Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more
Tangents and rabbit trails can take your group off track at any time. As a leader, it is your job to manage group tangents. Here are a few tips.
Key Points:
- Not all tangents are bad. Sometimes a quick rabbit trail can be beneficial for a group. A tangent can cover material related to the subject that isn’t going to be discussed in a group guide but is on the minds of everyone in your group. In this case, take a moment to address the issue, and then get back on track.
- Bring a tangent to a close. Don’t lose control of your tangents. As the leader, decide how much time you will allow for this tangent.
- Tie the tangent back to the main point. One of the best ways to get back on track is to tie the tangent back to the main point.
Quote This:
Every small group gets off track. Maybe somebody takes a question in a direction it was never meant to go. Maybe each comment in the group spins off a new idea further and further away from the idea behind the initial question. Or maybe somebody introduces a topic completely unrelated to the discussion.
See Also: Series for Small Groups
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What are some of the dangers of allowing tangents to go on and on in your group?
- What should you do if a couple of people want to keep discussing a tangent, but the rest of the group wants to get back on track?
- What are some ways you can address honest questions that people have in a small group discussion without derailing the whole conversation?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
