What makes great facilitators tick? In this post, three specialists offered their views. Everyone has the common notion that a facilitator’s role is to serve as a catalyst, creating the conditions and motivation that will allow productive group dynamics to unfold, and helping the participants shape and reach a consensus decision. Facilitation 101 tell us that good facilitators require: (a) careful observation, (b) active listening skills, (c) a good sense of timing, (d) sensitivity to, and an understanding of, group dynamics, and (e) courage to allow the group to move into any area, regardless of personal comfort level. So, how do you move from good to fabulous?
Michael Wilkinson of Leadership Strategies, Inc. recommends seven key skill areas. These are the ability to: (a) establish and maintain a high energy level, (b) formulate effective starting questions that drives the group to respond, (c) accept and summarize responses, (d) record the gists of what were said, (e) effectively carry the group through the process, (f) can demonstrate how to stay neutral, and (g) design and roll-out customized processes unique to the event. You can read the full article here.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ellen Weber from Brain Business points to the five faces of effective facilitators. These are: (a) curiosity and openness, (b) blind to people’s diverse characters, (c) ability to set the atmosphere and maintain it, (d) encouraging and stimulating, and (e) well organized. More details on her article can be found here. Note that the links offer more explanations.
Finally, Julie Grass of Momentum Group offered these tips for fabulous facilitators: (a) Never underestimate the power of AHA, (b) understand the audience and tune in, (c) mix-up, (d) humour, laughter and creativity; and (e) plan ahead and synch with the group. She outline these in her paper called Some Facilitators are Great and Some are Horrid. How do you rate with the above competencies?
Photo courtesy of Wordle.net.
