This internal reflection allows you to quickly think through a response on your feet when the process is not working for the group. It can take as little as a minute. It was originally used to figure out how to respond to a sudden difficult situation in a group, but can be used any time that the group seems to be struggling. There are no assumed answers to these questions, which the facilitator asks him/herself while still leading the group. Sometimes the answer to the decisional question might be to let the group struggle, if the struggle is productive.
O:
What is actually going on?
What words or phrases have been spoken?
What background data do I know?
R.
What reactions do I notice in myself?
What reactions do I notice in the group?
I.
Why are we reacting in these ways?
What are possible reasons for this situation?
What values do I need to hold as we continue?
D.
What can I do to hold these values?
What is my next step?
