Focus Group Facilitation Guide
OIA Organizational Culture Assessment
1 Overview
Purpose and Objectives
Focus groups are a vital qualitative component of the OIA culture assessment. While the survey captures broad patterns across the organization, focus groups allow us to explore the "why" behind the numbers. They give employees a structured, safe space to discuss their day-to-day experience of OIA's culture, identify what works well, and articulate what they would like to see change.
The specific objectives are to:
- Explore how employees at different levels and in different functions experience OIA's culture in practice.
- Identify recurring themes, stories, and examples that bring survey data to life.
- Understand the underlying drivers behind areas of strength and areas of concern.
- Gather input on desired cultural attributes and potential improvement initiatives.
- Capture current and desired organizational values through a structured Barrett Values exercise.
Session Parameters
| Number of Groups | 6 to 8 focus groups |
| Participants per Group | 8 to 12 participants |
| Duration | 90 to 120 minutes per session |
| Language | English and Arabic (facilitator should be fluent in both) |
| Facilitated by | Talent Arabia senior consultant (external, independent) |
| Note-taker | Dedicated Talent Arabia team member (separate from facilitator) |
Segmentation Approach
Groups should be segmented to encourage open dialogue among participants who share a similar organizational perspective. We recommend the following groupings:
| Group | Composition | Rationale |
|---|
| Group 1-2 | Senior managers and directors | Can speak candidly about strategic culture challenges and leadership dynamics |
| Group 3-4 | Middle managers and team leaders | Bridge between leadership intent and frontline experience |
| Group 5-6 | Individual contributors and professionals | Closest to the day-to-day operational culture |
| Group 7 | Cross-functional mix (all levels) | Tests whether themes are consistent across the organization |
| Group 8 | New joiners (less than 18 months) | Fresh perspective on culture, unfiltered by long tenure |
Important: No manager should be in the same group as their direct reports. This is essential for creating psychological safety and encouraging honest conversation.
2 Facilitation Guidelines
Room Setup and Materials
- Seating: U-shape or circle arrangement to promote equal participation. Avoid boardroom-style seating.
- Materials needed: Flipchart or whiteboard, markers, sticky notes, printed Barrett Values word list (one per participant), pens, name tents (first name only).
- Refreshments: Water, coffee, tea, and light snacks. Creating a comfortable environment helps people open up.
- Technology: Ensure the room has good lighting and minimal noise. No recording equipment should be visible.
- Timing aids: A timer visible to the facilitator (not participants) to manage session flow.
Ground Rules for Participants
The facilitator should establish and display these ground rules at the start of each session:
- Confidentiality: What is said in this room stays in this room. Please respect your colleagues' privacy.
- No right or wrong answers: We are here to hear diverse perspectives. Every viewpoint is valuable.
- One person speaks at a time: Please let each person finish their thought before responding.
- Speak from your own experience: Use "I" statements rather than speaking on behalf of others.
- It is okay to disagree: We welcome different perspectives. Disagreement is healthy, but please be respectful.
- Participation is voluntary: You do not have to answer every question, but we would love to hear from everyone.
- Phones on silent: Give your full attention to the conversation.
Facilitator Guidelines
Do
- Create a warm, welcoming atmosphere
- Use open-ended questions and allow silence
- Actively listen and reflect back what you hear
- Ensure quieter participants have space to contribute
- Redirect gently if the conversation goes off-topic
- Use neutral language and remain impartial
- Summarize themes as you go and check for agreement
- Manage time firmly but gracefully
- Take note of energy shifts and body language
Do Not
- Share your own opinions or react to specific answers
- Allow one or two voices to dominate the discussion
- Put anyone on the spot or pressure them to respond
- Promise specific outcomes or actions
- Discuss what other groups have said
- Allow the conversation to become a complaint session
- Use jargon or overly academic language
- Rush through questions to stay on schedule
- Take sides in any debate between participants
Handling Difficult Situations
| Situation | Recommended Response |
|---|
| Dominant participant |
"Thank you for that perspective. I would love to hear from others as well. [Name], what has your experience been?" |
| Silent participant |
Use a round-robin approach occasionally: "Let us go around the table. Each person share one thought." Do not single them out. |
| Personal grievance or complaint |
"I appreciate you sharing that. For today, let us focus on patterns and themes rather than individual situations. We can note that for follow-up." |
| Emotional response |
Acknowledge the emotion: "It sounds like this is something you feel strongly about, and that is completely valid." Offer a brief pause if needed. |
| Conflict between participants |
"It seems we have two different perspectives here, and both are valuable. Let us capture both and move forward." |
3 Session Agenda
The following agenda is designed for a 105-minute session. Adjust timings as needed for 90 or 120-minute sessions.
0:00
10 min
Welcome and Ground Rules
Facilitator introduces themselves and the note-taker, explains the purpose of the session, reviews ground rules, and reaffirms confidentiality. Participants introduce themselves using first names only.
0:10
10 min
Warm-Up Activity: "Culture in One Word"
Each participant writes one word on a sticky note that describes OIA's current culture. Notes are placed on a flipchart and briefly discussed to identify early themes. This breaks the ice and gets people thinking about culture concretely.
0:20
20 min
Discussion 1: What does the culture feel like day to day?
Explore the lived experience of working at OIA. What is the atmosphere like? How do people interact? What does a typical day feel like?
0:40
20 min
Discussion 2: What helps you do your best work? What gets in the way?
Identify enablers and barriers. Focus on specific examples rather than general statements.
1:00
15 min
Discussion 3: How are decisions made? How is change handled?
Explore decision-making processes, speed, inclusiveness, and how the organization responds to change and new ideas.
1:15
15 min
Discussion 4: What would you change if you could change one thing?
Forward-looking discussion about desired improvements. Encourages constructive, solution-oriented thinking.
1:30
15 min
Barrett Values Exercise
Participants individually select 10 values from a word list that best describe OIA's current culture, then select 10 values they would like to see in OIA's desired culture. Results are collected for analysis.
1:45
5 min
Wrap-Up and Thank You
Facilitator summarizes key themes heard during the session, thanks participants, and explains what happens next with the data.
4 Discussion Questions
Discussion 1: What does the culture feel like day to day?
Lead question: If a friend asked you what it is really like to work at OIA, what would you tell them?
How would you describe the atmosphere here? Is it formal, relaxed, collaborative, competitive, or something else entirely?
When you arrive at work in the morning, how do you generally feel? What shapes that feeling?
How do different departments interact with each other? Is there a sense of one organization, or does it feel like separate teams?
Facilitator prompt: Listen for themes related to silos, trust, communication flow, and emotional tone. If participants use vague words like "good" or "fine," ask them to give a specific example or story.
Discussion 2: What helps you do your best work? What gets in the way?
Lead question: Think about a time when you felt you were doing your best work at OIA. What was happening? What made that possible?
Now think about times when you felt frustrated or held back. What was getting in the way?
Do you have the resources, tools, and information you need to do your job effectively?
How does recognition work here? Do people feel appreciated for good work?
Facilitator prompt: Capture both enablers and barriers. Look for patterns around resources, leadership support, processes, and recognition. If participants focus only on problems, ask specifically about what works well too.
Discussion 3: How are decisions made? How is change handled?
Lead question: When an important decision needs to be made in your area, how does that process usually work? Who is involved?
How much input do people at your level have in decisions that affect your work?
When the organization introduces something new, a new process, a new system, or a new initiative, how is that typically handled? Does it go smoothly?
How comfortable do people feel raising concerns or suggesting different approaches?
Facilitator prompt: Listen for themes around empowerment, speed of decision-making, inclusiveness, transparency, and change management. Ask for specific recent examples where possible.
Discussion 4: What would you change if you could change one thing?
Lead question: If you had the power to change one thing about how OIA works or how it feels to work here, what would it be?
What would make the biggest difference for you personally? What about for the organization as a whole?
If we were having this conversation two years from now and things had improved significantly, what would be different?
Facilitator prompt: This discussion often generates the most energy. Keep it constructive and forward-looking. If someone raises something very specific and personal, acknowledge it and redirect: "That is important. For this discussion, what broader pattern does that point to?"
5 Barrett Values Word List
Each participant receives a printed copy of this list. They are asked to circle or highlight:
- Step 1: Select 10 values that best describe OIA's current culture (how things are now).
- Step 2: Select 10 values that describe the desired culture (how you would like things to be).
Participants may select both positive and limiting values for the current culture. For the desired culture, they should focus on positive values they want to see more of.
Accountability
Achievement
Adaptability
Balance
Bureaucracy*
Caution*
Collaboration
Community
Continuous Learning
Control*
Creativity
Customer Focus
Empowerment
Ethics
Excellence
Fairness
Hierarchy*
Honesty
Humor / Fun
Inclusion
Information Hoarding*
Innovation
Integrity
Job Security
Leadership Development
Long-Term Perspective
Mentoring
Open Communication
Professionalism
Recognition
Respect
Risk-Taking
Safety
Short-Term Focus*
Silo Mentality*
Social Responsibility
Teamwork
Transparency
Trust
Vision
* Values marked with an asterisk are potentially limiting values. They may appear in the current culture selection but typically would not be selected for the desired culture.
6 Note-Taking Template
Group Number
[e.g., Group 3]
Composition
[e.g., Middle Managers, Mixed Departments]
Date and Time
[Date] / [Start] to [End]
Number of Participants
[X of Y invited]
Culture in One Word
[List all words submitted and note any clusters or themes]
Day-to-Day Culture
[Key themes, specific examples, notable quotes]
Enablers and Barriers
[What helps people do their best work? What gets in the way?]
Decisions and Change
[How decisions are made, change management, empowerment]
Desired Changes
[One thing participants would change, improvement ideas]
Barrett Values Results
[Top current values selected, top desired values selected, notable gaps]
Notable Quotes
[Verbatim quotes worth capturing, no attribution]
7 Post-Session Debrief Checklist
The facilitator and note-taker should complete this checklist within one hour of each session ending:
Review and complete the note-taking template while the conversation is fresh.
Identify the top 3 to 5 themes that emerged from the session.
Note any themes that were unique to this group versus common across previous groups.
Flag any specific quotes that powerfully illustrate a key theme (ensure they are anonymized).
Record the energy level and engagement of the group (high, moderate, or low).
Note any topics that generated strong emotions, either positive or negative.
Document any topics that participants seemed reluctant to discuss openly.
Compile and count the Barrett Values selections for this group (current and desired).
Identify the largest gaps between current and desired values for this group.
Discuss and note any adjustments needed for subsequent sessions (timing, question emphasis, facilitation approach).
Store all materials (sticky notes, completed values sheets) securely for later analysis.
Confirm the logistics for the next scheduled session.
End of Document
Focus Group Facilitation Guide
Prepared by Talent Arabia for Oman Investment Authority
