Facilitation
As a neutral, content and process leader, the facilitator acts as a guide to the group discussion process. Once there is a clear understanding of the purpose and desired outcome of the meeting, the facilitator brings an unbiased perspective and some level of structure to the process making every effort to facilitate respectful and honest dialogue among participants. In this role, the facilitator is free to be direct and ask the difficult questions that need be asked. Depending on the understood purpose of the facilitation, the goals of the process may include consensus building, decision making, action planning, task completion, and/or identification of desired outcomes for the group.
Your Resolve facilitator will fulfill the following role with the organization:
• Fully understand the intent and purpose of the meeting
• Assure the space identified is conducive to the facilitation process
• Set the agenda to fully align with the purpose and objectives
• Assist the group in understanding group norms, dynamics and “pain points”
• Manage the meeting including content, focus, and time
• Encourage participation from all
• Foster understanding and solution seeking
• Ensure a safe, respectful environment
• Role model effective communication
• Bring effective closure to the meeting
• Summarize the meeting highlights, agreed upon action steps and outcomes
“Matt prepared to facilitate an important discussion with my management team by first discussing the issues with team members individually, then bringing the individual concerns to the group in a thoughtful and factual setting that led to great interaction, meaningful discussion, and a setting that worked perfectly. Matt creates an atmosphere of dialogue that's unequaled. How sensitive matters are presented is critical. He aced it.”
Janelle, County Attorney
Setting ground rules is a key component of the facilitation process especially in meetings convened to discuss difficult issues, identified problems and areas that participants have strong opinions about. These rules are usually addressed in some form at the outset of a facilitated meeting or workshop to ensure participants understand the group expectations, facilitation process, various roles being employed and the responsibilities involved with each. In an ideal facilitation setting, participants would identify the ground rules for the session to include the following:
• Being constructive
• Being open to suggestions and new ideas
• Allowing others to speak and express themselves
• Mutual respect
• The role of the facilitator
• How unresolved issues will be captured and addressed
• Expectations regarding if and/or how the facilitation will be discussed outside the group
In the end, as facilitators we attempt to do for the group what it has not been able to effectively do for itself - engage in safe, respectful, effective group dialogue around identified business critical areas impacting the organization. At Resolve, we understand that lasting solutions lie in helping address the root cause of a group's inefficiencies and limitations while maximizing the creative energy and ideas within the group. Ideally facilitation results in employees increasing their ability to effectively engage in important group dialogue in the future.