A climate report is neutral feedback that makes a group’s interaction pattern visible. A facilitator uses it when behavior may be blocking information flow, inclusive participation, or progress, such as people talking over one another while others remain quiet. Its purpose is awareness: the group, not the facilitator, decides whether the pattern is dysfunctional and what to do next. section 5.1.2 section 8.3.2
Use a climate report to gently bring a hotspot into the group’s conscious awareness rather than pushing people beyond their comfort zone. Pressuring a group can create anxiety, harm relationships, and disproportionately affect people with lower rank. The report invites participants to confront a difficult tension at a pace they can address together. section 8.3.2 section 8.7
Give a climate report in a restrained sequence:
- Observe a concrete interaction pattern, especially one that may obstruct participation or information flow. section 8.3.2
- State the observation neutrally and factually, using the group’s own words rather than interpretations or labels. section 8.3.2 section 8.7
- Recognize that selecting the pattern is already a facilitator judgment, while leaving the judgment of dysfunction to the group. section 8.3.2
- Stay quiet after offering the feedback so participants can respond, reflect, and decide how to handle it. section 8.3.2
Making dominance discussable
During an event-modeling activity, two teams start enforcing the timeline before everyone has finished writing domain events. Higher-ranking participants begin directing the conversation, while others have little opportunity to contribute. Rather than accuse anyone of dominating, report the visible sequence: some people were still writing events when timeline enforcement began, and several voices had not yet entered the discussion. Then leave space for the teams to assess the effect on their work. section 8.3.2 section 5.1.2
A climate report can also surface a polarity that participants are treating as an either/or dispute. Once the group recognizes the tension, it can make the polarity explicit and choose whether to explore it with a sensemaking exercise or a polarity map. This keeps the facilitator from resolving the issue unilaterally. section 10.3.2
Record recurring communication and behavior patterns after meetings to notice resistance and conflict over time. Watch for indirectness, interruptions, questions that are not questions, and fallacious arguments. A climate report does not diagnose motives or prescribe a solution; it gives the group observations it can use to deal with conflict itself. section 8.7
