SHA can ensure effective meeting facilitation by working with you to provide the following services:

Meeting Preparation:

• Defining Objectives: Clearly identifying the meeting’s goals and desired outcomes.
• Planning Agenda: Creating a detailed agenda with topics, time allocations, and the meeting sequence.
• Preparing Materials: Gathering and distributing necessary documents in advance.

Setting Up the Meeting:

• Choosing the Venue: Assist in selecting a suitable location or virtual platform for the meeting.
• Ensuring Logistics: Assist you in arranging necessary equipment and ensuring participant access.

Guiding the Meeting:

• Starting on Time: Beginning promptly to respect participants’ time.
• Reviewing Agenda: Presenting the agenda and meeting objectives.
• Facilitating Discussions: Keeping discussions focused and balanced, encouraging participation while managing conflicts.
• Managing Time: Monitoring time to ensure all agenda items are addressed.
• Clarifying and Summarizing: Periodically summarizing key points and decisions for clarity.

Engaging Participants:

• Encouraging Input: Fostering an environment where participants feel comfortable sharing ideas.
• Managing Participation: Ensuring all voices are heard, not overshadowed by dominant participants.
• Using Facilitation Techniques: Employing methods like brainstorming and voting to enhance engagement.

Handling Challenges:

• Addressing Conflicts: Managing disagreements constructively.
• Adapting to Changes: Remaining flexible to unexpected issues.

Documenting and Following Up:

• Recording Outcomes: Taking notes or assigning someone to document key points.
• Distributing Minutes: Assist with creating a summary to share with participants post-meeting.
• Following Up: Tracking progress on action items to ensure completion.

Meeting facilitation is the art and science of managing and guiding a meeting to achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively. Skilled facilitators use a range of techniques to foster engagement, manage discussions, and ensure that meetings produce meaningful and actionable outcomes.