Groups & teams
Facilitated dialogue
Facilitation is the process of making something possible, or easier. A structured conversation that guides two or more parties through a contentious subject towards shared understanding.
What a facilitator actually does
A facilitator helps a group work together better and understand their common objectives. They hold the structure so the group can concentrate on the substance — and they have no stake in which way the group lands.
That neutrality is the point. It is very difficult for someone inside a disagreement to also run the conversation about it.
The four questions we start from
One
Who needs to be there?
Getting the room wrong is the most common reason these conversations fail. Sometimes the people with the strongest views are not the people who need to be present.
Two
How are people invited?
How the invitation is framed shapes what people arrive expecting — and whether they arrive at all.
Three
What is the end goal?
A decision, a shared understanding, a plan, or simply the ability to keep talking. All are legitimate; they need different designs.
Four
What makes it contentious?
Naming that honestly in advance is what stops the session being derailed by it.
Experience behind it
Our facilitation team has delivered to groups locally and internationally, in settings ranging from boardrooms to community halls to post-conflict regions. We work in a way that is relaxed and effective — the two are not in tension.
The team are experienced facilitators and trainers in conflict management, diversity, good relations and equality. That breadth matters: a contentious conversation about restructuring and a contentious conversation about shared space need the same discipline and very different handling.
The facilitator helps people share their thoughts, feelings and experiences with one another in a space that stays confidential.
Common questions
How large a group can you work with?
To confirm — practical group size limits.
Is this the same as chairing a meeting?
No. A chair manages business through an agenda. A facilitator is there because the subject is contentious enough that the usual process has stopped working.
Can you facilitate online?
Yes, though for genuinely contentious subjects we would usually recommend meeting in person if it is at all possible.
Do you design the session or do we?
We design it with you. The design is most of the work, and it depends on answers only you have.
Next step
Talk to us about a facilitation
Tell us what the conversation is about and who needs to be in the room. We will tell you honestly whether facilitation is the right instrument.