IInnovation Insigh
ht Series Numbe
er 29
h
http://www.opia.p
psu.edu/innovation-insights
Becoming an Effective
E
e Facilitator witthin You
ur Own O
Organiza
ation
Inn April 2014
4 at the Intern
national Asssociation of Facilitators
F
((IAF) Northh America annnual confereence, a
grroup of interrnal facilitato
ors and facillitator trainerrs met to disscuss the rolee of those w
who provide
faacilitation seervices within their own organization
n. The goal oof the discusssion was to identify how
w these
innternal faciliitators could be most effe
fective. Thiss Innovation Insight exam
mines best ppractices for those in
thhis role.
W
What is facilitation?
T
The first quesstion is “What exactly do
oes it mean to
t be a faciliitator, either internal or eexternal?”
Inngrid Bens (B
Bens, 2000, p. 5) defines a facilitato
or of meetinggs as "One w
who contribuutes structuree and
prrocess [emphasis added]] to interactions so group
ps are able too function efffectively annd make highh-quality
deecisions; a helper
h
and en
nabler whosee goal is to support
s
otherrs as they acchieve excepptional perforrmance."
T
The process facilitator
f
is a neutral perrson, one wh
ho is not goinng to take siides in a disccussion, makke
evvaluative staatements, or recommend
d one alternattive over anoother.
T
There are at least three lay
yers of skillss for the faciilitator to bee successful iin doing thiss.

In the first layer, the
t facilitato
or must be faamiliar with tthe componeents of an efffective meetting: an
da, expected time needed
d, desired outtcomes for tthe items on the agenda, and a recordd of the
agend
meetin
ng.

For th
he second lay
yer, the facilitator must be
b familiar w
with the tools, skills, andd approachess that can
be useed to enable the participaants to have the discussioons needed, or reach a ddecision that will be
understood and su
upported by all.
N
Note: This Innovvation Insight is
i the result off recurring disccussions duringg our facilitatioon workshops aat Penn State aabout the
vaarious facilitative roles worksshop participants may be takking on. It also reflects discusssion at a sessiion at the 20144 conference
off the Internatio
onal Associatio
on of Facilitato
ors - North Ameerica facilitateed by Barbara SSherlock, “Besst Practices forr In-House
Fa
Facilitators”. Following
F
the IAF
I conferencee, Barbara had
d further conveersations with K
Karyn Stock-M
MacDonald, Business and
Innnovation Coacch, Corporate Performance
P
and
a Innovation
n, City Manageer’s Office, Misssissauga, Cannada and Jeroeen Blijsie,
Poowerfulteamwo
ork.com, Netheerlands about ideas
i
surfaced in the conferennce session.
©2
2015 The Pennsylvania State University
This material has been developed
d
by and cannot be used or reproduced without permissiion of the Office of Plaanning and Institutiona
al Assessment,
The Pennsylvania State University.

The third layer is the content neutrality of the facilitator. The outcome of the meeting belongs to
the meeting participants, not to the facilitator.
Internal or external facilitator - what’s the difference?
The similarities
Internal and external facilitators use similar skills, tools, and approaches, although there may be variations
in skill levels with particular tools and approaches. Both groups of facilitators use tools to capture group
discussions, either chart paper and markers or electronic means. Both focus on group process and remain
neutral regarding the content of the group’s discussion. Both will do some advance planning with the
client and/or the group, and both will have some follow-up activities. And it is hoped that both will follow
the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) Core Values and Competencies:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Create Collaborative Client Relationships
Plan Appropriate Group Processes
Create and Sustain a Participatory Environment
Guide Group to Appropriate and Useful Outcomes
Build and Maintain Professional Knowledge
Model Positive Professional Attitude
The differences
External facilitators are often self-employed or work for an organization that specializes in consulting or
training. They contract specifically with a client from another organization to provide their services.
External facilitators hired from outside the organization may have specialized expertise, for example
facilitating projects in information technology or community planning. They will probably have a
recognized reputation. With this will come billable time and a contract for their services. There are
advantages – their expertise – and disadvantages – their cost, fitting into their schedule, the time they may
need to learn about the organization, and the temporary nature of their work with the organization.
The internal facilitator is one who works within the organization facilitating meetings and activities.
They can provide facilitation services as either their full-time, primary responsibility; as a significant but
not primary part of their activities; or as a volunteer gaining professional knowledge from their facilitation
experience. Within the organization, the facilitation services may be billable or non-billable. Internal
facilitators are fulfilling a support role within a larger organization. Working as an organizational staff
member, accountability may need clarification and there may be confidentiality issues. More information
about the different types of internal facilitators can be found in Innovation Insight #28, What Type of
Facilitator Are You?
The IAF group identified some additional items in comparing external and internal facilitators. Table 1
lists these factors.
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©2015 The Pennsylvania State University
This material has been developed by and cannot be used or reproduced without permission of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment,
The Pennsylvania State University.
Table1:FactorsinUsingInternalandExternalFacilitators
Phase
InternalFacilitatorFactors
ExternalFacilitatorFactors
Identifying
clients
Knowledge
and
expertise
May have a steady stream of demand for
services
Knows the organization history and culture
Knows organizational politics, policies, and
procedures
Has expertise specific to the organization
May have to spend time and energy on
marketing and sales
May have broad range of experience
May have a steep learning curve to determine
what is realistic
May have expertise in one or more industries
or intervention products
May have expertise based on experience
May have predetermined ideas about the
organization
Client may be more willing to follow the
approach suggested
Planning
and
conducting
the session
Cost and
evaluation
of services
May have blind spots about the organization
May have a clear understanding of the
organization’s goals for the initiative
Client may want more explanation of why a
certain process is selected; may be less
willing to try new things
May find it harder to stay neutral
Knowing the participants will have an impact
on interactions
May be too integrated into the organization
and not in a position to challenge client or
group members
May know how to deal effectively with
certain individuals
May get drawn into organizational politics
May see participants on a regular basis during
and after the initiative
Without a contract there may be unrealistic
expectations for quick, last minute, or
ongoing services
Without a set cost for services, services may
not be fully valued
Charges for services may be low, or not paid
by the client
May not be able to refuse a request for
services
In the organization to see the long-term
impact and results
May be asked to remedy unintended
consequences
Evaluation of facilitator/facilitation may be
difficult or biased by organizational culture
Easier to stay neutral
Not knowing the participants will have an
impact on interactions
Independent and freer to challenge client or
group members
May not know the finer points of dealing with
some individuals
May be able to remain outside of
organizational politics
Can leave the organization when the job is
done
Specific negotiated contract for specific
services
Specific cost/price established for services
Cost of services may be high
Can make the final decision of whether to
take the job
Do not necessarily get to know the results or
long-term impact
May not be held accountable for unintended
consequences
Hiring and rehiring provides bottom-line
evaluation
3
©2015 The Pennsylvania State University
This material has been developed by and cannot be used or reproduced without permission of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment,
The Pennsylvania State University.
TheAdvantagesofInternalFacilitators
Given the comparisons in Table 1, what are the reasons to use internal facilitators – and the benefits to
both the organization and to the individual facilitator?

First, as noted, an internal facilitator will be familiar with the organization. There will be less of a
learning curve about the structure and culture.

Second, as a member of the organization, the facilitator has an interest in the long-term outcome of
their facilitation efforts. They will be a part of the organization, and they will continue to work
with the people in the organization.

Finally, an internal facilitator provides longer-term benefits to the organization. Using internal
facilitators can be a tool for professional development within the organization. The individuals
facilitating will improve their skills related to managing effective meetings and dealing effectively
with groups in any setting. The organization has the potential to develop a pool of individuals who
have both a broad and deep range of facilitation skills. Those individuals can facilitate productive
discussions that produce high-quality and well supported decisions on a daily basis, without the
need to plan for, bring in, and pay for external resources.
BestPracticesinInternalFacilitation
Given these advantages, how can an organization and the individuals involved maximize the likelihood of
success for internal facilitators? The IAF discussion group identified the following best practices for
success as an internal facilitator in three categories: values, organizational management, and professional
development.

Values
o Stay true to the process
o Understand your organization’s business, goals, and strategy
o Ensure integrity within the facilitation unit or among the facilitators so that the facilitator
remains neutral and can be viewed as “external”
o Advocate for resources and executive team and board support to ensure process
consultation and facilitation is understood and appreciated by the entire organization
o Work to incorporate facilitation into group and team activities across the organization

Organizational Management
o Treat your facilitation services like a business
o Have clearly documented processes, tools, and approaches
o Clearly identify the facilitation services you offer
o Have a contracting process and work with internal clients as you would with external
clients – be willing to set boundaries for your internal clients
o Create a booking or reservations system to reserve time and ensure the time of the
facilitator is booked properly
o Develop a system to track and describe how and when facilitation is being used – the range
of services and internal clients – and identify best practices
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©2015 The Pennsylvania State University
This material has been developed by and cannot be used or reproduced without permission of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment,
The Pennsylvania State University.
o Have performance goals for your services, your unit, and the unit staff

Professional Development
o Stay supported, fresh, and current through connections with other facilitators, both internal
and external, through on-line and face-to-face professional development groups and
conferences
o Develop an internal community of practice
o Work with a co-facilitator
o Practice through mock facilitation sessions
o Bring in facilitators from outside of your organization to teach new techniques and tools
o Seek out professional development opportunities to keep skills sharp and learn new
techniques
If you’re facilitating internally and want to continue to advance on this path, use the information above in
planning both your daily activities and your longer-term development.
References and Resources
Bens, I. Facilitating With Ease! A Step-by-Step Guidebook with Customizable Worksheets on CD-ROM.
(2000). Jossey-Bass.
International Association of Facilitators. Core Facilitator Competencies. Viewed 4/30/2015.
The Pennsylvania State University. Innovation Insight #15: Effective Meetings
The Pennsylvania State University. Innovation Insight #16: Facilitating Teams for Organizational
IMPROVEment
The Pennsylvania State University. Innovation Insight #28: What Type of Facilitator Are You?
For more information, contact the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment at 814-863-8721
or [email protected], or visit our website: http://www.opia.psu.edu.
The services of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment are provided free of charge to
The Pennsylvania State University and are adapted to the specific needs of departments or
individuals.
May 2015
5
©2015 The Pennsylvania State University
This material has been developed by and cannot be used or reproduced without permission of the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment,
The Pennsylvania State University.