Group Facilitation

Professional facilitation can transform the way you collaborate and optimize the investment of time spent together.

Oftentimes, a leader is needed who plays a role quite different from that of the members of a group or team. Any structured group activity that requires the input, understanding and commitment of every participant hinges on a professional facilitator with advanced presentation skills.

At telos, our facilitation services promote effective dialogues to develop innovative solutions and robust policies. These effective dialogues help parties to work together more collaboratively and generate better results. We often find that all of the ideas and information needed already exist within a group or organization. Good facilitation helps bring these out, pull them together and use them to develop specific and productive plans.

About Our Consultants

telos consultants employ a variety of facilitation skills and techniques. You can be assured that all telos facilitators possess:

  • strong verbal skills that include redirecting questions and comments, giving positive reinforcement, encouraging contrasting views, including quieter members of the group, and dealing with domineering or hostile participants
  • talent in probing for more information when initial answers are not sufficient
  • expertise in knowing what questions to ask, when to ask them, and how questions should be structured to get good answers without defensiveness
  • ability to rephrase or “reframe” statements to enhance understanding, and to highlight areas of agreement and disagreement as they develop
  • proficiency in nonverbal techniques including eye contact, attentiveness, facial expressions, body language, enthusiasm, and maintaining a positive outlook
  • expertise in reading and analyzing group dynamics on the spot in order to guide the group in a productive way
Meet Our Consultants

benefits of using a facilitator

There are a number of common benefits to using a facilitator in group settings:

  • group members are often more motivated to support the decisions made because of their investment in the process
  • the best efforts of groups usually produce better results than individual efforts
  • increased participation within the group increases productivity
  • everyone involved has a chance to contribute and feels they are an integral part of the team
  • people realize and respect that responsibility for implementing decisions lies with everyone
  • innovation and problem solving skills are built
  • people are encouraged to think and act for the overall benefit of the group
  • higher quality decisions normally result
  • a forum for constructively resolving conflicts and clarifying misunderstandings is created
  • negative attitudes, low morale, low involvement, and withholding of information are less likely because everyone is involved in a joint process
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considering a facilitator

The decision of whether to use a facilitator for your next group meeting, workshop, retreat, or conference should be based on several factors:

  • your leadership beliefs
  • group’s history of effectiveness and interaction
  • importance / value of the meeting deliverables
  • your own desired level of participation in the meeting

At telos, we provide facilitation for events such as:

  • strategic planning sessions
  • corporate retreats
  • board meetings and retreats
  • conferences

How we helped a Learning and Organizational Development team

business needs:
An award-winning Learning and Organizational Development team sought to clarify its key priorities, chart a course for greater success in the year ahead, and fully engage its team for the journey.

solution:
telos tailored a multi-day facilitated experience that acknowledged and appreciated the organizational, team, and individual dynamics. This systems approach to the engagement left participants with a set of clear priorities that ensured alignment along the full stakeholder spectrum.

outcomes:
This approach resulted in a year of transformation and unparalleled results. Not only did the team meet or exceed each of its specific key objectives, The team is now viewed as the primary internal mechanism of cultural transformation.

This success resulted in the opportunity for telos to once again assist the team in creating and synchronizing a set of key strategic priorities. Their ongoing success continues to set the standard in the Learning and OD field.

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“The discussions were excellent and telos made sure that all thoughts were discussed and thoroughly reviewed. The retreat was deemed a success thanks to the team at telos.”

– Tracy Jemison
President, Geauga Growth Partnership