Yet our meetings aren't always what they could be. If that doesn't ring true for you, you're one lucky activist. Facilitation is a process wherein one or more people are designated to help identify and meet a group's goals during a meeting. Good facilitation generally makes a meeting easier, more democratic, and more productive, and results in decisions that are of higher quality, more clearly stated, and better implemented.
People appreciate good facilitation.
In practice, even groups without designated facilitators have some level of unofficial facilitation by one or more members, but it's generally much less effective, and often tacitly reflects the underlying power relationships within the group. This may be fine, especially for small, casual sessions. When the size and tasks of a group get big, however, the value of a good facilitator grows faster than the mass media can distort reality. Ideally, everyone should get a chance to facilitate. Running a meeting is a great way to be a part of a group, and the skills a facilitator hones are broadly applicable.