Strategic dialogues

What does a facilitator do?
 

• In preliminary conversations with the client:
  • help client crystalise the purpose of meeting/gathering and expected outcomes;
  • plan whom to invite for best results
  • find a suitable venue that fosters engagement and aliveness
  • forge an invitation that reflects the purpose and spirit of the meeting
• Design the process: create meeting arc, select tools and templates, plan outcome harvest
• Guide the process to foster:
  • Focus and engagement
  • Contributions by all participants in all key phases of process
  • Shared understanding (‘large picture’) of the issue/challenge
  • Co-creating solutions within wide spheres of possibility
  • Recording of key ideas, insights and outcomes
  • Clarity about next steps
  • Efficient use of time (and money – unproductive meetings are costly) 
• Surface deeper values and interests of involved parties when conflicts arise
• Capture outcomes in a pre-decided shareable format

How to foster focus, inspiration, and shared ownership of results in a complex meeting/gathering?
 

A skilled facilitator navigates group dialogue towards productive outcomes in a participatory way, capturing all key insights and results.The origin of the word ‘facilitator’ implies ‘easing a process’; in this it implies a person or team of skilled process designers and hosts, who help a group navigate their communication toward sustainable decisions.