Are you wondering how to boost morale and engagement?

Are your staff unhappy or disengaged? Do they lack motivation? Can team meetings be too long and full of challenges? Are people struggling to work together?

If morale is low and your team is unhappy, it’s very likely that there is an underlying problem. Hiring a facilitator is a great way to get to the heart of the matter, solving problems quickly and working through issues before it’s too late.

What is a facilitator?

A facilitator plans, designs, and leads a complex meeting, team building or troubleshooting session. It’s their job to guide people through a process, ensuring people communicate in an open way and meet the session objectives. A good facilitator has no personal agenda, promotes honesty, and ensures people have an equal say.

What are the benefits of a troubleshooting session?

At a troubleshooting session, the facilitator must ensure everyone feels safe enough to say what they feel is necessary. When people feel comfortable enough to talk openly, they can acknowledge each other’s challenges and each other’s strengths. These sessions not only make people realise they are all facing similar things, but they foster a solidarity and renewed appreciation for each other.

“I was impressed with the grit and talent that Vicky demonstrated as a facilitator. Not only was she able to turn the conversation from disruptive conflict into one for future planning, but she was also able to bring everyone along on the journey with her.”

Cala Rey Vasquez, AFS International.

What does a facilitated session look like?

Before the meeting, your facilitator will meet with you to understand your goals and your outcomes. Based on these goals your facilitator will work with you to plan your session.

On the day, the facilitator is the leader of the meeting. They work in an empowering way to ensure everyone is participating and feels supported. In a teambuilding session, all participants are encouraged to write down everything that is working and everything that isn’t on sticky-notes. Then stick their notes on a shared whiteboard for discussion. The facilitator prioritises the key challenges and sorts them into categories or areas of concern e.g. communication, morale, or leadership style.

All members of the team are then asked to suggest corrective actions or strategies that may address the concerns, In short allocating who is responsible, what needs to happen and when. The facilitator summarises what the group is saying and puts it into action points which become a meeting report.

After the session, the facilitator writes up the notes, and synthesises everything into a helpful document. You can then decide what to prioritise and the timeframes for doing so. From here there could be a series of sessions that allow people to check in and see how they are progressing, or members of the team can be made ‘leaders’ to ensure tasks are completed.

How can a facilitator help with workplace wellbeing?

One of the benefits of hiring a facilitator to lead meetings is that they are impartial and bring an ‘outsiders’ perspective. Also, because they are not directly involved in the business, people are more likely to feel comfortable discussing difficult issues.

Happy, motivated people form better, more cohesive teams and they deliver better on their objectives, KPIs and expected outcomes. Not only that, but staff who feel listened to feel valued and are more motivated to collaborate and build a positive work culture.

Is hiring a facilitator right for your business?

As a certified life coach and facilitator, I help teams navigate through difficult issues and situations, working towards resolution and decisive action.

I can help you create a session or workshop that supports and encourages your team to work through issues – tailored to suit your workplace and its people. I can also be available for ongoing support, follow ups and weekly progress reports to your HR team or specified manager.

“Vicky was calm, confident, clear and incredibly professional. If your organisation is facing collaboration challenges and unsure how to make things work, Vicky is the person for you.”

Carla Rey Vasquez, AFS International

Need a facilitator for your next meeting? Let’s talk. 

If you’d like to book a facilitated training session, a half-day workshop or a series of sessions, reach out to Vicky at vickyevans.lifecoach@gmail.com for a free 30-minute consultation or book yourself in here: www.vickyevans.com/online-booking

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please comment below or feel free to share with anyone you feel would benefit.

Enjoy your day!

Vicky