Page 7 - The ART of Facilitation

than provide an agenda or coordinate a meeting.
A well-trained facilitator is an asset to all involved. A facilitator supports a team on issues such as communication, problem solving and goal alignment, and may or may not contribute to the actual content or management of a team's project (which is a team leader's function). Sometimes one person fills multiple roles, such as the group’s facilitator, team leader, team member and/or participant. Be aware of the varying roles and when you are in each.
Knowing the knowledge resides within the team/group, the facilitator draws out that local knowledge through a variety of techniques. Rarely do they inject themselves into the content of the conversation. Group norms and individual roles will vary, and structures such as status and power will impact us differently in varying scenarios.
If your group needs to make decisions or engage in a planning process, using a trained facilitator makes this process far more efficient, effective, and easier for everyone involved.
In all arenas, the responsibility of the facilitator is to provide open-minded guidance to a set goal. Running a meeting may or may not be straightforward. It’s an art and a science to facilitate a group to navigate complex challenges, stay focused on the most important topic at hand, creatively develop solutions, and commit to a course of action.
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