I believe it is the responsibility of the best communicator in the room to work with the others in the room to understand the contents of the discussion. Wherever possible, even if the best communicator (B.C.) is not the facilitator, they should look for signs that people are not understanding or are drifting from the conversation. It is then up to the B.C. to work with the group to bring it back on track so far as possible.
This means that the B.C. has a conversation with the facilitator before the meeting and offer their help. During that conversation there should be an exchange of ideas, signals, that the B.C. can use to alert the facilitator that something is unclear, and actions that may need to be taken.
The Best Communicators DO NOT:
- Become overbearing
- Take over from the facilitator (unless they are the facilitator)
- Use their prowess to change the topic, information or opinions
The Best Communicators DO:
- Clarify through the use of questions, images and stories
- Speak at the level of the audience – that is, they don’t talk to labor with Harvard words.
- Always show the facilitator the respect they deserve
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