A. Presence

Master Facilitators bring compassion and authority to the room. Through their verbal and non-verbal expression, they exude confidence, energy and self-awareness while also conveying a high level of warmth and caring.  They make adjustments in their style to better serve the group.

A1. Facilitator projects confidence in own skills and own ability to lead the group.

A2. Facilitator demonstrates warmth and caring.

A3. Facilitator understands the impact of energy on participants and expresses in an energetic style appropriate for the audience and the session topic.

A4. Facilitator makes adjustments in own style and language to adjust to the group.

A5. Facilitator demonstrates awareness of own strengths and weaknesses.

B. Assessment

Master Facilitators know and ask the questions necessary to accurately assess a client need.  Based on their wealth of experience, they create processes designed to address the client’s specific requirements.  They carefully plan and prepare sessions.  Yet, they recognize when a planned process is not working effectively and are able to define alternative processes to reach the desired outcome.   They take time to evaluate and learn from past experiences.

B1. Facilitator asks the questions to assess a client need and gains agreement with the client on the relevant scope and products.

B2.   Facilitator plans and prepares for the session effectively and collaboratively, including learning about the participants.

B3. Facilitator develops customized processes to meet the specific requirements of clients.

B4. Facilitator recognizes when a planned process is not working effectively and is able to diagnose the cause.

B5. Facilitator demonstrates the ability to define alternative processes to reach desired outcomes.

B6. Facilitator evaluates experiences, identifies learnings and applies learnings to new situations.

C. Communication

Master facilitators are skilled communicators.  They listen effectively, making sure to playback and confirm important points.  They have highly-tuned analytic skills which allow them to process information quickly, differentiate various content issues and isolate critical points in a discussion. They ask questions that effectively help groups to engage and clarify.  They deliver instructions that are accurate, clear and concise.  They effectively identify and verbally summarize agreements.

C1. Facilitator listens effectively, making sure to playback and confirm important points.

C2. Facilitator demonstrates the ability to process information quickly and is able to differentiate content issues (e.g., outcomes from strategies).

C3. Facilitator isolates critical points in a discussion and creates potential bridges for agreement.

C4. Facilitator asks appropriate starting questions that effectively help groups to engage.

C5. Facilitator asks appropriate follow-up questions that clarify, probe and redirect.

C6. Facilitator delivers instructions that are accurate, clear and concise.

C7. Facilitator effectively identifies and verbally summarizes agreements.

D. Control

Master Facilitators create and maintain a productive and safe environment in which participants with diverse styles and culture can engage in interactions that stay focused on achieving the goal.  They maintain control of the session and an appropriate pace.  They understand causes of disagreement and can effectively guide a group through conflict. They consciously take action to prevent, detect and resolve dysfunctional behavior. 

D1. Facilitator creates and maintains a productive environment in which participants engage in interactions that stay focused on achieving the goal.

D2. Facilitator creates and maintains a safe environment for people to speak openly without fear of retribution.

D3. Facilitator creates and maintains an environment that takes into account and fosters respect for diverse cultures and styles.

D4. Facilitator maintains an appropriate pace and manages the group’s time during the session.

D5. Facilitator understands types of disagreement and demonstrates techniques for effectively guiding a group through conflict.

D6. Facilitator understands different types of dysfunctional behavior and consciously takes action to prevent, detect and resolve dysfunctional behavior. 

E. Consistency

Master Facilitators understand and consistently apply best practice techniques for such activities as starting the session, focusing the group, recording information, and closing the session.

E1. Facilitator understands and consistently applies best practice techniques for starting the session.

E2. Facilitator understands and consistently applies best practice techniques for focusing and controlling the group.

E3. Facilitator understands and consistently applies best practice techniques for recording information.

E4. Facilitator understands and consistently applies best practice techniques for closing the session.

F. Engagement

Master Facilitators know and use multiple techniques for engaging a group, problem solving, decision-making, promoting creativity and raising energy.

F1. Facilitator knows and uses multiple techniques and tools for keeping a group engaged in the work and interacting and uses these techniques as needed.

F2. Facilitator knows and uses multiple techniques and tools for problem solving and decision-making and uses these techniques as needed.

F3. Facilitator knows and uses multiple techniques and tools for promoting creativity and uses these techniques as needed.

F4. Facilitator knows and uses multiple techniques and tools for raising energy and utilizes these techniques as needed.