Guiding with Mindset, Curiosity, and Care
At Cortico, facilitation is less about expertise and more about presence, curiosity, and thoughtful listening. Our goal is to create conversation spaces that center personal stories in small groups. Facilitators play a key role in shaping these spaces by guiding participants through meaningful, inclusive, and high-quality conversations.
Core Facilitator Mindsets
We encourage facilitators to approach their role with the following orientations:
- Asset-Based: Every person brings unique value and lived insight.
- Nonjudgmental: Create space for openness, vulnerability, and honesty.
- Curious: Ask to understand, not to correct. Listen with the intent to learn.
- Supportive: Validate emotions and hold space without rushing or resolving.
Your job isn’t to control the conversation. Instead, tune in, stay open, and support connection.
Key Facilitation Practices
Empathic Listening
Practice listening to understand, not just to respond. Use:
- Body language such as nodding, eye contact, and relaxed posture
- Empathy in your tone, for example: “That sounds like a powerful experience”
- Reflection and paraphrasing, like: “What I hear you saying is...”
- Clarifying questions to deepen understanding
Embrace Silence
Silence can be awkward, but it doesn't have to be. Making room for silence to be present and embraced in your conversations offers participants a space to process your question and reflect on the experiences they want to share. As a facilitator, use silence to observe participants, reframe questions, or redirect as needed.
Redirecting from Opinion to Story
If a participant shares a strong opinion, gently return to story:
“Thanks for sharing. Could you tell us about an experience that shaped how you feel?”
Invite Quieter Voices
Use check-ins and open-ended invitations:
- “We haven’t heard from a few folks. Would anyone like to share?”
- “How is everyone feeling so far?”
Audio Quality and Recording Tips
Facilitators are responsible for ensuring conversations are recorded clearly. This is important both for sensemaking and sharing purposes.
Best Practices for Audio Quality:
- Choose a quiet space. Avoid areas with fans, A/C hums, traffic, or background chatter.
- Minimize echo. Rooms with rugs or soft furniture help reduce echo.
- Avoid interruptive noises. Silence phones and avoid locations near alarms or PA systems.
- Use proximity wisely. Participants should sit close enough to the microphone for clear pickup.
Devices You Can Use:
- Smartphones with voice memo or other apps
- Tablets
- Handheld recorders
- Laptops with Zoom or other recording software
We recommend using two devices whenever possible, with one as a backup.
💡 Tip: Test your equipment beforehand, especially in your chosen location. Do a 10-second test recording and play it back to check for clarity.
Using the Conversation Guide
Your conversation guide is a flexible resource, not a script. Personalize the language so it feels like your voice. Reference it as needed, but allow the conversation to flow naturally. Some moments may require you to pause, reword, or shift your approach based on participant energy and cues.
The guide includes:
- Welcoming and purpose-setting language
- Participant agreements (such as listen generously and speak from experience)
- Story-based prompts that invite personal reflection
Final Thoughts
Anyone can facilitate Cortico conversations. You don’t need to be a professional. What matters is leading with empathy, curiosity, and care. When facilitators show up authentically, participants feel safe doing the same.
Remember: You already know what a good conversation feels like. Your job is to help create the space where that’s possible.