Much of running a successful focus group is common sense — or can be quickly gleaned from the textbooks.
We all know it’s good practice to explain the session is being conducted under the Chatham House Rule and to begin with a simple, welcoming icebreaker. It’s obvious the structure needs careful thought to allow enough time for genuine conversation, and that the facilitator’s role is to stay calm but firm, ensuring one voice doesn’t dominate.
But what about the less obvious guidance – the unspoken rules of running a great focus group? Here are my seven lessons learned from running countless sessions in every kind of workplace over three decades.
1. Begin with the end in mind
This is one of Stephen Covey’s ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ and provides an excellent starting point for any focus group or workshop. Early in the session, I like to ask participants: “What one thing would make this session worthwhile for you?” or “What would you most like to get out of this discussion?”
This does two things. First, it tells me what matters most to participants, helping me to steer the session accordingly. Second, it shifts the focus from me, the facilitator, to the group. It helps people become contributors early in the session, not merely passive observers.
I return to these expectations at the end. It’s a simple, revealing way to measure the success of a session from the participants’ perspective and to capture any themes or issues that need further exploration.
2. Always have a car park
Every focus group generates a few ideas that have little – or nothing – to do with the topic under discussion. You need somewhere to ‘park’ these comments. I do this literally! At the start of every session, I write ‘Car Park’ on a flip chart and explain that this is where we will capture valuable thoughts that must not be forgotten but will not be properly addressed in the session.
This approach prevents good ideas from being lost while keeping the conversation on track. It enables you to ‘park’ the point and move on.
3. Make a show of listening
There’s a difference between speaking up and feeling heard. Culture expert Shane Hatton shared this smart insight in episode 77 of The Internal Comms Podcast. We’ve all been in conversations where it feels as if our words are merely filling the silence until the other person starts speaking again.
To help people feel genuinely heard, I like to make listening visible. I do this by recording what’s being said in real time — or asking a colleague to help me. Resist the temptation to use a notebook or laptop; it doesn’t have the same impact as capturing comments where everyone can see them.
I’m a fan of these ingenious whiteboard sheets that cling to any surface without glue or tape. By the end of a session, the walls are usually covered with them – a living record of our discussion and proof that voices were heard. This also makes it easy to summarise the conversation and highlight key points as you wrap up.
4. Label what you hear
Before a session, clients often warn me about a ‘difficult’ participant. In truth, this is often someone who is frustrated, misunderstood, or simply desperate to be heard.
The trick is to lean into this frustration. In my podcast interview with former FBI negotiator Chris Voss, he explained the value of ‘labelling’ what someone has said. He suggests responding with “It sounds like…” or “It seems like…”.
I’ve found this a simple but effective technique. (Try using it with challenging stakeholders, too!) It builds what Voss calls tactical empathy. Your goal is to elicit a ‘That’s right’ response from the person – a sign they feel truly understood. Once you’ve reached that point, their frustration will have lessened, and it’s far easier to move the discussion on.
5. Lean into silence
We’ve all been there – you ask a question and the room goes silent. That tumbleweed moment feels unbearable, so you rush to fill it. Don’t!
Mike Roe was a Police Commander for 30 years and led countless interrogations. When I interviewed him for the podcast, we talked about the power of silence. He said, “When you ask a question, let the silence do the heavy lifting”.
It is in those moments of stillness that people think, reflect and choose their words carefully. However uncomfortable it feels, stay silent – and let others fill the space.
6. Take your time leaving
Employees often approach me after a focus group, as I’m packing things away, to share vitally important information, one-to-one.
There are several reasons for this. Some prefer not to speak up in front of their colleagues. But some are simply holding back, watching the conversation unfold, and deciding whether or not it’s worthwhile or safe to share information.
So, these days, I take my time leaving the room. I don’t leave until the last participant has left. So often, that’s when the most important conversation begins.
7. Keep the conversation alive
The most challenging part of running a focus group is often recruiting the attendees, especially if they are frontline colleagues who work on the shop or factory floor. So, once you have successfully recruited them into your session, don’t let them walk away, never to be seen or heard from again.
Ask if anyone is happy to keep the conversation going, help test ideas, join a pilot, or share regular feedback. A good focus group shouldn’t be a one-off — it should be the start of an ongoing dialogue. So, think in advance about how they can help with your ongoing efforts to listen to your colleagues, especially if they are normally hard to reach.
For me, running a focus group is a privilege — a rare glimpse into the heart of an issue and a chance to peel back the layers to reveal fresh insight.
If you’d like help structuring or facilitating your next session, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line at katie.macaulay@abcomm.co.uk
