Facilitation

A facilitator assists large groups in having an organized discussion.

A facilitator is used when a group needs someone to help organize the discussion, identify options, and perhaps help develop a consensus recommendation. Particularly if the facilitator is hired by a governmental authority, his role may end with the delivery of the options or recommendations. If he is hired by a private party, then he may go further and work with the parties until they are able to resolve the dispute and draft a memorandum of understanding. Some areas where facilitation is useful are:

• Community meetings—Whether for a governmental, not-for-profit, or for profit organization, facilitation can maximize public input from disparate, even contentious groups;
• Issue resolution- Facilitation can bring the “stakeholders” together in a neutral setting, designed to get the parties to go beyond stating their positions and to resolve the issue(s);
• Workplace disputes-Gets employees and managers talking to one another to resolve existing problems and to build a stronger working environment;
• Organizational improvement- New Directors/Officers/ Organizational Leaders? Need teambuilding? Facilitation helps employees, managers or organizational leaders to talk to one another in a positive, creative, problem solving manner;
• Strategic planning-Developing a strategic plan? Need organizational brainstorming? Facilitation will bring organization members to work and think together, and bring out the creativity from within the organization.
• Project planning-find out from the public what they want and need, and potential barriers and solutions towards successful completion from within and outside of your organization;
• Conference Facilitation-Liven up a conference while getting the participants actively engaged;
• Focus groups-bring in a skilled neutral facilitator to get group members’ honest opinions and creative suggestions.