When to use a facilitator

Consider working with a facilitator if any of the following scenarios apply:

1. You’re lacking a clear process. You’ve got a big initiative to kick off, a problem to solve, or an idea to develop — but you’re lacking a defined process or approach. A facilitator can help you find the most productive course of action and give you a clear structure to follow.
2. You want to ensure participation and contribution from everybody in the group. With unfacilitated meetings and workshops, there’s a high risk of uneven participation across the group. The louder, more extroverted group members take over while others fade into the background, unheard. A professional facilitator will expertly balance out group dynamics and make it safe and comfortable for everybody to contribute.
3. You want to eliminate bias from the process. It’s hard to remain truly neutral when you’re part of the team and/or have your own ideas about how things should be done. A facilitator will help you consider different perspectives and ensure that any decisions made are done so collaboratively — and based on what’s best for the project.
4. You’re out of ideas and hitting a wall. Have you been mulling over the same problem for what feels like eternity? Are you finding it impossible to land on a feasible solution or course of action? You need to inject some creativity into the process and find new ways to ideate and problem-solve. You need a facilitator, ASAP.
5. You’re struggling to reach consensus and alignment. You’ve got a group project that requires alignment across all stakeholders — but you just can’t reach an agreement. An expert facilitator is specifically trained in helping groups to reach consensus, allowing you to move the project forward.
6. Group dynamics are turbulent and/or delicate. When the stakes are high, you might expect some conflict or disagreement within the group. A facilitator will manage conflict, keep discussions constructive and productive, and ensure that politics don’t get in the way of progress.
7. You want to break away from circular discussions and move towards action. Maybe you’ve noticed that your meetings and workshops fall victim to endless talk and not enough action. A good facilitator will help you break old habits and show your team new ways to collaborate.
8. You want to foster full team ownership. There’s a big difference between a manager or project owner making a decision and the whole team making a decision collaboratively. In situations where you need full buy-in and ownership from the whole team, it’s essential to involve them in the decision-making process. A facilitator will ensure that everybody plays a part in how the project moves forward, fostering a collective sense of ownership and investment.
9. You’re planning a high-stakes meeting or workshop whose outcome is critical. Not every meeting or workshop requires an external facilitator. But, when the stakes are high and the outcomes of the workshop are essential for success and/or strategic direction, consider getting a facilitator on board.
10.  You don’t have the in-house expertise to plan and lead a workshop. Maybe you’ve identified that a workshop is the best step towards achieving a particular goal — but you don’t have the in-house expertise to plan and deliver one successfully. A facilitator will lead the way, not only guiding you through a specific project but also sharing practices you can use in the future.

Those are some common scenarios and pain points a facilitator can help with.