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What is the role of the Meeting Facilitator?
Home » Management » Meeting Facilitation » What is the role of the Meeting Facilitator?The meeting facilitator is not quite the same as a leader or chairperson, but more like a clerk that makes sure the goals of the meeting are met. They accept responsibility to help the group accomplish a common task: to move through the agenda in the time available and to make necessary decisions and plans for implementation. A meeting facilitator makes no decisions for the group, but suggests ways that will help the group to move forward. He or she works in such a way that the people present at the meeting are aware that they are in charge, it is their business that is being conducted, and each person there has a role to play. It is important to emphasize that the responsibility of the facilitator is to the group and its work rather than to the individuals within the group.
Prior to the meeting the facilitator will assess the needs of the group, establish meeting goals and determine who should attend, create the agenda, discuss the decision making-process (consensus or majority vote, etc) and determine how to evaluate the success of the meeting.
During the meeting the facilitator does not take sides, evaluate or contribute ideas but instead guides the group process by inviting people to speak and keeping others from dominating the discussion. The meeting facilitator also encourages participation, keeps the discussion focused on content and protects ideas and individuals from attack while fostering creativity and good will.
Afterward the meeting facilitator works with the recorder to prepare a meeting report with follow-up roles and responsibilities, debrief with the meeting organizers to determine the need for follow-up and/or additional meetings and participate in the meeting evaluation process, if needed.
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