Growing an organisation requires key personnel convening to make key what-when-how-who-why decisions, otherwise known as strategic decisions. If you have participated in enough of these meetings, it's likely that in some, you find yourself:
  • Suspecting that the mission statement feels like a paraphrase of your competitors; or
  • Wondering if the team is auditioning for a United Nations meeting; or
  • Sensing the onset of death-by-powerpoint induced physical sensations; or
  • Doubting that folks are rowing in the same direction; or
  • Starting to feel like a dog chasing its own tail.

But, it doesn't need to be this way.

Most organisations assume that strategy naturally happens when the "right" people are in a room together for (x) amount of time* . It doesn't because it’s not uncommon that such meetings are commandeered by (personal) biases jostling for influence.
 
Neither does strategy happen when outsourced to a consultant, because no one knows your business better than you. At least one would hope. Nor does strategy happen when a facilitator is brought in to (simply) "direct" the conversation traffic.

So, when does strategy happen?

Strategy happens through the rigorous process of extracting, synthesising, and distilling the most potent insights residing in key personnel's experience and knowledge. It begins before, and continues after, the convening.

And more often than not, this process is most powerful when externally facilitated by an experienced and skilled facilitator. Why?

❶ Naming elephants – Because an external facilitator is not burdened by the baggage of organisational biases, they are in a better position to identify and flag critical issues and/or conflicting opinions in a way that minimises threat to stakeholders.

❷ Herding cats – Because strategy discussions often involve discussions on sensitive issues and/or conflicting opinions, a skilled external facilitator who has no vested interest is more likely to ensure discussion remains safe, inclusive, and focused.

❸ Crystalising bull’s eye – Because an external facilitator is process oriented, they are better able to maintain the divergence-convergence balance between which is crucial to harvesting core issues** and their corresponding responses.

Net impact?
❶ Time efficiency
❷ High quality business decisions
❸ Increased ownership of OKRs

* Read, Ending the Love Affair with Strategy's Sacred Cows
* * Not all issues can be resolved with current organisational resources, and knowing what can be resolved, now, is critical.