The Three Big Benefits of an External Facilitator

We’ve all been in meetings facilitated by someone “outside” the group or even the organization. But how does this help, and is it worth the expense? Three main benefits are often cited by clients and facilitators alike. They are:

1. Neutrality: An external facilitator is just that...external to your group or organization. They have no employee experience with the group they are working with, no specific role or set of responsibilities. This has two benefits. First, they are free to learn about your organization without any historical bias, and from all perspectives. As a result, they may see issues and opportunities that were previously unrecognized. This is why the outside facilitator’s “dumb” question isn’t always so dumb. Second, each stakeholder in the development of a plan has different experience in the organization...a different knowledge base that they call on. An external facilitator, however, starts with a blank page and can assemble a single set of key information, drawing from multiple sources and perspectives. This can be shared with all participants, forming a common foundation of knowledge for reference during the process.
2. Experience: The development of a plan is a process. While you and your team may work on a new strategic or business plan occasionally, an external facilitator works on them with clients all the time. This may include work with a variety of organization types and situations, enabling the facilitator to selectively introduce different ways to approach problems and obstacles. The facilitator can bring this experience, and a detailed knowledge of the planning process, to your project, as well as tools that can make the work easier and more insightful.
3. Focus: For you, managing the process of developing a plan is something that you have to balance with other work priorities. And that’s the way it should be. An outside facilitator, though, can focus on the development of your plan exclusively and has the ability to devote larger periods of time and concentration to the project, without interruption from other priorities in your organization. With the facilitator working on your process, you’ll spend less time overall on planning, and what time you do spend can be focused on contributing knowledge and insights unique to your organization. In the end, you’ll have a new written Plan developed on time and within a budget.

Share your thoughts.  If you have experienced other benefits of an external facilitation, what were they?  If you have had success as an external facilitator of a group or team, how were you able to help?

Plan facilitation can be scaled to fit different client needs and budgets. Contact me if you want to discuss how these benefits can help you or your team in the development of a variety of plans, from Strategic to Business.

Jeff Schilling