What do you do if you're struggling to choose the best solution for a problem as a facilitator?

First of all, you should not be the one finding the solution. Facilitators must remain neutral. However, you do provide a process for the group to find a solution. Get everyone talking and listening. That's a good start. Break down the problem to smaller pieces and have the group tackle each one, one at a time. The group will solve the problem if you provide the process.

First and always, be sure there are representatives from every step in the process. Then describe the "problem" and be sure everyone agrees it IS a problem. You'll be amazed by the number of times what bugs one group is irrelevant or invisible to others in the process chain. Then -- and this is a big one -- determine via discussion if the "problem" is a symptom or an actual root cause. Too often we "fix" something and the real problem kicks out a symptom/breakdown elsewhere. Use the 5 Ws to reveal the logic for the current process and to challenge whether the logic is sound. Maybe you don't have a process problem -- unless continuing to use an unnecessary process is a problem (which it is!). Eliminate FIRST, then FIX.

goals must be prioritized as they will drive the ultimate action plan. This process must involve as many stakeholders as possible. It is important however that ONE person be in charge as hard decisions are seldom made effectively by committee. Once that process is complete then a rational action plan can be developed and executed.

I like to break a team into 3 groups and ask each to develop solutions that use one of three goals: Efficiency, Cost Reduction, Customer Delight. This should not be a multi-day, deep research effort -- it's a brainstorming session to do a quick survey of the potential solutions. Have each group present their solutions to the whole team. Ideas that pop up in all three sub-groups are due deeper analysis for potential great benefit. Similar ideas from two groups are also worthy of more discussion/analysis. And there may be a brilliant breakthrough idea from one group that all/most agree is worthy of more development. This framework can guide your formal solution development.

Ask the group to analyze all aspects of the problem and the proposed solutions. You must not enable the group to just simply take the path of least resistance - they need to think it through completely.

Get the solution to the people who will do the work as fast as possible. What we staffers think is brilliant is often a non-starter in the real world. Reasons to run trials/pilots: 1. Maybe you don't need all that customer programming you think you need--the field doesn't want all the fancy stuff (I have found that to be true!). 2. Maybe there is a significant practical barrier to your idea that you didn't think of (e.g. does the field have the skill sets necessary for a great new process, or is significant training required?) 3. Maybe your customers will object to this "improvement" and overcoming their objections is not worth the corporate benefit. 4. Maybe the "problem" you think you need to fix really isn't a problem. (Been there!)

I subscribe to the "Consensus with Reservations" school of management theory. SOMEBODY has to have the final authority to make a final call. And remember, the majority opinion is not always the right opinion. Often the quiet, introverted participant who is taking a lot of notes and listening intently has a critical observation that needs to be heard. Definitely conduct a variety of regular "how are we doing" exercises to test options: ranked voting, "what I really like/what I really hate" discussions, brisk round robin (everyone gets a turn to speak) statements like "I think XXX solution is the best because" (one sentence). And make it clear how/when the final option(s) will be presented to the final decision maker.

The best part about being a Facilitator is, you don't need to be a Mr. Know All. You can afford to be vulnerable in front of your participants. So if you are struggling with a problem, throw it amongst your participants, and gather their perspectives. The only skill you need is to ask the right question at the right time and have the vision to gauge the direction of your conversation. If that is not enough, move to Exploring new ideas, along with your participants, never alone. And voila, you are bound to find the appropriate solution.

The question isn't worded well in my opinion — as a facilitator you should be using methods that guide others towards solutions not choosing solutions yourself. Here's what I would suggest. ? Have a balance of divergent (go wide) and convergent activities (go narrow) with space for an emergent zone in between where people can use constructive conflict to evaluate down ideas. ? Consensus isn't always the best thing to seek, there's another choice. Sometimes disagree and commit is a better path. Disagreements can also lead to a better third idea instead of everyone giving something up — with consensus many times you get a watered down decision (which strips out creativity and all risk) because everyone HAS to agree.