Emergenetics Associates: Quick Tips to Tailor Your Facilitation Style

At your Emergenetics® Certification, you learned to effectively lead our essential workshops, the Meeting of the Minds and Team Dynamics for Small Groups. By design, the programs are crafted to honor the different ways that people prefer to think and behave, so it’s no surprise these out-of-the-box experiences quickly engage attendees. What you may not realize is that your approach to these sessions can be even more impactful when you adapt your facilitation style using the data in your Thinking Spectrum reports.  

I like to compare this process to tailoring a jacket. As long as you buy the coat in the right size, it’s likely to look great when you try it on. That said, if you decide to get the coat altered to your specifications, it’ll truly be the perfect fit! 

Taking the extra step to modify your facilitation will amplify participant engagement because you will be speaking directly to their interests. When attendees are more involved, they will also retain more information and feel better equipped to apply the learnings from the workshop. 

To modify your Emergenetics trainings, I invite you to use the tips below to create a session that is right sized for your participants. 

#1 – Use the Spectrum Analysis Tool 

The Spectrum Analysis is provided during Emergenetics Associate Certification and is available in the Associate Training Guide in your Emergenetics+ account. The resource provides seven questions designed to examine the Thinking Spectrum for each of your workshops, so you are well prepared for the program.  

By reviewing the data and responding to the prompts, Associates gain a foundational understanding of who is in the room, the shared tendencies as well as any outliers. In addition to getting a sense of what to expect from the group’s dynamics, you can use this information to begin identifying adjustments you can make in your presentation to address the different needs of those present. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EOuicmg2Ls 

#2 – Pay Attention to the Report Summary and Most Preferred Attributes 

The Report Summary at the bottom of your Thinking Spectrum offers a snapshot of how many participants have a preference for each Attribute. The summary does not note which Attribute is the most preferred overall by the group. Review the Percentiles to identify the Most Preferred Attribute (MPA) for each person and tally them up. 

Reviewing the Thinking Spectrum in detail is important because if we only look at the Report Summary, we may miss out on the actual intensity brought to each type of Thinking style. I like to use an example of a group I led where 88% of attendees had a preference in Social Thinking. However, the group’s MPA was Analytical. If I’d only paid attention to the summary and created an experience highly customized to Social Thinking, I would have overlooked the inclinations of my participants and potentially lost credibility with them. 

#3 – Be Mindful of Partiality 

As a facilitator, I know how easy it is to lean into our own preferences while leading a session. It takes practice to objectively rethink your approach to reflect the Thinking and Behavioral inclinations of others. One example I can share comes from my early days as an Associate. I’m third-third Expressive, and I used to get nervous and sometimes overcompensated if people were not visibly affirming what I was saying because I assumed they were disengaged. When I paused to review the data, I usually found that the group leaned toward the first-third of Expressiveness. They were interested in the content – they just didn’t show it in the same way I would.  

As you explore your group’s data, take time to acknowledge where you differ from your participants. Imagine yourself in the shoes of your attendees and how they may react and respond, so you are better equipped to anticipate and address your audience’s needs. 

Simple Strategies to Guide Your Facilitation 

It does take practice to adapt your style to align with your audience, especially if their MPA differs from yours. Here are a few tips that you can integrate into your best practices. 

Analytical

1. Reference statistics from the spectrums. Proactively identify where you will describe the percentages of the group’s makeup throughout your workshop. 
2. Invite the group to share their insights. Those with an Analytical preference often appreciate being seen as experts! 
3. Explain why you are telling stories, engaging in activities or entertaining tangents. That way, Analytical Thinkers can still appreciate the value of these actions even if the tactics are designed to resonate with others. 

Structural

1. Give all the details and offer guidance up-front for activities. In addition to actual instructions, explain all the nuances. For example, if participants need a writing implement, tell them in advance as well as share where they should document their findings. 
2. Provide relevant examples that can be used immediately after the session. For instance, following the intent-impact gaps slides in the Meeting of the Minds, offer ideas on how to use those insights in their next meeting. 
3. Reinforce that the activities are designed to provide practice. Those who enjoy Structural Thinking often like to get things right, so make sure they know the workshop is their practice session so they can feel confident applying the lessons later.  

Social

1. Tell stories as part of the learning experience. Social Thinkers typically engage through personal narratives and anecdotes, especially ones involving people. 
2. Connect with participants with a Social preference. As they enter the room or during breaks, take a few moments to say hello and get to know them one-on-one. 
3. Anticipate emotions. Our workshops often lead to breakthroughs for people because the programs offer a language to describe themselves that they may never have had before. Recognize and value that those moments can be accompanied by strong feelings. 

Conceptual

1. Use metaphors to illustrate concepts. The Conceptual Attribute often learns by making connections to other ideas, so metaphors, symbols, images or descriptions are a brilliant way to support that style. 
2. Appreciate that their responses may not fully follow the directions. Conceptual Thinkers love ideation, so they may spend an entire activity period discussing thoughts rather than landing on a complete answer. That’s a great aha moment for others in the room, so celebrate it! 
3. Invite attendees to share how they can apply ideas. Giving participants with a Conceptual preference room to explore and experience the learnings on their own will reinforce understanding. 

Want more tips, including insights to adapt your presentation style to attendees’ Behavioral preferences? Log into Emergenetics+ and go to “My Library” to watch the recording of our Mastery Mondays session Tailor Facilitation with the Thinking Spectrum.  

These tactics are a great way to begin personalizing your approach, and trust that with practice, you will discover even more ways to speak to the needs of the Emergenetics Attributes. If you are eager to fast-track your skill building, I invite you to look into egElectives. Through Spectrum Smarts: The Music of Emergenetics, you’ll learn to use the data from the Emergenetics spectrums to hone your facilitation methodology. Additionally, Elevated Communication: The Architecture of Emergenetics will provide you with more vocabulary and applicable examples to amplify understanding of the seven Attributes.  

Learn more about these sessions by visiting our website or fill out the form below to connect with one of our staff members today! 

 

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