To help make the transition from go-rounds to less structured conversation, you can begin by inviting participants to contribute in one of these four ways:
Note a point of learning
Have you heard something that stirred fresh thoughts or feelings?
Pick up and weave a thread
Has an interesting theme or idea emerged that you’d like to add to?
Clarify differences
Have you heard an apparent difference that disturbed you in some way? If so, first check to see if you understood it correctly. Then you might say what was disturbing and why. Or you might ask a question that is likely to surface the values or assumptions that underlie the difference.
Ask a question
Is there something someone said that you’d like to understand better? If you ask a question, be sure it reflects genuine curiosity and is not a challenge in disguise.