Week 19: Debriefing in Role-Plays

It is John Wooden, famous Basketball Coach who said,

“Make Each Day Your Master Piece”.

Everything that a trainer does in training should be a master piece. Role play is not an exception.

Trainer has to think well before giving a role play.

Thorough preparation is the primary step.

Preparation depends on the primary question ‘What does the trainer want the trainees to learn from the given role play?’

If the trainer wants the trainees to know the procedural aspects of mediation, a simple role-play with general information consisting of facts of the plaintiff and defendant would be enough.

In pre briefing trainer would ask the trainees to follow all inputs given regarding greeting, seating, opening statement, joint session and private sessions.

In de briefing session Trainer would ask questions to each member of the group only about procedural aspects. Trainer would ask only closed ended questions and frame question in such a way that the question asked to one will not be asked to the other in the same group. Trainer will frame and ask questions which relate only to the procedural aspects of mediation.

Example:

1. Did the mediator introduce himself?

2. Tell me one point that the mediator failed to inform in the opening statement?  

However, if the trainer wants to strengthen the skills of trainees then the questions that will be asked will be entirely different.

Example: 

1. Was the mediator actively listening?

2. Did the mediator ask open ended question?

3. Can you repeat some open-ended questions asked by the mediator?

4. Was the mediator suggesting?

5. Can you tell us the suggestions given by the mediator?

Thus if the trainer wants the trainees to understand about open-ended questions and about not giving suggestions, the questions should be framed only along those lines.

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED DURING DE BRIEFING:

1. Setting the goal:
   • Trainer has to identify the principle which needs to be strengthened.
   • Formulate questions revolving around one principle at a time.
2. Activity
   • Ask questions.
   • Reinstate the principle after getting the answer
3. Move to the next principle

Repeat step (1) and (2).

Advantages:

By well-designed and properly monitored de-briefing session the trainees will know how to apply the theoretical knowledge to practical situations.

CAUTION:

1. Trainer should not get into explanatory mode. 
2. Trainer should not restart the session on the topic while debriefing.
3. Trainer should not use more than two sentences to reinstate the principle.

“Z” – Movements:

Trainer should ask one question about one principle with members of one group. Receive their answers and do a summation emphasizing on the concept. Then, the trainer has to move on to the next group with another set of questions on some other principle. Once all the groups are covered, trainer can again get back to the first group with some other questions framed in such a way that the answers to such questions will strengthen their content knowledge.  

This method also helps in keeping all the participants alert and equally engaged.

PRE-BRIEFING ABOUT DE BRIEFING:

Before starting the debriefing, trainer has to see to it that attention of all the participants is drawn towards the trainer. Trainer has to inform them about the importance and advantages of debriefing. Trainer must also inform them as to how each one can learn from the inputs given by the other.

This process will keep all the trainees attentive and there will be seriousness in learning. 

COMMON MISTAKES:

1. Not planning for debriefing
2. Not keeping a checklist of principles to be reinstated.
3. Not knowing about the principle to be reinstated.
4. Not setting an agenda
5. Commencing debriefing without setting an atmosphere for debriefing
6. Not framing closed-ended questions which will lead to answers strengthening the Content knowledge.
7. Asking the very same question to all the participants, knowing fully well that the answer will be the same.
8. Losing control over the audience.
9. Allowing the participants to talk amongst themselves.
10. Asking random open-ended questions which will allow the participant to talk at length getting into unnecessary details.
11. Getting into lengthy conversation with the trainees
12. Not having command over questioning skills

Quoting John Wooden again

“It is the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen”

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(All copy rights reserved by the author S.Susheela.)