An effective way for a group facilitator to establish collaborative group behavior is to introduce a draft set of suggested ground rules at the first meeting. During the discussion of ground rules, the facilitator explains the purpose of the ground rules and encourages the group to discuss them. Although they are only suggestions, let's go over the ground rules and see how people feel about following them. Listen to understand each idea and interest. Respect different viewpoints.
All ideas count, even wild ones.
Everyone shares responsibility for following the ground rules. As the facilitator of the group, my role is not only to make sure everybody follows the ground rules, but also to model these ground rules to demonstrate effective group behavior. Even when ground rules are introduced and thoroughly discussed, someone will inevitably break a rule. This statement is a position, thereby breaking the first rule listed above. A facilitator can use reframing frequently to help members stick to the ground rules.