Facilitation Explained

Facilitation is something anybody can do. Just as anyone can be a doctor, accountant or manager. Their training and experience makes them what they are. In the same way a facilitator has training and experience (and accreditation!) to enable them to specialise in that role. A facilitator can bring his or her skills to a meeting of people. Would you ask a business manager to pull teeth? Unless you enjoy undue pain (and there's plenty of that in meetings) you engage the right person for the right job.

Facilitation is a growing profession with an international association, The International Assosciation of Facilitators (IAF - http://www.iaf-world.org), and a certification process which ensures organisations requiring facilitation can engage a skilled facilitator with confidence.

Today far more work is conducted outside the traditional office environment. Information is communicated electronically from homeworkers and international offices. Co-workers meet infrequently yet verbal dialogue is an essential part of the process of communicating information. People still need face-to-face meetings. Remember, around 80% of communication is non-verbal. We use gestures, facial expressions and body language to convey our real feelings and opinions. Because these meetings are less frequent and often costly, in terms of travel and days away from the coalface, it is important they are managed properly, achieve results and are thus cost effective. Facilitation can maximise success in such situations by ensuring that all parts of the facilitation process are carried out, ie. clear objectives, the correct approach, prepared participants, a focused agenda, a full and frank debate on the day and documented consensus based results.