We all spend a great deal of time in meetings. Sometimes those meetings are very useful, people leave energised and upbeat. At other times, the key fundamental issues are not discussed, issues seem to slide off the table or conflict rears its head.
Bringing in a facilitator to run a key meeting allows everyone in the team – including the team leader – to concentrate on and debate the key business issues. The normal dynamic in the meeting changes and frees all participants to engage in discussions fully and frankly, without the normal constraints.
Thorough preparation enables us to establish the requirements of the meeting beforehand, to develop clear parameters on the scope of the discussion and the clarify the practical outcomes required. We then use a variety of creative and stimulating methods to encourage and support differing views, surface concerns and barriers within the group, and ensure that agreed changes will be actioned after the session.
“the normal dynamic in the meeting changes and frees all participants to engage in discussions fully and frankly, without the normal constraints”
Situations where clients have found facilitation valuable include:
- the strategic discussion of the next stage of business growth beyond the current plan
- the purpose, vision and values that will focus and motivate everyone in the organisation
- redefining the business structure, enabling a particular department to take a more influential role within the business
- a review of decision making mechanisms, consultative processes and the due diligence required;
- an organisation conference allowing a large number of staff to input into the organisation’s plans and collaborate together on setting the key initiatives
- the creative planning sessions, both generating new ideas and then focusing down on to the key winning areas to apply effort towards