Meetings are usually chaired by one of the individuals taking part in the meeting, and in most cases that is absolutely the right thing to do. Every so often however, a meeting would hugely benefit from an external facilitator, ensuring that all other parties can fully engage themselves in the debate, as well as having a professional looking after the flow of the meeting, encouraging healthy debate around the key issues, and ensuring optimal progress.

Every so often however, a meeting would benefit from an external facilitator. An external facilitator can ensure that all parties fully engage themselves in the debate, promote the flow of the meeting and encourage a healthy debate around the key issues, ensuring optimal progress is made. The role an external facilitator can play can include:

• Being a truly neutral party to the debate, ensuring all points of view are given sufficient attention
• Providing energy, humour and guidance to the discussion, ensuring it remains on track
• Encouraging those participants who may not naturally speak up / put forward their views
• Ensuring that minority views get proper consideration: just because the rest of the group doesn’t immediately buy into, or understand, the point made, doesn’t make it a bad point. Often the best ideas can be misunderstood to start with
• Being devil’s advocate, to ensure all sides of an argument are being considered
• Making sure deliverables are recorded and taken to the next level.

And much, much more....