Facilitation
A skilled, external, facilitator can help groups improve their effectiveness by diagnosing a group's processes (how they work together) and structure (membership, roles, etc..) and intervening to improve communication, problem solving,decision making--improving the group's overall effectiveness and performance.
Everyone attends meetings – at work, at community and membership organizations, at school, etc. It is not possible to be part of an organization and not attend meetings. A 2005 Microsoft survey of 38,000 people worldwide found that the average worker feels productive only three days a week. According to the survey, people spend 5.6 hours each week in meetings, yet 69 percent of them feel that meetings aren't productive. Looking strictly at the United States, the number of employees who feel meetings aren't productive climbs to 71 percent
Everyone attends meetings – at work, at community and membership organizations, at school, etc. It is not possible to be part of an organization and not attend meetings. A 2005 Microsoft survey of 38,000 people worldwide found that the average worker feels productive only three days a week. According to the survey, people spend 5.6 hours each week in meetings, yet 69 percent of them feel that meetings aren't productive. Looking strictly at the United States, the number of employees who feel meetings aren't productive climbs to 71 percent
What does a Facilitator do?
A facilitator:
- Creates a positive, safe environment allowing all group members have a voice.
- Helps groups define their overall goal, as well as specific objectives.
- Helps groups communicate effectively.
- Provides processes that helps members use their time efficiently to make high quality decisions.
- Guides group discussion to keep it on track.
- Makes accurate notes that reflect the ideas of members.
- Helps the group understand its own processes in order to work more effectively.
- Makes sure that assumptions are surfaced and tested.
- Supports members in assessing their current skills as well as build new skills.
- Identifies and help groups agree on appropriate decision making processes to help a group make decisions that take all members’ opinions into account.
- Supports members in managing their own interpersonal dynamics.
- Provides feedback to the group so that members can assess their progress and make adjustment.
- Manages conflict using a collaborative approach.
Facilitation Services
- Strategic planning sessions
- Priority setting meeting
- Team building
- Meetings to negotiate team roles and responsibilities
- Problem solving meetings
- Performance improvement meetings
- Focus groups to gather input on new programs or products