Common challenges in dialogue meetings (Brainstorming, mini lecture, role play and discussion) 1. Participants are not willing to speak Possible reasons: • Topics on the agenda are highly controversial and participants are afraid to express their views • A participant expresses very strong emotions and other participants do not know how to respond • Participants become bored with the topic on the agenda • Participants are intimidated by other individuals present. Skill(s) to use: • Asking probing questions that expose issues that participants will speak about • Summarising the discussion that has taken place to show why the present issues on the agenda are important • Reframing the question on the agenda to make it easier to discuss. 2. Participants become angry with one another or display emotions that are difficult to deal with Possible reasons: • A participant makes an accusation or uses politically charged language that angers another participant • A participant becomes emotional while describing a difficult personal experience • The moderator raises a contentious issue that participants strongly disagree about. Skill(s) to use: • Reading body language and interactions in order to understand when participants are becoming emotional and to determine at whom these feelings are directed • Using active listening to make sure that emotional participants feel listened to • Asking questions that reveal exactly why participants are getting upset • Using reframing/laundering to ensure that other participants hear an emotional person’s viewpoint and not just that person’s anger or accusations • Summarising discussions to help keep participants focused • If necessary, taking a five-minute break for participants to calm down. 3. The conversation moves off the topic Possible reasons: • Important issues are not reflected on the current agenda • Participants are attempting to avoid move sensitive issues that the agenda is targeting; • Participants are bored with the topic for discussion. Skill(s) to use: • Using active listening to make sure that participants feel heard • Summarising off-topic issues and putting them on future agendas, if necessary • Summarising the discussion participants were having prior to getting off the topic so as to lead them back to the main issue. 62 Community Healing: A training manual for Zimbabwe