5 good reasons to use an experienced, external strategic facilitator
"We often get asked by our clients whether they should run their next growth strategy meeting internally. Our answer is: Yes, of course you can, but there are several important watchouts. The advantages of internal facilitation, such as cost and organisational knowledge can be outweighed by the drawbacks."
Setting the strategic direction & making the right strategic choices are the most important discussions senior leader teams have. So why would you not call in the experts to ensure you do this properly?
Olivia Buckle-Wright makes the case for external strategic facilitation.
The internal debate
We often get asked by our clients whether they should run their next growth strategy meeting internally. Our answer is: Yes, of course you can, but there are several important watchouts.
Strategic discussions demand you to step out of the everyday, challenge the status quo and unlock new growth opportunities. These discussions are rarely linear and require an experienced facilitator to ensure they strike an equal balance of exploration and action, encourage teams to confront and explore uncomfortable topics, and force leaders to focus and prioritise.
Effective strategic facilitation ensures a higher quality of engagement and outcomes which can have far-reaching impact on the strategic decisions you will be making. Strategic facilitation combines in-depth knowledge of the strategy development process & tools with experience of objectively guiding diverse groups of senior leaders to make the right choices. It is a specific skill and different from running a business-as-usual meeting.
It could be that there is somebody with appropriate seniority and facilitation skills in the business. Some leaders can detach themselves from the detail and internal politics to facilitate the ‘how’ of the meeting rather than lead the ‘what’ of the strategy.
If so, then, go for it. But be careful.
The advantages of internal facilitation, such as cost and organisational knowledge can be outweighed by the drawbacks.
Internal facilitators are by definition part of the organisation which can compromise objectivity and ability to challenge status quo. They may be perceived by those they are facilitating to hold certain biases or agendas – however untrue that is in reality. And they may feel reluctant to challenge their peers, particularly more senior or influential members of the group, or ask important but uncomfortable questions.
The power of an outsider
An external strategic facilitator will bring a proven process, a fresh perspective and encourage the flow of opinions and ideas. Here are my top 5 reasons why an experienced, external strategic facilitator is well worth the investment:
1. Total attention
All internal stakeholders can focus on actively participating in the discussions thereby maximising their value. Precious internal resources are freed from unnecessary meeting logistics and admin burden. The best minds in the room can centre entirely on the task in hand, with all eyes are on the prize of co-creating a winning growth strategy.
2. Challenge Perspectives
External perspectives, observations and constructive challenge deepens the discussion, leading to richer debate and bolder choices. An external facilitator can ask the awkward questions and create a climate where participants feel safe to confront limiting assumptions and effectively challenge others' opinions.
3. Deeper engagement
All perspectives, including the valuable 'quiet voices' are encouraged and shared, resulting in deeper engagement and commitment to outcomes. An experienced facilitator will ensure that the more extroverted and powerful personalities do not dominate and make space to allow active contribution from all participants.
4. Expert guidance
Session agenda and stimulus are designed to ensure key discussions have the appropriate time and input. An experienced facilitator will layout a clear roadmap for the discussions and set expectations for how participants need to engage and behave. They will also know when and how to adapt and flex the agenda and approach, so all desired outcomes are achieved.
5. Future focus
Exploration of potential growth opportunities is liberated from organisational history and legacy decisions. An experienced external facilitator will ensure bold and different ideas are not prematurely shot down by prejudicial views on what is possible and keep internal biases in check – but also ensure at the appropriate time that innovative ideas are subject to a pragmatic reality check.
> RELATED RESEARCH: How to navigate your growth challenges on the road to £1bn
What happens next?
A successful strategy session marks the start of the strategy process, not the end. It is a crucial stage gate in the early phase of a far more extensive project. At Cognosis, our proven strategy development & implementation process is designed to help senior leaders make the powerful decisions that unlock long-term growth for their business.
Yes, for sure, it’s possible for internal stakeholders to facilitate a strategy meeting. The outcomes may feel fit for purpose. But you will never know if they could have been better. We'd love an exploratory chat if you're still pondering whether your next business growth strategy meeting could benefit from experienced external strategic facilitation.
