Facilitation Skills Assessment

You don't need to be a professional coach; you just need to be prepared. We've identified six skills for great facilitation, which you can assess in our online tool.

  • Active Listening: The ability to truly hear and understand what others are saying, not just waiting for your turn to speak.

  • Clarity & Questioning: The skill of asking concise, open-ended questions that provoke thought and avoid yes/no answers.

  • Time Management: The discipline to keep the conversation moving and on track.

  • Inclusivity: The art of drawing out quieter team members and ensuring all voices are heard.

  • Conflict Resolution: The ability to navigate disagreements constructively and find common ground.

  • Energy & Enthusiasm: The capacity to maintain a positive and engaging atmosphere.

Knowing your facilitation archetype is key. Our assessment helps you understand your natural style—are you a detail-oriented Organizer, a people-focused Connector, or a big-picture Strategist? This self-awareness allows you to lean into your strengths. If you're a Connector, you might excel at drawing out diverse opinions. If you're a Strategist, you'll be great at synthesizing disparate ideas.

The 13 Facilitation Archetypes

    • Skills: Process Management (PM) & Synthesizing (SY)

    • Strengths: Creates a clear, organized structure and ensures all key decisions are meticulously captured. A master of agendas, timelines, and action items. This is a highly valued and common skillset in most professional environments.

    • Weaknesses: May struggle with group dynamics, conflict, or engaging quieter members. Can be perceived as rigid or unfeeling.

    • Coaching: Practice active listening and empathy. Before jumping to the next agenda item, try a "check-in" to ask how the group is feeling or what they are thinking. This builds trust and rapport. Learn to read the room and be flexible with the agenda when a breakthrough moment emerges. It's often more productive to let a good conversation flow than to force a transition.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Social Diplomat or the Connector.

    • Skills: Active Listening (AL) & Synthesizing (SY)

    • Strengths: A natural at listening deeply to the group and then masterfully connecting disparate ideas into a clear, cohesive narrative. This individual processes information and feelings with an eye toward a rational outcome.

    • Weaknesses: Can be passive and may not challenge the group to think differently. Might struggle to manage disagreements effectively.

    • Coaching: Develop skills in asking probing questions. After a summary, ask, "What are we still missing?" or "What's the one thing that still doesn't feel right?" Practice being more assertive in guiding the conversation. Instead of waiting for a natural break, learn to politely interrupt to summarize a point or redirect the group.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Visionary Strategist or the Group Coach.

    • Skills: Active Listening (AL) & Inquiry & Questioning (IN)

    • Strengths: Listens deeply to the group's input and asks clarifying questions that make people feel heard, building trust and guiding them to their own solutions. This is a classic coaching and mentorship style of facilitation.

    • Weaknesses: Can get lost in the details and emotions of a discussion, leading to a lack of clear action items. May struggle with time management.

    • Coaching: Learn to transition from exploration to decision-making. Use a structured approach like, "We have 10 minutes left. Let's move from brainstorming to making a decision." Practice summarizing key takeaways on the fly. Use a whiteboard to capture ideas, and then ask the group to vote on the most important ones.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Process Architect or the Resolution Weaver.

    • Skills: Process Management (PM) & Conflict Resolution (CR)

    • Strengths: Excels at creating a clear, structured agenda and using it to guide the group through tough conversations and resolve conflict constructively. This archetype is often found in roles that require both order and a steady hand in difficult situations.

    • Weaknesses: Can be overly formal, which could stifle creative thinking or spontaneous ideas. May struggle to bring positive energy to the room.

    • Coaching: Work on your ability to read non-verbal cues. Practice looking for signs of disengagement or discomfort. Ask a few open-ended questions to invite quieter members into the conversation. Develop a few interactive activities to keep the group engaged. Use a quick icebreaker at the beginning or a short, energizing exercise to break up a long session.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Catalyst or the Connector.

    • Skills: Conflict Resolution (CR) & Synthesizing (SY)

    • Strengths: Skilled at finding common ground amidst disagreement and articulating a consensus-based path forward that respects everyone's contributions. This is a valuable skill in any team.

    • Weaknesses: May be overly cautious and might avoid necessary, difficult conversations. Can summarize away tension rather than addressing it directly.

    • Coaching: Practice identifying when a deeper conflict needs to be addressed. Ask, "I'm hearing two different ideas here. It feels important to talk about them both. Can we do that now?" Learn to use challenging questions to push for creative solutions. After summarizing a point of consensus, ask, "Is there any way we could make this even better?"

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Visionary Strategist or the Catalyst.

    • Skills: Active Listening (AL) & Conflict Resolution (CR)

    • Strengths: This individual listens deeply to the emotional landscape of the group and guides them through conflict with care. They are skilled at de-escalation and creating a safe space for dialogue.

    • Weaknesses: May struggle to challenge the group intellectually or keep the discussion on a tight schedule. Can be so focused on team harmony that they avoid a tough question.

    • Coaching: Develop tools for timekeeping and agenda management. Practice asking more provocative questions to drive deeper thinking.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Process Architect or the Visionary Strategist.

    • Skills: Active Listening (AL) & Engagement & Energy Management (EE)

    • Strengths: Masterfully reads the room, builds rapport, and ensures every single person feels included and has a chance to contribute. This is a natural "people person" archetype that prioritizes social cohesion and engagement.

    • Weaknesses: Can be so focused on group cohesion that they avoid necessary conflict. Might struggle to challenge a dominant voice or stick to a tight agenda.

    • Coaching: Develop a structured process for meetings. Use a simple agenda to provide a backbone for the discussion, so you have a tool to gently redirect the group when a tangent occurs. Practice reframing disagreements as productive tension. Use phrases like, "This is a great point of tension. Let's explore both sides of this idea more deeply."

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Process Architect or the Catalyst.

    • Skills: Inquiry & Questioning (IN) & Engagement & Energy Management (EE)

    • Strengths: Combines powerful questions with high energy to inspire a group to think creatively and build a shared vision for the future. This person is all about moving the group forward with an energetic, idea-focused approach.

    • Weaknesses: May struggle to translate the vision into a concrete plan of action. The discussion can be exciting but lack tangible deliverables or next steps.

    • Coaching: Practice creating clear action items and next steps. At the end of a brainstorming session, ask the group, "Based on what we've discussed, what are three things we can do next week?" Learn to use synthesizing techniques to formalize decisions. Consistently pause to summarize the key decisions and capture them on a whiteboard or flip chart.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Process Architect or the Insightful Observer.

    • Skills: Conflict Resolution (CR) & Engagement & Energy Management (EE)

    • Strengths: Creates a safe, inclusive environment where all voices are heard. A natural at de-escalating tension and keeping the group’s energy positive. This is the classic "team player" archetype.

    • Weaknesses: May avoid asking difficult, challenging questions. Can get so focused on a positive atmosphere that they neglect the agenda or a clear conclusion.

    • Coaching: Learn to set clear expectations and ground rules at the beginning of a meeting. This gives you permission to gently redirect the group if a difficult conversation is needed. Practice asking open-ended questions that gently push the group to think differently. Instead of "Are we all in agreement?" try "What are the potential downsides of this idea?"

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Visionary Strategist or the Process Architect.

    • Skills: Process Management (PM) & Engagement & Energy Management (EE)

    • Strengths: This leader is a master of the meeting pace. They are able to keep the discussion moving, on time, and on track while ensuring the group stays focused and energized.

    • Weaknesses: Might prioritize efficiency over deep discussion. May not have the patience for complex conflicts or quiet, reflective moments.

    • Coaching: Cultivate a stronger ability to read non-verbal cues and practice creating space for tension or reflection when needed. Develop your skills in conflict resolution so you can handle difficult conversations without derailing the agenda.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Resolution Weaver or the Collaborative Guide.

    • Skills: Inquiry & Questioning (IN) & Process Management (PM)

    • Strengths: This individual brings both a clear process and a questioning mindset to a meeting. They use a structured approach to guide the group toward a breakthrough insight.

    • Weaknesses: Can be so focused on the intellectual and procedural side that they may overlook the emotional needs of the group. May struggle with managing conflict or building rapport.

    • Coaching: Practice active listening and empathy. Learn to identify and address group emotions before diving back into the agenda. Develop your ability to read the room and adjust your approach accordingly.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Social Diplomat or the Connector.

    • Skills: Inquiry & Questioning (IN) & Synthesizing (SY)

    • Strengths: Excels at asking powerful questions that get to the heart of an issue and then organizing the resulting ideas into a cohesive plan.

    • Weaknesses: Might overlook group emotions or interpersonal conflicts. Can sometimes prioritize the intellectual outcome over the human experience.

    • Coaching: Develop skills in conflict resolution and emotional intelligence. Practice identifying unspoken tension and naming it directly, in a neutral way (e.g., "I'm sensing some disagreement here. Can we talk about that?"). Learn to create space for group processing before moving to synthesis. After asking a big question, allow for a few minutes of silent reflection. Don't feel the need to fill the silence immediately.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: The Social Diplomat or the Collaborative Guide.

    • Skills: A balance among all six skills, with no single top two scores.

    • Strengths: This person is a "jack-of-all-trades" facilitator. They have a natural aptitude for all six skills, making them adaptable to any group dynamic or challenge. They are incredibly versatile.

    • Weaknesses: Because they are balanced, they may not have a single, dominant "superpower." They might rely too much on instinct rather than a structured approach.

    • Coaching: Consciously choose an archetype to embody for each meeting or situation. For a tense discussion, intentionally lean into your Social Diplomat skills. For a long, detailed meeting, focus on being a Process Architect. Practice moving between archetypes intentionally.

    • Ideal Co-facilitator: Another balanced facilitator to build a dynamic, high-performing team.

But wait… Don’t we need to hire an external facilitator?

There are a lot of gatekeepers out there who want to charge you tens of thousands of dollars to fly them into your community to lead you through this process.

What they don't tell you is that:

  • There is nothing mystical about strategic planning. With the right tools, anyone can do this, and do it well.

  • The most important part of strategy is to have one. We get so caught up in the supposed wizardry of strategy that we forget that it's just choices. Thoughtful choices about where to spend limited resources to create value.

  • While there are benefits to hiring a non-biased external facilitator, there are huge benefits to doing it in-house.

You know your organization, you know the players, you know the strengths and weaknesses.

But most importantly, by doing it yourself, you are more efficient and agile in the creation and execution of strategy. THIS isn't talked about enough!

We need to stop delaying and start doing. That's where we can help.

Many plans fail to get off the ground after the consultants leave. Our organizations and communities get frustrated with a pretty plan, but a lack of progress.

By bringing strategy development and execution in-house, you do much more than save money. You build capacity within your organization.

You can more effectively create systems to follow through on decisions and embed the plan into your daily work.

Internal Facilitation

Internal facilitation involves using a person from within the organization to guide a discussion. This can be a peer, a manager, or a dedicated internal facilitator.

Pros:

  • Organizational Context: An internal facilitator has an inherent understanding of the company's culture, history, and unspoken dynamics. They know the players, the politics, and the backstory, which can be invaluable for navigating discussions effectively.

  • Cost-Effective: Internal facilitation is often significantly cheaper than hiring an external consultant. It leverages existing talent and avoids the fees associated with outside expertise.

  • Building Internal Capacity: Empowering employees to facilitate helps develop leadership skills and builds a culture of self-sufficiency. It strengthens the team's ability to run productive meetings on their own.

  • Follow-Through: An internal facilitator is there for the long haul. They can help ensure decisions are implemented and can follow up on action items long after the meeting is over.

Cons:

  • Bias and Neutrality: The biggest challenge is the inability to be truly neutral. An internal facilitator has their own history, relationships, and potential stake in the outcome. Participants may perceive them as having a hidden agenda, which can make it difficult for others to speak freely.

  • Dual Role Dilemma: It's very difficult for an internal facilitator to both lead the process and actively participate in the content. They may feel they have to hold back their own valuable insights to maintain neutrality.

  • Fear of Conflict: An internal facilitator may be hesitant to challenge a senior leader or address a long-standing conflict for fear of damaging their own career or professional relationships.

  • Lack of Specialized Skills: While an internal team may have some facilitation skills, they may not be trained in the specialized techniques needed for high-stakes strategic planning or conflict resolution.

External Facilitation

External facilitation involves hiring a professional from outside the organization.

Pros:

  • Objectivity and Neutrality: An external facilitator has no history, no bias, and no stake in the outcome. This allows them to ask the tough questions that an internal person might avoid and to address unspoken issues or "elephants in the room." This neutrality creates a psychologically safe space for participants.

  • Total Participation: When an external facilitator is in charge of the process, every internal team member—including the most senior leaders—can fully engage in the discussion's content. This ensures all minds are focused on the task at hand.

  • Specialized Expertise: A professional facilitator brings a proven process, tools, and experience in handling a wide range of group dynamics. They can manage conflict, keep discussions on track, and ensure a higher quality of outcomes.

  • Fresh Perspective: An outsider can offer a new viewpoint and challenge assumptions that the team has been holding for years. This can spark new ideas and lead to bolder, more innovative solutions.

Cons:

  • Cost: External facilitators are a financial investment. Their fees can be substantial, especially for multi-day retreats or complex projects.

  • Ramp-Up Time: An external facilitator needs time to understand the organization's culture, history, and the specific context of the discussion. This "ramp-up" period is an added cost, both in time and money.

  • Lack of Follow-Through: The external facilitator's job is often done when the meeting ends. They are typically not around to ensure that the decisions made in the room are actually implemented.

  • Perceived as an Outsider: Team members may be initially hesitant to trust or open up to someone they don't know. It can take time for them to feel comfortable and engaged with an external party.