Facilitator FAQs
These are the questions I'm asked most often before someone decides to hire a facilitator for a workshop, stakeholder engagement process or coaching program. If yours isn't answered here, get in touch and I'll answer it directly.
Understanding facilitation
What does a facilitator actually do, and how is that different from a trainer, consultant or chairperson?
My job is to design and run a process that gets a group to a decision or an outcome, without pushing my own opinion into the room. A trainer teaches content. A consultant tells you what to do. A chairperson runs procedure. I stay neutral on the substance and focus on the conversation: who needs to speak, what order the ideas need to come in, and how the group gets from a room full of views to something they can act on. That process design is the core of workshop facilitation.
Why use an independent external facilitator rather than someone internal chairing the meeting?
Because the person leading the group can't also be perceived as having a vested interest in the result. If a manager with a stake in the outcome tries to run their own strategic planning session, people either defer to them or hold back. I don't work for anyone in the room, so people say what they actually think, and the result reflects the group rather than whoever has the most authority at the table.
Choosing the right facilitator
How do I choose the right facilitator for my organisation?
Ask how they'd handle your specific group, not just for a general pitch. A facilitator worth hiring will ask you questions like, "Who's in the room, what's already been tried, where the disagreement sits?". I'd also ask for references or case studies from a session similar to yours (see client testimonials) and check that their process matches what you actually need. A decision, a plan and a shared understanding are three different things, and the right process for one isn't always right for the others.
How much does it cost to hire a facilitator for a workshop or strategic planning session?
It depends on the length of the session, how much design work happens beforehand, and whether it's a single workshop or part of a longer engagement. Most independent facilitators price by the day rather than the hour once preparation and a written summary of outputs are included. I quote per project once I understand your group size, objectives and timeframe, so get in touch and I'll give you a straight answer rather than a generic day rate that doesn't reflect the work involved.
Do you understand our sector?
I've worked across WA state and local government, industry and R&D bodies, and regional organisations for over 25 years. Without being cocky, there's a good chance I've worked with a group similar to yours. That doesn't mean I know all the specific issue going in, and I wouldn't want to. A facilitator who thinks they already know the answer stops listening. What I bring is process experience - how groups in these settings tend to get stuck, and how to move them through it. More on my background is on the About page.
Can you facilitate sessions involving Aboriginal community members, Traditional Owners or diverse stakeholder groups appropriately?
Yes. This is a significant part of my work, including recent work with Pilbara Prescribed Body Corporates, Pastoral Lands Board processes and regional stakeholder groups, where cultural protocols and trust matter as much as the agenda. I don't assume every group works the same way. Before I design a session I ask how the group prefers to make decisions, what protocols need to be respected, and who should be consulted beforehand. That has to be built into the process from the start, not added on afterwards. I also have a couple of trusted, 'go to' cultural advisors to assist with this to make sure I'm on the right track throughout the process. See how this shows up in practice on the Stakeholder Engagement page.
How do you handle conflict or difficult conversations between stakeholders during a session?
I plan for it rather than hope it won't happen. Before a session I try to find out where the tension sits so I'm not caught out on the day, and I build in structures, like small group discussion that let disagreement surface without it turning into a shouting match. When things do get heated, my job is to keep the conversation productive, including naming what's actually being disagreed about, and making sure quieter voices aren't drowned out by the loudest ones in the room. Importantly I also help groups to look for what they also agree on and use this as a stepping stone to continue.
Working with Andrew Huffer and Associates
Can workshops be run online or hybrid, or does it need to be face to face?
Both. I run sessions face to face, fully online and hybrid, using tools like GroupMap and Mentimeter to keep remote participants engaged throughout, rather than just watching. Face to face usually works better where there's real tension in the room or relationship-building matters. Online works well for shorter, more structured sessions across a spread-out region, which comes up often given WA's distances.
What do we actually get at the end, is there a report or action plan?
Yes. Every workshop I run produces a written output: a summary of what was discussed, the decisions or priorities the group agreed, and clear next steps with owners attached. What that looks like depends on the session, sometimes a short summary, sometimes a fuller report, but you're not walking away with a set of sticky notes and a memory of the day.
How far in advance do we need to book, and how long does the design process take?
For a single workshop, four weeks gives me enough time to properly understand your group and design a process that fits, rather than reaching for a generic template. Larger stakeholder engagement processes with multiple sessions need longer lead times, sometimes a couple of months, particularly where I need to coordinate with community groups or multiple agencies. If your timeframe is tighter than that, get in touch anyway. I've made shorter timelines work when the scope is realistic.