The Alder Group
Consultation and Facilitation 101 Guide ©
Our approach is based on the premise that in order to be successful, any multi-stakeholder consultation must be structured and managed to ensure that the following guidelines are followed:
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Stakeholders understand the background to the consultation or facilitated event. |
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Stakeholders appreciate the outcomes sought by the consultation or event. |
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Stakeholders understand the steps to be followed after the process is completed. |
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Stakeholders understand the ground rules to be followed during the actual process. |
In our experience, the background information communicated to participants is critical. Each person participating must understand the history surrounding the consultation and any events, be able to identify the consultation sponsors and explain the steps that preceded this consultation exercise. They must share the same understanding of the meaning of the technical terminology linked to the topic, as well as relevant facts critical to good decision-making. All of this historical and technical information should be expressed clearly in the communications material and in the introductory session. It is important to avoid a situation where participants are forced to dig out this information during the course of the consultation process itself, as it wastes time and is frustrating to stakeholders. This clearly presents challenges, as often assumptions are made regarding the time people have between when they invited to attend a session and the session itself. Large volumes of background information are much less useful than smaller amounts of conceptually clear information. The structure and methodology to be used at the session will dictate how the information can be mined practically.
Secondly, it is important to ensure that participants understand what is expected of them in terms of the outcomes sought by the consultation sponsors. They must be able to articulate to themselves the consultation goals and objectives, and appreciate what the consultative process is designed to achieve. Such objectives are often unclear to the sponsors themselves. The Alder Group strives to bring clarity and a commitment to setting formal (and unwritten) objectives with its clients.
Thirdly, it is important for participants to understand the ground rules governing the consultative process itself. This includes the time allotted for each question, the type of group process to be used, how they are expected to participate in the process, how their deliberations and recommendations will be recorded, how they are expected to manage disagreements, and the decision mode of the consultation. Participants need to know whether they are expected to reach a true consensus, or if they are merely to propose a series of options without concerning themselves with whether they have broader agreement.
Finally, it is important that all parties understand the decision-making sequence and have a clear sense of the person or body designated as the official decision-maker, as well as the timing and format of the final decision. They must know when the final decision will be made, how it will be communicated and implemented and whether they have a role to play beyond this particular event.
The Alder Group has developed an appreciation for such approaches thanks to its many years of training and experience in adult education, and the facilitation of countless meetings, workshops, focus groups, symposia and other events for a multitude of clients. This appreciation has led to our commitment to structured and precise project management practices, including expectation management with clients, based on clear work planning with measurable objectives, responsibility centres, timelines, outputs and continuous feedback mechanisms internally, with participants, and with our clients.
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