Without proper facilitation and focus, meetings can easily turn into a session of people aimlessly sitting around and discussing nothing of importance or, at worst, bickering over details of a project. Having a skilled facilitator can very well prevent meetings from breaking down, but this person should be aware of the difficulties of steering a meeting to a good conclusion and in helping people stay focused on the issues at hand. Undergoing facilitation training can be a good way for people to learn, not just to conduct meetings properly, but to deflect problems as well.
One of the major challenges to a facilitator is having to stay objective throughout a meeting, especially when he or she is being attacked or unfairly criticized by someone in the meeting. You would tend to lash out instinctively, but you should always keep in mind that you are in the role of facilitator, and whether they are aware of it or not, the participants look to you to maintain order during the meeting. The moment you express anger or engage the person in an argument, you can just imagine how quickly the meeting will deteriorate. Imagine being in a meeting yourself and the chair of the meeting has just finished exchanging heated words with a colleague--that would certainly make you feel uncomfortable.
There is also the challenge to defuse tensions. When discussions get off on the wrong foot or increasingly become hostile, you have the choice to either use humor to reset the mood in the room or call for a break in order to let both sides cool down. Make sure you really pay attention to what is going on during the meeting so you're on your toes and you know when to call for a break.
You may also find that listening is something you will have to take on and develop as well. Participants in the meeting will be able to tell whether or not you are giving matters your full attention, and you need to listen carefully in order to see all the sides of the discussion and predict in which direction the meeting is headed.
Facilitation training can equip you with the capacity to handle these challenges and more. The basic skill to being a facilitator, however, involves you being able to remain unbiased during the meeting and stay focused on what the goals of the meeting are, so you can help keep everyone else focused as well rather than get caught up on random details.
One of the major challenges to a facilitator is having to stay objective throughout a meeting, especially when he or she is being attacked or unfairly criticized by someone in the meeting. You would tend to lash out instinctively, but you should always keep in mind that you are in the role of facilitator, and whether they are aware of it or not, the participants look to you to maintain order during the meeting. The moment you express anger or engage the person in an argument, you can just imagine how quickly the meeting will deteriorate. Imagine being in a meeting yourself and the chair of the meeting has just finished exchanging heated words with a colleague--that would certainly make you feel uncomfortable.
There is also the challenge to defuse tensions. When discussions get off on the wrong foot or increasingly become hostile, you have the choice to either use humor to reset the mood in the room or call for a break in order to let both sides cool down. Make sure you really pay attention to what is going on during the meeting so you're on your toes and you know when to call for a break.
You may also find that listening is something you will have to take on and develop as well. Participants in the meeting will be able to tell whether or not you are giving matters your full attention, and you need to listen carefully in order to see all the sides of the discussion and predict in which direction the meeting is headed.
Facilitation training can equip you with the capacity to handle these challenges and more. The basic skill to being a facilitator, however, involves you being able to remain unbiased during the meeting and stay focused on what the goals of the meeting are, so you can help keep everyone else focused as well rather than get caught up on random details.
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