What does it mean to claim facilitator as an identity? What do facilitators actually do? What sets apart excellent facilitators from the ones who are just so-so?
These are just a few of the questions we (Annie Grace , Shannon Varcoe & Taylor Elyse Morrison ) have tried to unravel over many months of conversation. We dissected, deliberated, and diverged before ultimately coalescing around seven element of facilitation.
In our minds’ eye, the elements look something like this:
And when we talk about them, it almost reads like a manifesto.
Facilitators set direction before we start designing.
We help clarify why the group is meeting, what’s in and out of bounds, and who needs to be part of the process. Through thoughtful questions and active listening, we uncover what success really looks like and the deeper contextual dynamics at play.
Facilitators are experience designers.
Our design process considers who is in the room, what they need, and what will help them get to their objectives. Pulling from a library of methods and tools, we craft an intentional session arc that moves the group from where they are to where they want to go.
Facilitators bring spaces to life,
whether we’re in a conference room or gathering virtually. We make thoughtful choices about the setup, materials, and visuals to deliver results and delight participants.
Facilitators guide participation through how we speak, listen, and move.
Our genuine care for the people in front of us shapes how we show up. We hold authority without dominating, knowing when to step in and when to step back.
Facilitators are responsive.
We read the room and shift course when needed. By trusting the process, the people, and ourselves, we make space for what's unfolding in real time.
Facilitators make meaning from complexity.
We collect, distill, and reflect patterns that reveal the bigger picture. Our ability to connect the dots helps groups understand where they are and what comes next.
Facilitators know themselves.
We notice how our internal experience affects the participant experience. By tending to our needs and owning our unique facilitation style, we support the success of the session.
Feel free to save this, share it, or print it out!
Are you sitting up a little taller after reading that? That’s what you do as a facilitator. You bring all. of. that. value. to your sessions, wrapped in the package of your signature style.
Our job at Women Facilitating is to give you spaces and resources to keep growing your facilitation craft.