Being Prepared Means Being Successful

Most facilitators plan an agenda. Ideally this includes clarifying the purpose of the meeting, articulating desired outcomes, identifying a process to use for each agenda item, finding a place to meet, and sending out information ahead of time for people to study.

While this work is important, a skilled facilitator will do additional planning. Things seldom go as they are planned. Inevitably questions are raised or disagreement surfaces in unexpected places. A skilled facilitator spends time anticipating what could go wrong. He or she thinks about the group itself and each of its members—what are their obstacles and needs and what they respond best to. What is most likely to go wrong? What is the best strategy for responding to a person who is usually anxious and constantly interrupting? What are some of the various approaches, in addition to the one laid out in the agenda, which give the team the opportunity to succeed?

While this level of planning goes well beyond what many facilitators do, in the end facilitators who look smooth have probably done more planning to help them be prepared and be successful.

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