Facilitation
Facilitation is supporting the work or conversation process so that the people involved can more easily achieve their goals without taking responsibility for them.
Definition
Facilitation is about designing conditions, questions, rules and rhythm of work that help a group or individual use their own resources. Unlike advising, it does not have to involve giving ready-made answers. Well-conducted facilitation increases the clarity, commitment and quality of decisions, but does not replace participants' agency.
Key ideas
- Making the process easier instead of taking it away
- A clear structure for the conversation or activity
- Strengthening participants' agency
Practice and life
Before a difficult meeting, write down the goal, rules of the conversation, order of topics and how the decision was made. Keep an eye on the process without trying to solve everything for others.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to confuse facilitation with controlling a group or providing ready-made solutions. The second mistake is the lack of structure, which causes the conversation to spread out and not lead to a decision.
> Good presence doesn't do the work, it just makes movement easier.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What process am I trying to facilitate?
- What does the group or I need to move forward?
- Do I support agency or take responsibility?