We spend so much time interacting with colleagues but not enough progress is made to get to specific business outcomes. Learn how to facilitate meetings, workshops, brainstorming sessions to drive to specific outcomes. Be effective, efficient and use resources wisely.

1. Tips and Tools to be effective
Facilitating for outcomes
Anita Rao
April 2013

2. Agenda
 Process
 Preparation
 Ground Rules
 Follow up – tool
 Checklist
 Accountable for…
 Appendix
 Workout (for mature facilitators)

3. Process
Purpose • Agree on the purpose
Outcomes
• Develop clear measurable outcome statements
• These should be benefits for stakeholders
• Provides focus and means for evaluation
Steps
• Brainstorm what needs to happen; before, during, and after
• Determine and hand out pre-work assignments based on outcomes,
agree on responsibilities for completion
• DACI for outcomes
Capabilities
• Ensure right skills, participation
• Outline attitudes, behavior, ground rules
• Resources required for all stages
Feedback • Evaluation criteria
• Capture learning for continuous improvement cycle
Source Murray Hiebert & Bruce Klatt

4. Process
Planning Effective Interactions
Purpose
(brainstorm what the purpose is, and is
not, then prioritize)
Why?
Clarify Purpose
Outcomes
(develop observable/measurable outcomes
for each high priority purpose)
What will we take away from this meeting?
Goal Statements
Steps
(brainstorm steps then put in sequence,
assign pre-work)
What steps do we need to take to achieve our
outcomes?
Capabilities
(who needs to participate, and what
specifically is needed from each)
Who needs to be at this meeting, and what
groundrules can we use to guide our actions?
Feedback
(Evaluation, informing others, follow-
through on decisions)
What evaluation and follow-through will be needed
after this meeting?
Source Murray Hiebert & Bruce Klatt

5. Tool – Why? What? How?
 Suggestions for a meeting Agenda
 Meeting Purpose
 Date,Time, Location
 Attendees, Roles, (Facilitator, Scribe, …)
 Agenda Item (Person responsible, time allocated, measureable
outcomes)
 Pre meeting requirements and responsibilities (any preparatory
work)

6. Ground Rules – a sample
 We will start and end on time.
 Every meeting will have written Agenda and expected results.
 Someone will summarize the decisions before we move on to
the next topic.
 Only one person will talk at a time. No side conversations.
 It is ok to disagree or to present another point of view.
 If someone becomes emotional over an issue, the next person
must summarize before responding.
 If you don’t agree, say so inside the meeting. Outside the
meeting everyone will support all decision that were made in
the meeting.
Source Murray Hiebert & Bruce Klatt

7. Tool – Minutes, Actions, Decisions
 Suggestions for follow up
 Meeting Purpose
 Date,Time, Location
 Attendees, Roles, (Facilitator, Scribe, …)
 Agenda Item (Meeting decision or action, owner, deadline)

8. Checklist
Steps
• Plan using a tool
• Pick participants
• Agree on Agenda
• Discuss roles
• Plan resource
requirements
Preparing
1
Starting
2
• Start on time
• Refine agenda,
purpose,
outcomes,
• Solicit active
participation
• Review ground
rules
Ending
4
• End on time
• Solicit
commitment on
decisions and
action items
• Review outcomes
per agenda,
purpose
Following up
5
• Send minutes in
24hours
• Follow up on
action items
• Report progress
Advancing
3
• Manage meeting
process
• Get closure on
each agenda item
• Keep discussions
on time
• Encourage
innovative dialog
Source Murray Hiebert & Bruce Klatt

9. The facilitator is accountable for…
Facilitator
Ensure that meetings are well planned with a
clear purpose and clearly defined outcomes
Ensure that the right people are invited to
participate
Ensure that participants come prepared
Hold all participants responsible for
contributing to the success
Ensure that meetings achieve their defined
purpose and outcomes
Ensure that meeting minutes are accurate
and sent promptly
Source Murray Hiebert & Bruce Klatt

10. Appendix
For Mature Facilitators

11. Workout (for mature facilitators)
Steps
•Briefed on
goals
•Objectives
•Agenda
•Process
•Ground rules
Introduction
1
Brainstorming
2
•Cross functional
teams
•Discuss
different
aspects of
problem
•Top 10 ideas
Action Plans
4
•Develop action
plans
•Prepare
presentation
with data to get
approval from
sponsor
Town Meeting
5
•Teams present
ideas to sponsor
•Sponsor asks
questions
•Sponsor makes
“yes/no”
decisions
Gallery of
Ideas
3
•Each team
presents 10
best ideas
•All teams vote
on 3-4 ideas
from each
team’s top 10
Source Ulrich, Kerr, Ashkenas

12. ThankYou
Twitter @anitaprao;
Blog:
http://anitapaulrao.wordpress.com/
Linkedin:
www.linkedin.com/in/anitarao
Slideshare
http://www.slideshare.net/raoanita