When Do You Want To Do It Yourself?

Do you have the skills necessary to do the job? Is it more cost effective for you to do it than to hire it out? Do you have the time to do the job?

Here are some questions to ask to help you make that decision, do you know:

• How to focus a group on consensus from the start?
• What strategies you can use for building consensus, depending on the reason for disagreement?
• What you can do to maintain high energy over an extended session?
• How to get keep everyone on the same page from the beginning?
• How to build an agenda from scratch? What do you do first, second, etc.?
• How to avoid getting complete silence when you ask that first question?
• The three things to do that keeps others on track and interacting?
• The seven steps to use when employing break-out groups?
• The four steps for giving directions that are accurate, clear and concise?
• Two techniques for accurately recording comments without having to write forever?
• How to phrase starting questions that get participants visualizing answers?
• How to use reacting questions for probing, challenging and clarifying?
• How to prevent dysfunction and detect dysfunction early?
• The four-part formula for resolving dysfunction cleanly?
• How to detect the reasons people disagree?
• The four-step process for ensuring accountability?
• How to insure commitment to the decisions made?

If you answered "no" to many of the above questions, then you might consider hiring a dynamic trained professional facilitator.