Creating Space for Thought:
Best Practices for Facilitating Accessible Conversations

A great conversation needs room to breathe. Too often, insecurity rushes things along, cutting off the potential for deeper thought. As a facilitator, your comfort with silence—those quiet 5-7 seconds—can make all the difference. Silence isn’t the enemy; it’s an invitation for reflection, a moment where ideas can grow.

And accessibility starts with creating that space. Not everyone processes or communicates at the same speed. Some need extra time to think, to formulate their words. Others might be using assistive technology to engage. As a facilitator, your job is to make sure no one is left behind in the race to respond.

When you’re leading, there are different ways to guide the flow. You can call on people, pass the mic, or let the conversation pop like popcorn, each idea bouncing off the next. But here’s the key: if you’re not comfortable with silence, the conversation stays on the surface, and the voices that need time to think never get their chance. Accessible conversations aren’t about who can speak the fastest—they’re about making sure everyone can speak.

For some, speaking up means waiting for the right pause. For others, it means gathering the courage to interrupt the flow. If that space isn’t there—if the conversation moves too fast, if silence is too quickly filled—the discussion becomes shallow. It’s also less inclusive, leaving behind those who need time, those who rely on captions, or those who think differently.

Good facilitation isn’t just about keeping things moving. It’s about creating accessible space—pausing, pacing, using tools like captions or visual aids—so that everyone can find their way into the conversation. And in that space, deeper connections and ideas can emerge.