Why do most people roll their eyes when told they have to attend a meeting? Because most meetings are completely ineffective and function without a meeting facilitator. A facilitator can help move your meeting along and add value to the discussion. What does adding value to a discussion mean? It means using facilitation skills to draw out good information and ideas, creating a stimulating environment and empowering the group to come up with answers.
A facilitator is more than someone who keeps a meeting on track by plodding doggedly through the agenda. Helping a group come up with its own answers and solutions requires:
- Asking thought-provoking questions.
- Challenging the group to look at an issue from different angles.
- Shifting gears to get the group to look at an issue in a larger (or smaller) sense.
- Encouraging new ideas.
An effective facilitator provides coaching and non-directive leadership to a group by striving to add value in every interaction with a group — this makes facilitation a true art form. Do your business a favor. Have at least a small team of people trained in effective facilitation techniques. It will increase productivity and result in people who don’t mind attending meetings.
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