Groups working together to achieve a common goal or address complex issues can accelerate their progress with assistance from a skilled facilitator who can help parties stay focused and on-track, generate new ideas, and make decisions.

Facilitation at business meetings, community gatherings, educational workshops, or other events can create safe, collaborative spaces where participants meaningfully contribute their unique perspectives through various channels—thanks to our facilitators’ astute communication skills, strategic ability to read a room, and confidence to adapt processes for the group as needed.

Elevate performance and mediate differences at your routine meetings or a standalone event through facilitated sessions with our professionals. Define roles and responsibilities, improve communication, and diffuse potential issues that may arise when controversial topics—or where contentious relationships—are involved.

Enhance Outcomes with Facilitation

The absence of a facilitator may result in ineffective meetings, lack of collaboration, groupthink, unresolved conflict, or inefficient use of time.

A skilled facilitator can help you improve planning and group dynamics, bringing together different perspectives and opinions—leading to increased productivity and more successful outcomes.

A third-party facilitator supports your organization to:

• Improve communication. Create channels where all voices have an opportunity to contribute. Clarify misunderstandings in a space where members can discuss, and work through, potential differences in the moment.
• Increase productivity. Address multiple topics in a defined amount of time to keep your agenda on-track—and circumvent roadblocks that could hinder progress.
• Gain consensus. Solidify agreement and reach a common understanding around key areas of concerns, processes, and more.
• Encourage creativity and innovation. Provide an opportunity for diverse voices to gather in a visioning space that supports the sharing of ideas.
• Create a structured process for problem-solving. Navigate roadblocks and find new solutions.

How the Process Works

An effective facilitator must be able to design a process appropriate for the group’s objectives and the context of the engagement. This requires a deep understanding of group dynamics, decision-making processes, and effective communication techniques.

Facilitation engagements vary depending on the specific context and objectives of the group or organization involved, but may include:

• Pre-planning. Understand goals, objectives, and challenges through a needs assessment, a review of background materials, or preliminary discussions with key stakeholders. Develop the agenda and all logistics for planning, communication, presentations, and work sessions.
• Facilitated session. Conduct brainstorming, problem-solving, and group discussions, whether in-person or virtually. Synthesize and connect thoughts to dive below the surface of what people say through active listening. Navigate disruptions with skilled conflict resolution that keeps the conversation on-point while acknowledging everyone’s contribution.
• Post-session assessment and follow-up. Summarize key takeaways, develop actionable next-steps, and confirm participants understand how to move forward in a proactive, productive manner.

Expansive Facilitation Experience

Successful facilitation requires a combination of technical expertise, soft skills, and adaptability to different situations and contexts.

Deeply immersed in more than 30 industries, our dedicated professionals provide facilitation services for organizations at all levels—across a range of sectors including not-for-profit organizations; private businesses; higher education institutions; government entities at the federal, state, county, local, and Tribal levels; and more.

Whether you face complex or difficult issues, hampered progress due to a history of ineffective meetings, the need for consensus, or a desire for improved communication or time constraints—our facilitation professionals can guide your organization through the planning, execution, and follow-up to support successful outcomes.

With a first-hand understanding of your operating environment, our strategic work-session solutions help build trust and a sense of shared purpose to guide teams to function together and bridge gaps—even in charged environments, situations involving deep public scrutiny, or for groups required to comply with strict policies or legal restrictions.

Additionally, our one-firm approach offers access to industry specialists, providing comprehensive support and insight in key areas impacting your industry that may bolster your organization and establish foundations for long-term success.