The Effects of Facilitator Characteristics on Meeting Preparation, Set Up, and Implementation

Abstract

Organizational meetings represent a primary means of communication and coordination within and across work units. The trend toward team-based organizations has created a special need for meeting facilitation skills. Despite the growth in awareness of the importance of facilitation skills in both meetings, there has been little empirical research on the role of the organizational facilitator in preparing for and executing meetings. This study surveyed 238 group facilitators regarding facilitator characteristics, pre-meeting planning, room/facilitator preparation, and agenda use during meetings. The facilitator characteristics examined were amount of experience/training, amount of facilitation external to versus within one’s organization, and use of group support systems (GSS). Findings show that these facilitator characteristics each correlate with multiple aspects of pre-meeting planning and agenda use items. The data suggest a typology of facilitators based on the level of experience in facilitation and whether facilitators operate primarily within or outside their own organization.