"We can't seem to find a way to address one aspect of the problem without opening up all the other issues. To add even more challenge, this group meets only once a month for a 3-hour session."

This is a problem that has existed as long as I have been facilitating - 25 years. I follow this process for small (up to 20-25 people facilitations) to overcome this issue:

1. Interview each participant on a one-on-one basis prior to the session.

2. I ask them what they consider are the issues involved.

3. I record all issues and rank them according to the frequency with which they were nominated.

4. I sit with the session's sponsor and go through the list.

5. We identify which issue/s are core to the sponsor's objectives.

6. We identify which issues are barriers to satisfying those objectives.

7. We develop a plan to deal with the barrier issues.

8. At the workshop, I feedback all issues raised at interview (anonymously) and state that we will deal with the core issues only. If someone raises one of the other issues, we say that it will be dealt with in a manner already agreed, e.g. some other forum such as a workshop, project, initiative, outside help, etc. If an issue not mentioned in the interview is raised in the session then we "park" it on an "Issues Board" at the side of the room and promise to revisit it before the session closes. Toward the end of the session (i.e. after the core issues are "resolved"), we revisit the Issues Board to see if the issue is still relevant since many bilateral issues evaporate when the core issue is resolved. Where the parked issue/s are still relevant, then we agree a strategy to deal with it/them after this session.

Advantage of this method:

1. Everyone gets a say

2. Everyone gets to say what they feel without the pressure of peers and/or superiors present

3. Unplanned for issues are parked but managed and are therefore unable to detour the core session