchart recordings– Discover the shared sense of purpose– Complete the post-forum questionnaire

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9. Know the community & potential participants.

10. Coordinate with others.

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Conducting the Forum

• Checking in - active listening & paraphrasing• Difficult participants

– Gradual escalation– Tactful– Moving closer– Assertive verbal techniques– Ground rules– Redirection

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Moderator Behaviors• Remain neutral.• Do not take on the expert role.• Bring comments back to the options when

comments go astray.• Keep discussion on the issue, not personalities.• Be courteous and fair.• Give equal time to approaches.• Be patient.• Model listening behavior.

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• Encourage everyone to join the conversation.• Let the group make up its own mind.• Redirect comments to the group.• Use conflict productively.• Use tension among things held valuable to find

trade-offs.• Invoke the guidelines as needed.

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• Communicate in advance and during the forum with:– Convener(s)

• Purpose of forum• Post-forum reporting• Sponsors

– Recorder(s)• Moderating style• Recording style / role of the recorder

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Some Final Tools

• Suggested Moderator Questions• Stay on Track worksheet• Ways to Spot Deliberation• “Guidelines” poster (suitable for enlargement)• Observing a Forum / Listening for

Deliberation

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Questions?