Whether you are running an important meeting or a workshop, hiring a facilitator can help you get the most out of the session. This blog will outline 4 key reasons why you should use a facilitator.
Reasons you should use a facilitator include the following:
1.To get everyone to participate
In every organisation some people are more extroverted and some more introverted. A facilitator is able to manage different personalities in the room, and has techniques that will encourage everyone to contribute.
2.So the leader of the meeting doesn’t politicise the content.
As soon as the person running the meeting starts participating in the discussion they are politicising the content. Consequently, this may prevent some participants from adding to the discussion.
3.Follow a structured process
By having a facilitator you will stay on track. This is especially important when delving into deep discussions, it is easy to go off on a tangent.
4. To explore problems using new techniques
Facilitators will use exercises to encourage a team to look at an issue in different ways and generate lots of ideas. We love using divergent and convergent thinking in our workshops to come up with creative solutions to complex problems.
5.Capture the content
If someone is rapidly taking notes, they won’t be able to fully formulate thoughts on what is being discussed. Have the facilitator take notes and comment on if there are themes arising. Moreover, when problem solving, it can be useful to follow a structured process, such as McKinsey’s one. To avoid spending too long in one part, the facilitator will move you on so you will narrow all your ideas down to come to a single solution.
To learn more about facilitation for meetings or workshops, click here.