Establishing the Foundation for Facilitation

Creating a culture within your organisation that embraces facilitation is an important step towards achieving success. In this post, we will take you through the process of selecting and preparing for a facilitated approach while highlighting tips on collecting valuable data along the way.

Opting for a Facilitated Approach

Is facilitating a meeting the best way to manage an organisation? To determine if guiding points can help you decide, we’ve evaluated both when it’s advantageous and inapplicable.

If your organisation requires facilitation, here are some measures to take:

• Educating the participants on what facilitation is and how it can help them in a group setting before diving into the facilitated process provides an important foundation to ensure success. It additionally allows any potential concerns or reservations team members may have about transitioning to this approach, such as those from hierarchal organisations who are unaccustomed with working together equitably within their group of senior-level co-workers, be addressed early and sorted out quickly. By covering all these points at the onset, everyone will feel more comfortable partaking in meaningful discussions that brings greater value for each individual participant of your organisation’s collaborative effort.
• Without top-level administration commitment, it can be hard for a facilitated team to make meaningful progress. It’s critical that leadership shows they are open and receptive to the ideas and proposals generated during facilitation in order for positive outcomes to occur.
• Choosing the right facilitator can be key to making your project a success. Consider looking both inside and outside of your organisation, or employing an experienced freelance professional for their expertise on the matter.

Having the perfect facilitator is key for unlocking innovative and unbiased solutions to problems. An independent third-party with no affiliations or interests in either the problem or its solution will ensure objectivity, enabling all parties involved to benefit from meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

Preparing for a Guided Meeting

In order to prepare for a facilitated meeting, the following can be done:

• Hosting conversations in a comfortable and private setting is essential for generating meaningful dialogue. Instead of the usual classroom layout, chairs organised around a circle will help create an atmosphere that encourages casual discussions. Having prepared name tags, markers and flip chart paper on hand can further ensure success with your gathering.

An effective meeting is, in large part, determined by the surroundings it takes place in. A well-prepared space tailored to facilitate discussions and productive breaks will contribute significantly towards making sure all participants have a positive experience that leads to quality outcomes.

• Maximizing meeting effectiveness requires thoughtfully allotted time. Depending on the agenda and attendance, it is wise to plan for meetings between half an hour up to one full hour; hurriedly planning can impede desired results.
• Experienced facilitators know that effective meetings don’t just happen – they start with careful planning. Having a Facilitation Plan in place is essential for success and can help maximise the outcome of any gathering.

Unlock the power of careful preparation for successful meetings! Make sure you’re well-versed in what’s expected from you, examine who will be participating, and devise a plan to handle both start and finish. Prior research into how best to facilitate is also key – create a Facilitation Plan ahead of time so that your meeting can run smoothly.

• To better empower teams and ensure effective issue resolution, it pays to keep track of meetings. Appointing a designated secretary is one way to do this; however, the standard minutes often neglect critically important process details. To maximise success in any brainstorming or problem-solving session, consider assigning someone specifically tasked with overseeing all aspects related to the group’s processes.
• For successful facilitation, it is essential to come into the meeting with a clear and mindful head. During this process of preparation take some time for yourself to unwind so you can approach your task in an energized yet focused frame of mind.

Below is an example of a Facilitation Plan template:

Participants:
Beginning Time:	Ending Time:
Meeting Topic(s):
Meeting Objectives: A. B. C.
Icebreaker or Opener:
Discussion Questions:	Discussion Method:
Summary/ Integration:
Evaluation:

Gathering Information

A skilled facilitator should have an in-depth knowledge of the dynamics at play within their group. This enables them to create a successful, productive environment that supports all members’ needs and goals.

Here are some tips on gathering data before holding a meeting:

• As the facilitator, it’s imperative to make sure everyone is prepared for a successful meeting. Reach out to the host prior and let them know what you need from them in terms of expectations and outcomes. If there will be presenters or experts at your gathering, establish a pre-meeting with all involved parties so that when attendees arrive they’ll have a clear understanding of goals and objectives!
• Proactively engaging with participants prior to the meeting is an excellent way of getting a feel for their expectations and preferred communication styles. Take time to learn about each participant’s background, get clarity on objectives they hope to accomplish, and identify any potential concerns or reservations around bringing in a facilitator. Doing this will help create strong rapport between everyone involved as well as ensure that goals are achieved successfully!
• Gather the necessary artifacts that will provide you with an accurate outlook of how far this group has come. Peruse meeting minutes and progress reports to ensure your comprehension of their current standing.
• When approaching delicate issues, be sure to keep your finger on the pulse of who is involved and the current mood. This will guide you when forming teams for discussion without taking sides. To get a balanced understanding of what’s happening, ensure that data collected comes from multiple sources – this way all angles can be considered before reaching a conclusion!
• As a facilitator, it is essential to confidently participate in the conference by familiarising yourself with its key points and understanding any pertinent dialect. Prepare ahead of time by acquainting yourself with demographics related to your group; this will prevent you from having unnecessary pauses for explanations or questions about terms used during discussion.