How to Choose a Facilitator

from Able Leader, September 2005

by Steve Kaye

Suppose you you wanted to hire a facilitator. What questions would help you select one?

Here’s my list for selecting a facilitator (with my answers).

Is the person a professional facilitator?

There is more to facilitation than watching people talk. Facilitation is a complex activity requiring a special blend of sophisticated skills. You want someone who can identify the real goals for your meeting, plan an agenda that produces a result, guide people to find their best answers, and maintain a working environment for a fair process. That is, you want someone who specializes in helping people hold effective meetings. One clue comes from asking if the candidate facilitator is a member of the International Association of Facilitators. Dedicated professionals belong to the associations that serve their discipline.

Answer: I have been facilitating meetings since 1982. And, I have been a member of the International Association of Facilitators since 1998.

Has the person earned recognition as a facilitator?

The International Association of Facilitators grants the Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF) designation based on a rigorous skill-based assessment. Candidates must pass 1) a lengthy written application describing their experience, 2) two oral exams conducted by certified examiners, and 3) a live demonstration of meeting facilitation where one of the examiners attempts to disrupt the meeting. You gain added assurance when you work with a CPF.

Answer: I earned the CPF designation in 2003.

Does the person understand meetings?

That is, does the candidate know how to set up, plan, and conduct an effective meeting? Does he know how to keep a meeting on track? Does she know how to maintain a productive, safe environment that allows the participants to work at their creative best?

Answer: I have written three books and a booklet on Effective Meetings (seeking a publisher for the third book). And I’ve been conducting workshops on how to hold Effective Meetings since 1993. My clients include Avery Dennison, IBM, and Unocal. While an employee, I organized major executive planning meetings that lasted a week, included a banquet, and hosted 80 presenters from around the world.

Does the person understand business?

You want a facilitator who understands the dynamics and challenges that occur in business. You want someone who can speak intelligently with your executives and staff. You want someone who has worked in a real job and attended real business meetings.

Answer: I spent 20 years working for major corporations in assignments that included planning, project management, research, field trials, software development, and manufacturing. I have published over 190 articles on business and leadership topics. And I have served on the boards of many associations.

Does the person work hard to understand the purpose of your meeting?

If you talk to someone who seems too quick to accept your project, be cautious. A skilled facilitator will ask many questions to understand what you want before agreeing to help you. This helps identify if your meeting fits the facilitator’s expertise -- some types of meetings may not. And it determines the amount of effort required.

Answer: If you call me, I will ask dozens of questions about your meeting, your business, and your goals. This shows 1) I am willing to invest that much effort to make sure we have an effective meeting and 2) some projects require considerable work to develop an optimum plan.

Does the person offer to help prepare an agenda?

The agenda is the blueprint for the meeting. Properly prepared, everything should work smoothly. A skilled facilitator will most likely spend more time preparing the agenda than facilitating the meeting.

Answer: Often I spend more time and effort preparing the agenda than facilitating the meeting.

Does the person offer to talk to the participants?

Such conversations are essential. They reveal the participants’ expectations and private agendas. They gather background information. And they serve to enlist the participants’ support for the meeting.

Note: In some cases I have met or spoken with every participant before the meeting.

Does the person apply a variety of process tools?

Each meeting is different. And thus each meeting requires different process tools to obtain useful results. Some people use one process for everything - and while that can work in some cases, it is a significant limitation.
Answer: I use a wide variety of process tools, and when required, I invent a process that fits the occasion. In fact, I used a new process during my demonstration meeting when qualifying for the Certified Professional Facilitator designation. (Yes, the examiners were impressed.)

Does the person tell you about your role in the meeting?

Certainly you want directions on how to set up the room, what resources to obtain, and how to maximize the effectiveness of your participation.

Answer: I provide extensive instructions and coaching to set up each meeting for success.

Does the person get results?

This is the ultimate reason for hiring a facilitator: you want results.

Answer: I always obtain results.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
714-528-1300