Articles of Interest

Deadlines! Trouble on your work team! Do the meetings seem endless and seem to go nowhere? Is the Board you sit on or report to getting bogged down in procedural issues and losing focus of the true mission of the organization?

If any of these seem familiar, you are not alone! Almost all businesses, government departments and organizations experience at least one of these. Any one of these can produce low productivity, poor office morale, a sense of futility, and a decreased profit margin.

Good communication skills are needed more than ever due to the increased diversity found in most businesses and organizations today. Work teams regularly reflect cultural and age differences that can sometimes cause challenges. Differences in communication styles or values can result in missed sales opportunities, poor team morale and lower productivity.

The competitive market place, the tendency for companies to go off shore to meet their production needs and the pressure on regional governments and departments to do more with less, mean that mangers, professionals and team leaders need to know how to assist work teams and renew the organization so that it can keep and grow its market share.

A manager, project leader, shop steward, educator or ministry worker can all benefit from learning the skills of facilitation; skills that in the past been had been assumed to be in the organization somewhere.

According to the International Association of Facilitators, facilitation is increasingly being seen as "must have" skill for managers, shop stewards and professionals. These skills are now being embedded in management skills training at business schools and in-house training workshops.

Some large companies have an in-house facilitator who may be a member of a human resources department. Smaller businesses and organizations sometimes wait until there is a crisis and then try to find a facilitator to help them solve their difficulties.

According to Ellen Hicks of A.R.I.S.E. Counselling, Facilitation and Training Services, a facilitator may assist with strategic planning, change management, team building, conflict resolution or public consultation.

A facilitator can help any business or organization that needs or wants to enhance its competitiveness or communications. Because the facilitator is neutral and results driven, facilitation can inspire more effective work teams, enhance buy -in from staff and the organization and advance or renew commitment by participants to work together to achieve the goals they have helped create.