Strategic Planning | Implementation Management | Performance Management | Market Research

Evaluating Your Facilitation Needs

Tips for how and when to bring in a facilitator.

A facilitator brings a fresh perspective to the process. He/she keeps the discussion on track and encourages all team members to act as equals. Use the information on this page to determine if bringing in a strategic planning consultant is right for you.

Going It Alone...
These days, important organizational meetings don’t come cheap. First you have the value of the participants’ time, more precious than ever in this time-starved world. Second, you have the cost of any facility rental, AV equipment, travel, food, and lodging. Finally, you have the opportunity costs if, following your meeting , plans and decisions are not carried out or your team’s behavior does not change for the better.
Add these up and it’s easy to see how strategic planning represent a real investment. One way to maximize your investment is to engage the services of a professional facilitator. Obviously, not every meeting calls for a facilitator, but your strategic planning meetings probably do.

....or Hiring a Facilitator?
Many organizations find that they prefer a more tailored and facilitated approach to developing their strategic plans. Some of our clients elect to a strategic planning consultant from our staff facilitate the strategy sessions. To serve these clients' needs, we offer strategic plan development and implementation programs. We work with you and your key staff to facilitate development sessions that result in an optimally-developed Strategic Plan and implementation programs.

When should you use a strategic planning facilitator
An outside facilitator levels the playing field between CEO and team members. In an atmosphere of informality, team members can address any issue, up or down in the organization, without fear of unjust reprisal. But just when should you use a facilitator?

When you want to participate yourself. Most of the time, it’s not possible to facilitate and participate at the same time. Some people can do it effectively, but most cannot. If you’re the boss, forget it. You cannot effectively facilitate because people will still react to you as their superior.
When you need to address sensitive issues, including conflict. An outsider’s dispassionate perspective can diffuse heated exchanges and channel intense emotions into constructive problem solving.
When your team is stuck. A skilled facilitator will, with sensitivity, raise issues to the group that are being avoided and point out dysfunctional behaviors that are being denied. In so doing, he/she can help the team move to a new level of functioning.
When your group must deal with complex issues and a variety of viewpoints. A seasoned facilitator brings a wealth of group processes and activities to scope issues, generate options, make decisions and build consensus.
When you just need to get your plan done!

Finding a good strategic planning facilitator
Facilitation is different from public speaking or training. It is not about having solid content, good platform skills, or an understanding of adult learning principles. Instead, facilitation involves working with groups of people in the moment. It requires being tuned in at all times to what is happening and being able to suspend or change the process accordingly.
When selecting a professional to guide your session, look for the following:

An understanding of organizational issues (industry knowledge is not necessary)
Superb communications skills
Comfortable in their own shoes so they are able to offer insight and empathy while conducting themselves with authority and credibility.
Experience in running strategic planning processes
Conflict management skills and confidence about handling conflict
Able to help you clarify your outcomes and a commitment to helping you reach your desired outcomes
Honesty and fairness (don’t look for total objectivity. Anyone worth using will have opinions, you just want him or her to make a clear distinction between opinions and facts)
Understanding of group process theory. A good facilitator will be able to apply concepts such as leadership, group norms, team development, systems theory, dialogue and experiential learning to the design and facilitation of your meeting.
Logic, self-discipline and the ability to operate systematically
A style that suits your organization.

By using an experienced facilitator in the right situations, you will almost certainly accomplish more in your meetings, delve deeper into critical issues and resolve them. Equally important, participants will leave with positive feelings, stronger cohesiveness, a sense of accomplishment, and a renewed belief in the team.

Download an overview of a strategic planning session with M3 Planning.