Facilitators empower groups. A neutral facilitator challenges assumptions and helps groups find important new insights. Outside facilitators ask the difficult questions that lead to innovation. Facilitation leads to success.
The International Associates of Facilitators accredits Certified Professional Facilitators (CPF), the world standard. ICA International’s ToP Facilitation Essentials Program will prepare you for that assessment and includes the tools and approaches below.
ToP facilitators empower groups by engaging them in participatory methods with high engagement and input that leads to commitment and ownership of decisions.
The Ladder of Participation clarifies client expectations. It allows a facilitator to direct discussion and decisions in the most appropriate way in any facilitated session. Use the ladder for every topic of a meeting, every event, and for larger longer term projects.
Agenda Design is a best practice in designing product oriented agenda that will work in any meeting on any topic.
Respectful dialogue is needed by all facilitators to make sure it is safe for participants to discuss issues and give ideas about solutions. As the workplace changes and more transformation occurs respectful dialogue takes on an even more important role in allowing people to talk about the changes they will face.
Use STEPS Session Plan when planning any type of facilitated intervention to result in a much better meeting or event. STEPS covers the major structural components of any meeting or facilitated event. It can be used alone by a facilitator, or by a small group planning a facilitated event for a larger group.
Most clients are not aware of how their own organization is hampered by systemic imbalances. They are grateful when an Organizational Assessment is done quickly by a skillful facilitator.
Process Mapping takes the complexity of multi-stakeholder needs and maps them out so that a group can see, understand and design solutions together.