Here are a few miscellaneous tips for facilitators:
<ul>
<li> Remember that shy people have good ideas too, even if they aren’t voicing them. Every once in a while, say, “let’s hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet,” especially if a few people seem to be doing all the talking. If there are new people at the meeting, they might have good independent observations on how the meeting seems to them.
<li> Be aware of male domination in your group. This may be difficult to see because we are raised in a society where male domination is the norm and often goes unquestioned. The same is true for domination by members of other “majorities”. Do not allow sexism, racism, heterosexism, or class oppression to go without notice.
<li> Sometimes a good point gets raised but is lost in the discussion or goes unnoticed. That is why it is good to have someone writing the brainstorming ideas on a large notepad or dry erase board. Also the facilitator can help bring an idea back into the discussion by restating it or asking the person that came up with the idea to re-state it.
<li>  Keep the discussion moving forward. If everyone seems to agree, state a proposal and check for consensus. If the discussion is deadlocked, ask people if a small group can discuss it afterward.
<li> If a lot of people have their hands up at once, write down their names in a list and call on them in order (this is called ‘keeping a stack’). This way people don’t have to keep their hands up trying to get you to call on them, and it reduces the danger that someone who wants to speak will be ignored repeatedly. If the discussion has moved on to something else by the time someone else gets called on, they can bring it back or simply pass.
<li> If the discussion is contentious and/or people aren’t respecting each other, try this: declare who the next three speakers are, and don’t let people raise their hands until those three are done. This way everyone concentrates on what’s being said, instead of sighing, moaning, and planning his or her response.
<li> The facilitator should be someone who doesn’t have a strong opinion to express on the meeting’s topics. If you really do want to say something, call on yourself, but make sure you don’t use your role as facilitator to dominate the discussion.
<li> If part of the group is much more knowledgeable, then you can pick several representatives and let them have a free-form (non-facilitated) discussion in the middle of the room. This is called a ‘fish-bowl’ and can also be useful for resolving conflict (by picking representatives of the different sides of the issue). 
</ul><br>
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