What to keep in mind when hiring a facilitator
When a group faces tough challenges, effective facilitation can help create space for inclusive and engaging change.
But when should you consider bringing in a professional facilitator to host a workshop or event? How can you ensure it's a worthwhile investment of your time and money?
In this guide, we'll explore what to keep in mind when choosing to hire a facilitator, what to expect from them, and give you some idea of the cost of a facilitator's services too!
Understanding the role of a facilitator
Before diving into the specifics of hiring, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what a facilitator does and how they’ll be able to help you and your team meet your goals.
Unlike a leader or content expert, a facilitator isn’t called in to provide training content or push a particular agenda. Instead, their primary role is to co-design and guide the process, ensure everyone is heard and help surface valuable insights while the group moves towards their shared goal.
Responsibilities of a facilitator:
- Creating a structured process for group work.
- Managing time and keep the session on track.
- Encouraging active participation and ensure everyone is heard.
- Helping the group navigate conflict and manage group dynamics.
- Engaging participation in a safe, open, and inclusive environment.
A facilitator is, above all, an expert in collaboration. They focus on how the discussion happens rather than what is discussed, using their extensive experience to guide the group smoothly.
Facilitators do not have a stake in what decisions will be taken: their focus is on making sure the group progresses towards its goals. This creates space for teams to explore a variety of ideas and perspectives and make decisions without getting bogged down in politics or stuck in endless back and forth.
Read this post on the role of a facilitator to go deeper and explore the various roles a facilitator will occupy during a session.
When should you hire a facilitator?
Effective facilitation can help a group use its resources better (and that includes time, money, and personal energy), by:
- making meetings more impactful;
- improving interpersonal dynamics;
- mitigating risks;
- running innovation and creativity workshops (such as design sprints);
- creating processes to improve business outcomes;
- increasing buy-in and participation;
- managing conflict constructively.
It’s safe to say that ordinary, day-to-day meetings can be facilitated internally by the team itself (using tips and structures such as the ones you can find in this post on facilitating meetings).
That said, there are times when you may need the expertise of a professional facilitator who can also serve as an impartial guide to help you solve tough problems and create change.
Some of the most common reasons (and there are many more) I’ve witnessed for hiring an external facilitator includes:
- the need to work with diverse stakeholders, such as public bodies who wish to develop participatory processes with industry leaders and citizens;
- helping to align partners toward a common aim, such as project kick-offs;
- supporting a new group to draft its vision, mission, aims, value statements and group agreements;
- boosting creativity and ideation, for example through design thinking workshops that encourage new perspectives;
- helping guide a group to solve tough problems when the solution is not immediately apparent or is complex in nature;
- when the need emerges for a neutral third-party to guide a group through a difficult process, such as change management.
While facilitators are not necessarily trainers, they may also support you in providing workshops for continuous learning, particularly on topics such as effective meetings, giving/receiving feedback, or training part of your staff in basic facilitation skills, so they can manage those daily meetings better on their own.
External facilitators should be called in if some of these conditions are met:
- a large or very large meeting, with over 20 participants (up to hundreds! Huge meetings are not an obstacle, as long as you have enough space, resources and people to cover different facilitation roles);
- diverse participants, in terms of origin, language, culture, background, expertise;
- the potential for conflict;
- situations of ambiguity and complexity where there is no “one given simple solution” to be found.
We’ve made a handy summary of factors that could lead you to decide to get some extra support. Use it to self-assess if your next session, conference or event might benefit from the participation of external facilitators.
You may also find our guide explaining exactly what a facilitator is and what they do helpful in determining whether you need to hire one or not.
Examples of when you might hire a facilitator
To help clarify when a facilitator can be helpful, here are some specific examples of the kinds of workshops and events you might bring in an external facilitator for.
Strategic planning
Facilitators are great at leading processes that get results and create business growth. For complex projects like strategic planning, an external facilitator can help teams step back, identify clear, measurable goals and create a plan of action in an inclusive manner.
In our experience, it can be incredibly useful to get someone outside of your core team to help challenge assumptions and provide a fresh perspective.
When looking for a facilitator to help with corporate strategy, it’s often helpful to look for someone with a proven track record and who has relevant experience. They don’t need to have been a marketer or CEO, but if they’ve helped other companies navigate organizational change, that’ll be helpful context for your team.
Expect to provide facilitators with some background about your organization, business objectives and current strategy. All this information is helpful context when the facilitator begins to design a series of workshops for your strategy sessions.
Leadership development workshops
Leadership development workshops and learning programs can have a massive impact on the companies that deploy them.
Facilitators can help with leadership development by creating structured, experiential processes that impart vital leadership skills while also encouraging participants to share and learn from one another.
There’s a large crossover with leadership training here, though depending on your needs, a facilitator with a background and interest in leadership and consulting can be well-positioned to deliver leadership workshops and provide support.
In many cases, facilitators are also able to provide fresh perspectives and outside expertise and experiences that can enliven managers who might have a set way of thinking defined by existing internal politics.
Team building, values and alignment workshops
Hiring an external facilitator to help with team building can be an effective way to ensure everyone in your team can take part and focus on the activity at hand. If your leaders also have to facilitate, they will be taking on a different role and lose the opportunity to bond and learn more about their team members.
When it comes to values workshops or team training sessions, a facilitator can also serve as an excellent team coach, helping participants focus on the skills they wish to improve and giving instant feedback as needed.
Conferences and events
Large-scale events are one area where facilitators shine. Facilitators sometimes call themselves experience designers, and these two skillsets can help turn a humdrum conference into a highly participatory and inclusive experience for all.
Facilitators are also great at adapting to unique circumstances and designing inclusive processes based on your needs. If you’re running a hybrid event, for example, the complexity of managing participation in person and online at the same time is best left in the expert hands of a professional.
What to keep in mind when hiring a facilitator
Once you have decided you do want to hire an external facilitator, here are some things you should keep in mind.
(1) Facilitators are specialists in process design. Draw them in early, before your agenda is set: that is how we can be most useful. I was recently hired for a one-day event in which the agenda had already been set to the minute, with lots of presentations and speeches, yet the hosts were, and I quote “putting our faith in you to make it participatory.” I did my best, but interactions when you have to carve out five minutes here and there are inevitably limited!
(2) A good facilitator will help you define your requirements and desired outcomes, but the clearer your needs are from the beginning, the easier everyone’s job will be. Expect facilitators to ask you: when is the event (freelancers have crazy schedules), where is it (including online, in-person, or hybrid), who will attend, and what outcomes are you looking for?
(3) If a facilitator recommends co-facilitating or investing in another role such as a graphic recorder to capture conversations, or a tech host online, don’t discount the suggestion offhandedly. Yes, it could cost you more, but there could also be real benefits to it. For more on co-facilitation and why it works, read here.
(4) Facilitators have opinions regarding locations and those opinions have reasons! We are flexible and will work with anything (we have shared some fun stories in this community thread, including facilitating in a church and in a parking lot) but settings are important and have an influence on a workshop’s success.
The way lecture halls are typically built in Western Universities, for example, tell a story about where the power lies, who has the right to speak, and what is the best attitude for learning (seated, quietly taking notes). Workshop rooms designed to be flexible, with tables you can move about, space to hang up posters, chairs that can be arranged in many different ways tell a different story, about collaboration and creativity.
A facilitator might also have ideas around how to arrange a room in a way that is unexpected, and novel to participants. This is in itself a strong statement and sets the mood for the day: expect something unusual! With that in mind, it should come as no surprise if facilitators ask you to access rooms an hour (or more) before an event starts, if only to quickly rearrange the chairs!
Questions to ask a facilitator before you hire them
Selecting the right facilitator requires more than just reviewing a résumé or website. A key part of the hiring process is having an in-depth conversation to assess whether the facilitator’s style, experience, and approach align with your needs.
Asking the right questions will not only help you gauge their capabilities but also give you insights into how they might handle the unique challenges of your session. Below are some essential questions to consider asking before making your final decision.
1. What is your approach to facilitation?
This question helps you understand the facilitator’s overall philosophy and style. Do they take a more directive role, or do they prefer a hands-off, participant-driven approach? This will give you a sense of how they manage sessions and if their methods align with your organization’s culture and session goals.
2. Can you describe a session you’ve facilitated that was similar to ours?
Experience in your specific type of session or industry can make a big difference. Ask for examples that are closely related to the challenges you face, whether it’s a strategic planning workshop, a conflict resolution session, or a creative brainstorm. This allows you to assess their relevant expertise and how well they understand the context of your session.
3. Can you provide examples of how you’ve adapted when things didn’t go as planned?
Flexibility is key in facilitation. A session might veer off course, or unexpected issues may arise, such as conflict or a sudden shift in participant energy. A skilled facilitator will be able to pivot and adapt. Ask for examples where they had to think on their feet and what adjustments they made to ensure the session’s success.
4. How do you handle virtual or hybrid facilitation, if needed?
In today’s work environment, many sessions are conducted remotely or in a hybrid format. If this applies to your situation, ask about their experience with virtual facilitation tools like Miro, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. Understanding their comfort with digital platforms ensures they can create an engaging experience, even for remote participants.
5. What is your approach to follow-up or post-session work?
A well-facilitated session doesn’t always end with the last conversation. Ask whether the facilitator provides any follow-up services, such as session summaries, action plans, or debriefs. This can be helpful in ensuring that the decisions and insights generated during the session are implemented effectively.
6. What are your rates, and what does your fee include?
Understanding the facilitator’s pricing structure is crucial to ensure it fits within your budget. Ask if their rates cover preparation, materials, travel, and follow-up work. Some facilitators may offer day rates, while others work on an hourly basis or provide package deals. Clarifying this upfront helps prevent any misunderstandings later on.
7. Can you provide references from past clients?
References can offer valuable insights into the facilitator’s professionalism, effectiveness, and ability to handle various challenges. Reach out to former clients to ask about their experience working with the facilitator, the outcomes of the sessions, and how they handled difficult situations.
8. What do you need from us?
A great facilitation session is a collaborative effort, and the facilitator will likely need input, resources, or support from your team to ensure success.
Ask what they require from you, whether it’s background information on the group, access to specific tools or materials, or help with logistical arrangements. Understanding their needs ensures that you can provide the support necessary for a smooth, productive process.
9. How will we collaborate?
For the duration of your contract, it’s a bit as if a new person were joining your team. Make the most of your time together by working out any specific needs in terms of how you will meet, how often, and what tools you’ll be using to share feedback, notes, and make progress in planning your workshop, training or event.
Because they interact with many different organizations, facilitators can often bring innovation also in the form of new tools or approaches to working together. It’s another opportunity to learn!
While you may be used to doing everything in meetings, for example, your newly found consultant may introduce tools to work asynchronously, such as Slack or Notion. Thousands of professional facilitators use SessionLab to design their sessions and share them with clients: is this where you’ll be giving them feedback?
How much does facilitation cost?
Given the variety of facilitation services out there, there is really no definitive way of answering this question. To get a general sense, you can check out the State of Facilitation report section on pricing for your geographical location and/or sector. A more detailed look at the topic, from a couple of years ago, comes from the NeverDoneBefore community’s pricing survey.
In both cases, the median price for a full-day workshop was given at about €3000. This is a good indication to start with, but as many respondents pointed out, there are many variables involved. Is the request to accompany a group in time, or a one-off event? How much preparation is required, how many meetings with staff? How large is the event? Are travel and accommodation covered?
If you are a facilitator working on how to price your services, I highly recommend this podcast episode on How to Price your Facilitation and Coaching services, hosted by Myriam Hadnes on Workshops Work, in which pricing expert Jenny Millar offers her reflections and top tips. After listening to it, I began to offer three-tier pricing options to potential clients, which is one of the tools recommended in the podcast.
I have found experimenting with this approach very helpful also because it forces me to articulate clearly what services I can offer extra (such as 1:1 interviews, or follow-up questionnaires), and should be paid extra for, versus what the bare minimum would cost. Negotiations on pricing, especially when a client is new and not familiar with facilitation yet, are also an opportunity to go deeper into explaining a facilitator’s role and value. Expect some back-and-forth negotiation!
How do I find a good facilitator?
So now you know you want to bring in an external facilitator to run a session with your team. Where do you find them?
In my experience, the most common avenue for finding a good facilitator is through a referral or recommendation. Check with your professional networks and ask around!
Facilitator networks are also a great source of professional facilitators. For example, the International Association of Facilitators provides a directory of certified facilitators who are grouped by location, so you can easily find a facilitator that is right for you.
Most facilitators have a specialization or special interest area that can make them the ideal fit for your project.
Good facilitators can apply their skills to any group process, but finding someone who has a lot of experience in Agile processes, for example, might benefit you if your team is already familiar with the methodology.
Similarly, some facilitators are specialists in community engagement, design thinking, games, creativity or anything else you can think of. Finding a good match for the aims of your project can help ensure a successful facilitation process later.
We’d also recommend being clear with any potential hires about the goals and expected outcomes for the project. Good facilitators will quickly be able to tell if they are the right fit, and any potential collaboration will be better with this clarity in place.
When are facilitators useful besides professional facilitation?
Requests for professional facilitation and facilitation skills are definitely on the rise. Changes in the workplace accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, made it painfully clear when meetings and workplace habits were functional or dysfunctional to making progress. In between the lines of commentary to the State of Facilitation 2023 report two parallel trends emerge:
- more requests for professional facilitators (and a need for more training and certification in general facilitation skills) and, at the same time
- a more diffuse appreciation of basic facilitation skills, such as meeting management. To quote IAF Vice-chair Gerardo De Luzenberger, “facilitation [is] becoming widespread as a transversal competence among leaders as well as in the general workforce. “
As facilitation skills become widespread, in fact, so does the ability to detect when a situation can be facilitated internally and when some extra help is needed.
A more facilitative approach is also diffused in certain education environments, as teamwork abilities and communication skills are more and more recognized as a crucial part of pedagogy. This is detailed, for example, in numerous publications on the future of education such as this policy paper on Skills for a Modern Europe.
In conclusion
Hiring the right facilitator can be a game-changer for your organization. By keeping these key factors in mind, you’ll be well on your way to choosing a facilitator who is not only skilled and experienced but also a great fit for your team and organizational goals.
Whether you’re hosting a strategic planning meeting or a creative brainstorming session, the right facilitator can help you get the most out of your time together and drive meaningful outcomes.
Want to learn more? Check out the latest state of facilitation report for more insight into the profession or explore what a facilitator does in greater depth.
Want to find a suitable facilitator for hire? Ask our facilitation community for help or post a request. Facilitators are a friendly, helpful bunch by nature!
James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.
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