Sometimes it’s good to say, “I was wrong,” and I was — about the value of professional facilitation. 

About a decade ago, I colleague brought a facilitator in to kick off a project and I thought it was a waste of money.  What could this person bring to the table that we couldn’t achieve on our own?  But three advanced facilitation courses and a master’s in organizational development later, I’m sold on facilitation.  

There are many reasons why professional facilitation adds value, and here are some that I’ve come to recognize and champion:

• Tapping into Collective Wisdom. Groups are at their core individual people who come together. and each member has wisdom.  But personalities, communication styles and other factors impact how individuals engage in a group.  A good facilitator can unlock the wisdom of each individual and grow the collective wisdom of the group. 

By inviting input through ideas written individually, formulated through paired or small group discussion or brainstormed in an energetic large group discussion, facilitators can use an array of processes that make every member feel heard.

• Supporting Learning and Communications Styles. Individuals learn, think and communicate in a variety of ways.  Some people like to hear ideas communicated.  Some people need to see them.  Some people think and express themselves kinesthetically.   Professional facilitators can support all these styles with thoughtful discussion, visual diagrams and even techniques like using Legos to model and construct ideas or to trigger creative brainstorms. 
• Encouraging Aspirational Thinking. Many of us are so steeped in what we believe to be the reality of our workplace dynamics, our staffing and our budgets that we limit our aspirational thinking, but that can limit our ability to advance ideas, projects and programs.  Professional facilitators start with aspirational thinking, brainstorm the blocks to achieve that vision and then apply strategies targeted at the blocks.  The formula is ideal for transforming the aspirational into the achievable.
• Managing the “Problem” Person. Ever participated in a group discussion where one person dominates or interrupts?  Sometimes that problem person is your boss, or another senior leader and you feel helpless.  Professional facilitators know how to manage these behaviors respectfully to ensure all voices are heard.
• Engaging Everyone in the Outcome. Because facilitators know how to engage everyone meaningfully in a problem, plan or challenge, that engagement creates investment in the solution.  Good facilitation creates a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm about the future for all participants.

The next time you need to write a new strategic plan, convene a challenging dialogue or brainstorm ideas to apply to a problem, consider investing in a professional facilitator.  You can find professional facilitators here at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Facilitators or contact me for more information.