Talking stick circles
A very simple but quite effective way to slow down a conversation and maximise listening.  Only one person speaks at a time - the person holding the ‘talking stick’. 

www.co-intelligence.org/P-listeningcircles.html

World Café and Café Conversations
A simple tool for maximising participation and interaction by creating a series of small group conversations around ‘café’ tables.  Each table has a table host, who offers basic facilitation and looks after the group.  A series of questions related to one main theme are addressed.  After a set period of time, participants move to a new table with a new group and address a different question.  Table hosts capture some of the key points and feedback to the main group. 

www.theworldcafe.com
www.cafeconversation.org

The World Café: Shaping futures through conversations that matter.  Juanita Brown & David Isaacs.  Berrett Koehler 2005. 

Fishbowl conversations
A simple process for facilitating deeper listening, particularly useful for working with diversity issues, or in a divided or polarised group.  For example if working with gender issues, the women form a circle in the centre of the space and the men sit around the outside and listen to the women-only dialogue.  After debriefing in pairs, the groups swap. Despite being watched by a group of observers, the participants in the middle are able to have a more frank conversation with each other, that can be quite revealing for the listeners, thus the model can build empathy and open new avenues for dialogue in the whole group.  Can also be used to create a smaller more manageable dialogue in a large group. 

www.co-intelligence.org/y2k_fishbowl.html

Conflict spectrum
A simple intervention for working with a polarised group.  Involves inviting participants to take up a physical position on a line across the room, demonstrating where they stand on a particular issue.  The facilitator can then interview participants about their position, create conversations between people in different locations on the line, and explore under what circumstances participants chosen positions might change.  Can also be done in two dimensions forming a grid. 

Conflict tree
A simple intervention for exploring and mapping a conflict as a precursor to group dialogue.  Each side in the conflict forms a small
branches the effects and consequences.  The tree images are then swapped and each group discusses the perspective of the other side before coming together in dialogue. 

The St Ethelburga’s ‘Open Listening’ Method
A space for listening and sharing different perspectives in a conflict or in response to public issues of concern. Anyone can speak within an agreed time limit (e.g. three minutes). There is no interruption or feedback.

Guidelines for open listening events

Silent discussion

A method for creating a discussion using written comments on large pieces of chart paper. Useful for tacking controversial issues. More info: click here.

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