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About "Neutrals"
About Facilitation A Facilitator is an individual who helps groups and organizations to work more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy. They are "content" neutral - meaning they don't add to the discussion; they guide the process. They do not take sides or express a point of view during a meeting. Rather, they advocate for fair, open and inclusive procedures to accomplish the group's task or mission. Good facilitation allows people greater participation in processes that will impact their lives. There is a wide continuum of skill levels. Depending on the structure or "container" of a conversation, skill requirements can vary significantly. Dialogue circles can use very carefully crafted dialogue guides that can be successfully facilitated by a team of non-professionals with only modest training. The dialogue guides provide structure and key questions that help keep people on track and moving toward their intention. Community Resolution Teams or similar structured conferencing can also work well with modest training and follow-up debriefing because the structure of the meeting creates a container that requires less intervention on the part of the facilitator. As you move into larger groups or groups with less structure or greater conflict you will require greater and greater levels of expertise in facilitation. When conflict is clearly an issue you will want the facilitator to have additional training in conflict resolution or mediation. Trained, experienced Professional Facilitators should be capable of working effectively with: diverse groups, unexpected shifts in focus, greater complexity or conflict. The most expert facilitators can design processes that maximize the use of group time, making difficult work more stimulating and productive. They can manage conflict and differences in ways that make those differences assets rather than minefields in a conversation.
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