Meetings, like many aspects of our professional lives, are continually evolving. In the 1870s, U.S. Army General Henry Martyn Robert observed the disorder in meetings he was asked to chair. Recognizing his lack of understanding about effective meeting processes, he researched and created a set of guidelines known as “Robert’s Rules of Order,” which were inspired by parliamentary procedures. These rules have since been adapted and widely implemented in various organizations and communities.

While many meetings are led by a chair (or chairperson, chairman, or chairwoman, depending on the context), facilitated meetings differ significantly. (We will explore these differences shortly.)

Some refer to facilitated sessions as workshops, suggesting that participants engage more actively in a workshop setting compared to a traditional meeting. We accept both terms. As a facilitator, it’s important to determine what works best for your group when planning the session, selecting a venue, scheduling a time, and assessing available resources.

Facilitation has numerous definitions, supported by a wealth of literature on the subject. At its core, facilitation means “to make easy,” meaning the facilitator’s role is to create a meeting environment that simplifies the participants’ work.

This definition is straightforward, yet facilitation can manifest in various ways across different contexts. Sometimes, a facilitator is called upon to mediate between conflicting parties, a task more suited to a moderator. More commonly, facilitators act as process leaders or group leaders.

As process leaders, facilitators oversee the group dynamics, enabling participants to concentrate on the task at hand. This traditional view of facilitation involves guiding the team through the agenda, focusing on the individuals involved, while remaining neutral regarding the content and outcomes.