You’ve likely considered hiring an external facilitator for your business; whether to help foster growth and development or resolve conflict. But there are other reasons to use a professional facilitator that you may not have thought of.
Here are 15 reasons why you should consider hiring a professional facilitator:
1 . You’ll benefit from a wide array of experience
With countless sessions under their belt for a plethora of different organizations, professional facilitators can help your team take advantage of opportunities as they come. Their experience helps them think quickly and effectively so that they can help you “see the forest through the trees” in real time. Even if a facilitator hasn’t worked in your specific niche or knows the ins and outs of your business, they will provide tools and perspectives gleaned from their professional experience.
For more information, explore ”what a facilitator’s role is” on our facilitator’s blog.
2. External facilitators have an unbiased, fresh perspective
Unlike an internal facilitator like an existing manager, an external one won’t have personal biases, maintaining their ability to see things objectively. This is because they come from the outside looking in, with a detached perspective. They can more accurately assess a situation offer unbiased perspectives and ask the right questions that you may not have thought of or considered.
3. Facilitators are action-oriented and have a purpose
Professional facilitators are not only experienced in running successful meetings but also in action-oriented designing sessions. This means that they will work with you to ensure that each meeting has a specific purpose and goal and that attendees leave knowing their most important next steps to take. This way, you can be sure that each meeting is productive and efficient.
4. They inspire positive energy and valuable change
A meeting that’s carefully crafted can help improve the team’s morale, motivation, and relationships. Nothing is worse than a meeting that could have been an email. A professional facilitator will know how to incorporate workshops, activities, and other techniques into the meeting that’ll be helpful for those aspects of a team. So, you can expect more valuable and positive changes to come out of the meeting.
An external facilitator can help keep the energy level up by keeping things moving and keeping people engaged.
5. A facilitator can find common ground.
A professional facilitator creates cohesion so that thoughts and ideas can move forward. They help ensure that everyone feels heard and respected. It’s important that everyone feels like they have a chance to speak up and feel valued in a meeting. But this can be difficult to achieve, especially if there are introverts or shy people in the group. However, facilitators are often experts at coaxing people out of their shells.
6. They have no problem challenging the status quo
If you’re looking to challenge the status quo and create change in your organization, then you need a professional facilitator. They’re not afraid to push boundaries and ask challenging questions. They know how to get your people thinking outside of the box so that they can come up with creative solutions to their own problems.
7. Facilitators can help beyond providing a strategy
Professional facilitators do more than just moderate meetings.—They can help a leadership team clarify what they need, identify, and gather information before the meeting begins, and determine which teams of people need to be consulted. After the strategy meeting and needs assessment, a professional facilitator will guide and support the executive team in translating outputs into firmer plans. If you’re curious about how a facilitator can benefit your company, click here and get in touch.
8. It’s a more cost-effective way to positive results
Engaging your Leadership team is costly because it involves important people taking time away from their work and busy agendas. If not run correctly, you’ll waste time, money, and morale. A professional facilitator minimizes wasted time by providing the necessary skill set to lead a productive meeting that covers the planned agenda and focuses on specific goals. Facilitators keep discussions from becoming too over-encumbered, derailed, or general. This increases the meeting’s effectiveness and efficiency, which saves time and money!
9. A skilled facilitator can help to build consensus and morale
A professional facilitator is excellent at helping a group build agreement by mediating conflicts and creating a cohesive, shared vision for the team and company. They understand how to get individuals talking about pressing issues so that everyone involved can conclude. Also, a facilitator can boost morale within a team by supplying support and motivation. This is especially useful during challenging times.
10. Facilitators can act as a coach, confidant, or mentor to your leadership team
A professional facilitator can help your leadership team to build trust and rapport. Facilitators are excellent at active listening and giving unbiased feedback and perspectives. They can also offer confidential support and coach leaders who may be struggling with work-related or personal issues.
11. Hiring a professional facilitator shows that you’re committed to making your business or organization better
When you hire a professional facilitator, it’s evident you’re committed to making a positive impact (pun intended). Facilitators are experts in their field and can help you to achieve your goals. Additionally, using a facilitator also sends the message that you value everyone’s input and want to create an environment where everyone can thrive.
12. Facilitators create a tailor-made agenda for your organization
Professional facilitators will work with you to create an agenda that’s specific to your organizational goals. This means you’ll have a focused and productive meeting or offsite, and all attendees will know what’s expected of them. Having a clear agenda also allows for better time management, as there won’t be any wasted time discussing irrelevant topics.
13. It allows you to be a part of the conversation, as opposed to leading it
As a manager, you’ll be able to focus on being an active participant. If you choose to take on the facilitator role, it’s hard to be a participating member of the group. You will be focusing on things like logistics, time management, and keeping the discussion on track. Whereas, if you hire an external facilitator, you be fully present in the conversation.
14. You’ll create a safe and brave space
Safe spaces are where attendees can feel physically and psychologically safe. This is important to allow everyone to be at their best and bring their best self. Inviting attendees to be brave and to “step up and step back” will yield powerful session outcomes and learnings.
15. A skilled facilitator will help you uncover what needs to be addressed within your organization.
They will help you get to the heart of the matter so that you can move forward with a clear plan. Often internal employees might have a biased view where they can’t see “the forest through the trees.” Facilitators specialize in identifying what processes or parts of your business, if focused on, would lead to the highest ROI.
If you’re looking for a facilitator for an upcoming meeting or training event, consider Positive Impact. Our skilled team offers facilitation and innovation workshops that have proven to help companies achieve the next level of employee engagement, growth, and creativity. These are some of the skills that fantastic facilitators often possess.
