Trust me. Your participants will thank you.
You are in your facilitation flow.
You have just shared some incredible insights with your group.
You toggle between Zoom gallery view screens to see how the group is reacting.
You see people nodding.
The chat is on fire.
Perfect time for a breakout group.
The session appears to be going well. Or is it?
You send people off into small groups. You are hanging out solo in the mainspace catching your breath.
You glance over at the breakout group screen. And you notice that a few people have switched off their cameras and mics.
😳
You start to wonder…
Were the instructions clear?
Is everyone participating?
Or are people checking out?
You realize that you are in a complete breakout blackout.
A few minutes ago things were peachy. Now you are reeling in a spiral of uncertainty.
You realize that have no idea how things are going in the breakouts. You start to panic.
You stare at the remaining time. It seems like an eternity until you will have contact with your group again.
You realize that have no idea how things are going in the breakouts. You start to panic.
🤷Should you pop into a group to check? But you don’t have time to check in on every group. Is that even the right thing to do?
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And then they are back.
One face appears on the screen. Another. More faces appear in rapid succession. A few comments in the chat. The usual suspects share their reflections with the group. The session continues.
But the experience has left you wondering…
Are your breakout groups as good as they could be?
Breakout groups can make or break a session
Virtual breakout groups have transformed the way we connect and learn online. Many of us (including yours truly!) now depend on breakout groups to boost engagement.
Done well, breakout groups can create golden opportunities for connection and collaboration.
They can power community-building and fuel peer-to-peer learning.
But breakouts can also be extremely dull.
Sometimes a little awkward. They can be the perfect excuse for people to check out. And they can also be problematic if group norms and agreements are broken.
As the facilitator, it’s your job to set your breakout groups up for success. But how?
Here are 10 practical tips that will transform your breakout groups forever.
1/ 🌡️Warm-up. Throwing people cold into breakout groups can make people feel awkward and uncomfortable. You need to warm the group up first. Start with a breakout that builds connection amongst participants first. Remind people to introduce themselves at the beginning of each breakout. This will increase participation.
2/ 🤝Create norms. You may have already created group guidelines or agreements. Remind people of the key group agreements before the breakout groups. For example, “make sure that everyone has a chance to speak.”
3/ ✅Give specific instructions. Be intentional and specific about what you are asking people to do in the breakouts. Put the instructions in the chat so people can refer back to them. Before you send people off, ask if there are any questions. What is clear to you may not be clear to your group.
3/ ✍️Build in individual reflection time. Give people individual reflection time before putting them into breakouts. Give people a prompt and 2 minutes to write first. This helps participants collect their ideas before having to share them with others. And it can dramatically increase the quality of small group discussion.
4/ ⏲️Track the time. Make sure people know how much time they have in breakout groups. Make the timer visible to the breakout groups. Broadcast a message to groups letting them know how much time is left. This helps the group manage their time. You can also let people know where they should be in the group discussion. For example, “You’ve got 2 minutes left. You should be wrapping up your discussion and coming up with action steps.”
5/ 📃Use a shared whiteboard. Create a shared space where groups can write or draw their ideas. This can be Miro, Mural, Google Jamboard, or a blank slide. Whiteboards help to focus small group discussions. Participants can see in real-time the ideas of other groups. Whiteboards also produce a concrete artifact from the session.
6/ 🗣️Debrief. When people get back, ask for reflections in chat. Invite a few people to share takeaways. Encourage reflections from people who haven’t shared in the whole group. You’ll help the group pinpoint the key insights from the breakout groups.
7/ 🎲Give people options. Here’s a radical idea: allow people to switch rooms. Make people co-hosts and allow them to move between groups. Use “open space” technology. Check out this brilliant article from facilitator Misha Guberman on how to do it.
8/ ✋Ask for Help/Return to Mainspace. Show people how they can ask for help. Let people know they can leave the group and come back to the mainspace (and make sure you are there!). Participants should not be stuck in a breakout group if things are not working.
9/ 🔎Deal with issues. Issues will arise. So have a process in place to address broken norms. Give people the option to privately message you with any issues that come up in the breakout groups. Be clear on what steps you will take with the parties involved and the whole group to address the issues.
10/ 💡Ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask your participants for feedback. Ask them how the breakout groups could be even better. Adjust your plan based on their ideas.
Setting your breakout groups for success takes some preparation. Investing the time to design the breakout group experience will pay off for you and your group. Participants will be more engaged and connected. And you’ll have a template for creating successful breakouts for every group you lead. You’ll dodge the breakout blackout and stay in your facilitation flow.
P.S. Here are instructions for setting up breakout groups on Zoom in case you need a refresh!
Gwyn Wansbrough is a Facilitator and Experience Designer based in Barcelona, Spain. She works with people and organizations around the world to create dynamic and empowering learning experiences online and in person. She runs an online cohort-based course called Breakthrough Facilitation. She writes about facilitation, creativity, and learning in a weekly newsletter called The Quest. Subscribe here or visit www.gwynwansbrough.com to learn more.
