We offer group or team facilitations for one-time events, retreats, on or off-site meetings, or long-term initiatives. We support meaningful “discovery” style conversations in a safe environment so that your organization is enabled to move forward with actionable plans and members committed to delivering their best.  Contact us to discuss your needs.

Chart Learning Solutions Facilitation Guidelines

1. We respect everyone’s contributions.

We encourage all participants to express their opinions, ideas, and feelings so that they can be effectively processed towards unified alignment, committed membership, and creative solutions in order to accomplish meeting objectives.

2. We practice the qualities of effective facilitators:

Our facilitation style is governed by the following behaviors:

a. create group rapport
b. gain agreement on expectations
c. provide instruction on effective feedback guidelines
d. clearly state objectives and purpose of the event
e. build trust and a safe environment for meaningful dialogues
f. tie discussions to the larger mission and vision
g. remain impartial of outcomes
h. direct discussions to include all members
i. allow for discussion while keeping on topic
j. remain open-minded
k. use empathic listening
l. ask open-ended questions to enable contributions
m. summarize main points
n. stimulate creative thinking
o. explore options and alternatives
p. use effective brain storming techniques
q. keep focus on others, not on facilitator
r. bring closure to discussions
s. create actionable next-step plans

3. We prepare participants for the normal challenges/pitfalls of group dynamics.

a. fearing honest contributions about what they think or feel
b. withholding candid feedback
c. taking conversation off-topic
d. soapboxing—using the event as a forum for personal agendas
e. generalizing points without enough detail
f. unprepared—lack of facts to support viewpoint(s)
g. hiding (avoiding participation)
h. over-contributing (not allowing others to participate)
i. withdrawal/victim mentality
j. critical of others’ ideas during brainstorming
k. ranging behaviors from protective to boastful
l. lack of patience for the process of discovery
m.  judgment of others
n. wandering attention