A facilitator is “one who contributes structure and process to interactions, so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions.” (Ingrid Bens)
A facilitator will assist you when you want to:
Clarify challenges, solve problems and make decisionstogether in a group
Improve meeting or team effectivenessand deal with group dynamics
Create plans that are agreed by consensus
Get commitment for actionby the participants and
Have an independent person to guide a group
Facilitators can save you time and money with their process and group management skills and are used in, for example:
Engagement meetings: to gain staff or stakeholder input on projects
Conference workshops: as a guide to enable participant discussions
Focus groups: to get responses on a specific topic
Strategic planning: to generate a way forward and commitment
Issue resolution: to solve a problem and gain agreement
Team meetings: to improve meeting performance and effectiveness
Who is facilitating for?
Facilitation services are frequently used within all types of organisations at team, department or organisational level. These include:
Universities, research institutes and research funders
Companies in any sectors, both large and small
Learned academies and professional bodies
Schools and colleges
Charities
Government departments and public sector bodies.
Benefits of using a facilitator
A facilitator will enable the group to:
Use their expertise to achieve the results they seek in the time available
Participate fully in any discussion allowing all members of the group the chance to express their views
Move towards their desired outcome more efficiently whilst allowing a flexible approach, based on the outputs expressed in the session(s)
Handle disruptive behaviour in a professional manner and
Take accountability for the outcomes and actions agreed.
Here is another of my favourite quotes from Ingrid Bens that describes a facilitator.
"A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they pursue their objectives.”
If you would like to know more about how Mazamo can support your team or your organisation with facilitating, please contact us by clicking the button below.
Mario Moustras PhD ACC CSci CChem FRSC is coach, facilitator and an educator.
