Following a two-day staff retreat, a client recently said to me, “I just love seeing  you work your magic.”   Now, I don’t saw people in half or pull rabbits out of a hat, but I do facilitate a lot of group meetings.  I have discovered for me, this is my sweet spot – guiding a group carefully through each phase of a process from start to finish to achieve a desired outcome.  Sometimes it’s about building relationships and trust, other times it’s creating a plan, many times it’s solving a problem and always it’s about learning together.

The role of a facilitator is multi-faceted, which is part of what I enjoy.  From the opening statement to the closing words of cheer, my role is to ignite a fire within the group.  It is up to me to establish momentum and keep the people engaged.  In order to do this, I create a highly interactive environment that encourages dialog and participation.

At every opportunity, I make a conscious effort to hear and understand the content, intent, meaning and feeling of what is said.  Ultimately, I am responsible for keeping the session on track; this means tactfully cutting short irrelevant discussions, preventing detours and maintaining focus.

Where other people see differences, I seek to find and use similarities to build bridges to consensus. Throughout the session, I watch carefully for potential signs of strain, weariness and aggravation — and respond in advance to avoid dysfunctional behavior.  Occasionally a confrontation between participants occurs, and I quickly step in, re-establish order and direct the group toward a constructive resolution.  I also pay close attention to the energy level in the room, ensuring that people have a chance to move and take breaks as necessary.