Facilitation

Details

Much of modern life is conducted in and through meetings. An outside facilitator can often be helpful in clarifying the goals of a meeting, planning how to achieve them and conducting the meeting efficiently, productively, and fairly. This can be useful in a number of situations including:

• Policy dialogues: Parties with a stake in public issues do not need to wait for a dispute to initiate dialogue with one another. Business, government, and environmental and other citizen groups can undertake collaborative efforts to define common goals and to develop policy options or implement projects to achieve them.
   
• Public meetings: Providing opportunities for public input is often a requirement of government decision-making processes. It also is advisable for corporations and other private organizations proposing an action that will affect the public. However, traditional formats for public meetings often produce more frustration than illumination. Facilitators can help design processes that provide opportunities for input and ensure that participants’ views are heard and considered.
   
• Collaborative work groups: Modern management theories emphasize the value of teamwork in a wide range of settings, but the effectiveness of collaborative work groups can be undermined by both internal and external challenges. Neutral facilitators can help work groups proceed smoothly or can train workgroups and their leaders to function productively.
   
• Strategic planning: At its best, strategic planning is a consensus building process involving shared learning. Organizations harness their collective creativity to identify their value, mission, goals and steps they will take to meet their aspirations. Neutral facilitators can be helpful in bringing creative approaches to designing and conducting strategic planning processes.
   
• Partnerships: Projects involving two or more organizations in a partnership can present both challenges and opportunities. Partners often bring differences of interest, perspective and priorities to the partnership. Facilitation can help partners realize the benefits that motivated formation of the partnership.