Here are the Top 10 Skills Expert Facilitators employ
When searching for the right facilitator, make sure you find someone who is truly an expert. My facilitation success comes from an extensive background in Lean Project Management that is guided with extraordinary EQ and interpersonal skills.
In general, expert facilitation refers to the skillful guidance and management of group discussions, meetings, or workshops by a facilitator to achieve desired outcomes efficiently and effectively. An expert facilitator ensures that the group's objectives are met while fostering an inclusive, engaging, and productive environment.
Keep these key elements in mind when interviewing potential facilitators:
1. Preparation and Planning: Thoroughly understanding your group's goals, dynamics, and context to design a structured agenda that maximizes productivity and engagement.
My clients receive at least 3 pre-event meeting to review the agenda, discuss team dynamics, and ensure the goals are clearly communicated to participants.
2. Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment: Establishing ground rules, encouraging participation from all members, and managing conflicts to ensure that everyone feels heard and respected.
a. This can only be accomplished with someone who has a high EQ, and the ability to negotiate challenging dynamics with delicate and assertive tact.
3. Active Listening: Paying close attention to participants' contributions, clarifying points, and summarizing discussions to ensure mutual understanding.
Expert facilitation requires quick and accurate synthesis from multiple inputs. I enjoy make professional’s ‘word salad’ sound appetizing, especially when it adds cohesion to a concept.
4. Guiding the Process: Keeping the group focused on the agenda, managing time effectively, and using techniques to stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving.
Balancing the time and space required for authentic communication with important deliverables can be tricky, which is why I continuously help groups focus on the outcomes while encouraging the minutia to stay on a parking lot list.
5. Neutrality: Remaining impartial and not imposing personal opinions, allowing the group to explore ideas and reach consensus independently.
Remaining impartial is only possible when personal ego is removed. Finding a facilitator who asks deeper questions can create space in situations where conflict has previously been an issue.
6. Adaptability: Adjusting the facilitation approach in response to the group's needs and dynamics, and being flexible with the agenda if necessary.
Group and team events, such as strategic planning and team alignment activities must remain adaptive. It’s so important for the facilitation lead to quickly adjust course if a potential derailer is detected.
7. Encouraging Participation: Using various methods to engage all participants, such as open-ended questions, brainstorming sessions, and breakout groups.
Expert facilitators are constantly scanning the room for subtle shifts in energy and engagement, drawing people back into the conversation who are distracted or put-off.
8. Managing Group Dynamics: Identifying and addressing issues like dominant participants, conflicts, or lack of engagement to maintain a balanced and productive discussion.
This is a huge differentiator among facilitators, who are often brought in to help leadership navigate internal tensions. Ask for examples of how they manage challenging group dynamics.
9. Facilitate Decision-Making: Helping the group explore options, weigh pros and cons, and reach consensus or make decisions effectively.
Decisions and outcomes are always the desired outcome for facilitated meetings. An expert facilitator will ensure the team has productive discussions and comes to consensus.
10. Follow-Up: Ensuring that actions and decisions are documented, communicated, and followed up on after the session to maintain momentum and accountability.
I love providing a one-page playbook after strategic planning sessions. Gathering all the concepts, discussions, and decisions into a concise document is helpful for everyone involved and adds to the adoption of the outcomes.
In summary, expert facilitation involves a combination of planning, communication, and high EQ and interpersonal skills to guide groups towards achieving their objectives while fostering a collaborative and respectful environment.
I’d love to discuss facilitating your next event, reach out any time for a brain storming session!
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