Independent Facilitation
How many meetings have you attended where objectives aren’t clearly stated or agreed, let alone achieved – where all the parties don’t contribute – where the outcome isn’t clearly and efficiently documented? It’s very hard for a team leader or member to run events when they are part of the team itself. The close proximity to the subject matter makes it difficult to be objective, to remain open to new ideas and to avoid steering the group. That’s when independent facilitation may help.
What is it?
Independent facilitation enables you to get the maximum out of any event – that may include meetings small or large, workshops and seminars, judgement panels or training sessions. Whether concerned with strategy and planning, team working and effectiveness, conflict resolution or idea generation, an independent facilitator will ensure that colleagues’ time isn’t wasted and that you don’t walk out of the door feeling that you have not achieved enough.
Why do it?
The benefits of independent facilitation will be different for each audience, but it is fundamentally about saving you time, money or hassle. In parallel you get to a better result and identify opportunities you would have missed, regardless of the meeting setting.
Above all else facilitation is about helping you achieve your desired outcomes.
How do we do it?
Good facilitation is a very complex task. It requires awareness, knowledge, intelligence – both intellectual and emotional – impeccable communication skills and a thorough understanding of how people and teams work. We pride ourselves on having consultants who specialise in these attributes and more. We are constantly refining and developing our skills so that we are using the most up-to-date methods and learning from our collective experiences. We deliberately don’t have an ‘out of the box’ package of facilitation – in our experience standardising tends to mean that you don’t get what you really need as every situation is unique. We tackle each facilitation event from the perspective of the desired outcomes and then work out the right structure and process to achieve them, tailoring our approach so that you get the most appropriate support for your event.
The core elements of our engagement are:
We concentrate on results and couple that with a very strong people focus. Our consultants are motivated by achieving business outcomes and know that can only be done by managing the human aspects of good business, understanding how people think and how they act in groups. A solid background in business, psychology and change management, supported by coaching skills, underpins our collective experience. We are excellent communicators; we understand body language and subtext. We listen attentively and speak articulately. We conduct structured planning and management at the right level – enough but not too much! We are adaptable, able to re-plan on the fly whilst maintaining a focus on the objectives. As confident leaders, we take control of the engagement right from the beginning, taking the worry away from you. Equally, we are always happy to work in partnership with a strong team. We produce superior written products, adding value by standing back to ask ‘so what’ and being another set of eyes and ears.
To find out more about our Independent Facilitation packages, or to register your interest in our free planning session*, complete the enquiry form or call us in person. We look forward to working with you!
* Subject to availability
The JAC proposition |
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As businesses expect more from their commercial relationships, in particular, where difficulties occur, the value of independent facilitation comes to the fore. |
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JA Consulting has significant experience in facilitation in many business domains and a large range of event scales – from urgent issue resolution meetings of 3 or 4 people to large design reviews with >250 individuals. |
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Our experience includes large scale MoD procurements (asset based and private financed), sales events (new product, price increases etc), strategy planning, communications, operations, risk and project management. Ask for our "Reflections" on independent facilitation in action in complex situations. |
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