The document provides tips for enabling better connections in group discussions, such as preparing questions beforehand, exploring members' opinions and experiences, creating an accepting climate, actively listening to each person, affirming all opinions, asking follow up questions, avoiding taking sides, allowing for humor and tangents, not fearing silence, dealing with discussion killers, and facilitating rather than acting as an expert.

1. Enabling Better Connections

2. Enabling Better Connections Prepare “good” questions prior to the meeting Explore group member’s opinions, experience, and beliefs

3. Enabling Better Connections Create a climate of acceptance

4. Enabling Better Connections Actively listen to each person

5. Enabling Better Connections Affirm all expressions of opinion from each group member

6. Enabling Better Connections “ Peel the Onion” with questions One answer is rarely enough. Follow up.

7. Enabling Better Connections Be careful not to “take sides” in a debate

8. Enabling Better Connections Allow for humor and “rabbit trails”

9. Enabling Better Connections Don’t be afraid of silence

10. Enabling Better Connections Deal with discussion “killers”

11. Enabling Better Connections Be a facilitator, not an expert