Andrew Rixon is another fan of silence in facilitation.
It is not surprising that many people feel uncomfortable with silence within groups, especially if you are the “leader” or “facilitator”. As Catherine Durnell Cramton has written in an article called “Finding common ground in dispersed collaboration”, silence has meant all of the following at one time or another:Another thing that happens in silence is that people are left wondering which of these (and other) meanings are right. And that introduction of uncertainty, and not knowing, can be very useful.I agree
I strongly disagree
I am indifferent
I am out of town
I don’t know how to address this sensitive issue
I am busy with other things
I did not notice your question
I did not realise that you wanted a response
(I've been silent in this blog for the last few days... I hope you enjoyed it!)
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Comments (6)
Communication Nation has a description of 'Passive Aggressiveness' which will well suit moments of silence too!
October 7, 2005 10:46 Permalink for comment
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October 7, 2005 15:07 Permalink for comment
Silence is a wonderful resource in presentations. Presenters are often so busy trying to say "What they believe" that they don't give participants ample opportunity to decide what they believe.
People will hang onto what they believe much longer than they will retain what you and I believe.
October 7, 2005 15:52 Permalink for comment
Silence has been used in Therapeutic settings often too.
Interested in what the typical length of duration of silence was I found in a "Therapist use of silence in Therapy: Survey" that:
10% of silences were less than 10 seconds
39% of silences were between 10 - 30 seconds
26% of silences were between 30 seconds - 1 min
14% of silences were between 1 - 2 mins
11% of silences were between 2 - 10 mins
What lengths of silence have you found groups able to handle?
October 9, 2005 01:40 Permalink for comment
Andrew: Interesting. I've never measured and a lot depends on context. In groups where we've talked about the importance of silence, tolerance is much higher than in a group where there isn't that context.
I think the willingness to sit in silence could be a (fuzzy) indicator of a group's cohesiveness...
October 9, 2005 10:14 Permalink for comment
I loved the saying for a facilitator that I was at a conference with the other day ..(this is M-A's, not mine ...)
"Don't just do something -- Stand there !!"
October 11, 2005 11:58 Permalink for comment