Facilitation is used in managerial practice to achieve group goals. It is being applied especially in team gatherings and meetings that are lead by the so-called facilitators. Their job is to moderate the discussions and maange their course (not content) for the groups to work more efficiently and make better decisions. What exactly does that mean? Management-issues.com described the assumptions of successfully performing the facilitator's role as follows.
Ensure the meeting's objectives
The most common problem of meetings is the waste of time due to addressing issues that have nothing to do with a predetermined goal. Facilitator, therefore, plays a key role in being the one to keep the discussion focused on the specified topics.
Watch who and how often is engaged
Soon you will see that people who start to speak first are not always those with the greatest value. Good facilitator respects the contributions of the participants, he is however also able to limit them, if they start to repeat or negatively affect others.
Repeat and make clear what was said
Facilitator must listen well in order to summarize the main points of the discussion and simplify or clarify their meaning for everybody involved.
Help others to express meaning
Some people start to speak with a conclusion in their mind but they are not able to express the conclusion. Other participants are then nervously waiting for the meaning of such a speech. The role of the facilitator here is to help. He can help with his own summary, but it is even better to use questions to help speakers help themselves.
Choose the correct method for selecting a solution
There are different techniques for different goals of team discussions. Sometimes a simple vote on possible solutions (yes/no) will be enough. For more complicated things , you will however, have to involve such techniques as a ten-point scale or, multiple-solution voting etc. Train yourself in these areas.
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