Elected Board Retreats
Facilitation Assistance
"The facilitator's main task is to help the group improve its effectiveness by improving its process."
--Roger Schwarz, The Skilled Facilitator
What a Facilitator Can Do
Individual experiences will vary, depending on situational dynamics, but the most common cited benefits of facilitation are to:
- Help the group decide on objectives and agree on a process
- Set a realistic agenda to meet those objectives
- Establish roles for members
- Keep the group on track
- Openly and constructively discuss dynamics affecting the group's effectiveness
- Assist with logistics
Essential Characteristics of Facilitator
The nature of the relationship you develop with a facilitator for a single event (one to two day annual retreat) is different than if you are contracting for longer term assistance (helping the group develop self-management skills). For either situation, however, it is essential that you choose someone that is:
- Acceptable to all group members
- Substantively neutral (unless you are specifically seeking content or process expertise)
- No decision-making authority
Clarifying the Work
- Basic assumptions and values
- Use of ground rules or discussion guidelines
- What the facilitator will and will not do
- Experience and training
- Cost
- Deliverables (e.g., meeting notes or summary)
All of this should be documented in a simple contract, letter of agreement or memorandum of understanding so there is a written record of your mutual expectations.
Finding a Facilitator
- School of Government faculty and professional staff are available for limited retreat facilitation, depending on the nature of the retreat and their other commitments. Since the School receives more requests than we can meet, we often refer people seeking a facilitator to individuals trained by the School as facilitators and to other professionals.
- Western Carolina University - Local Government Training Program -
https://www.wcu.edu/engage/regional-development/local-government-training-program-lgtp/index.aspx
- Councils of Government in NC – http://www.ncregions.org/
- UNC system universities – Ask for the government and/or community service contact for the university
- Triangle Organization Development Network http://todnnc.org/