There are many uses of the term “facilitator”. Some people use the term to describe a teacher or trainer; others use the term to refer to a mediator, and some to consultants. Often the word is applied to anyone who is “in charge” of a group. COR grants particular meaning to the word “facilitator”, meaning consistent with other professionals in the fields of group effectiveness and organizational development.

For COR, the term facilitator refers to an individual role, in relation to a group, in which the facilitation task is to guide the process used by the group, rather than seeking to influence the specific content of the outcome. The facilitator helps the group to identify a goal, to develop a plan/agenda to reach the goal with resources available, to help keep the group on task, to ensure optimal participation by all group members, to advise the group about how to proceed when problems or disagreements surface, and to come to agreement about a course of action. These skills are useful for large and small group discussions, and for task-related meetings of all kinds.

COR’s Basic Certification in Facilitating Meetings and Discussions (GF) equips individuals in the basic skills of facilitating meetings and group discussions. As a secondary gain, individuals also gain an enhanced capacity as participants in meetings and discussions of all kinds, because they see the nature of the process from a more comprehensive perspective.

The necessary competencies in this area are:

• All Foundational Competencies plus


• These Group Facilitation content competencies (GFC):
  GFC1: Knows basic components of effective meetings
  GFC2: Knows basic components of effective discussions
  GFC3: Knows a variety of ways to help groups achieve their goals
  GFC4: Possesses sufficient professional knowledge base in group dynamics to be helpful


• These Group Facilitation skill competencies (GFS):
  GFS1: Demonstrated ability to facilitate a group through a task agenda
  GFS2: Includes and balances member participation in meetings and discussions
  GFS3: Presents information and directions clearly
  GFS4: Adheres to the facilitator role during meetings and/or discussions
  GFS5: Fairly and effectively handles group disagreements and conflicts
  GFS6: Supports a group as it works to resolve conflicts
  GFS7: Objectively diagnoses and appropriately works with underlying group dynamics
  GFS8: Effectively provides constructive feedback to group
  GFS9: Is skilled in helping the group achieve its intended goals
  GFS10: Skilled in modifying personal behaviors to better help the group
  GFS11: Able to create and maintain appropriate group holding environment


• These Group Facilitation dispositional competencies (GFD):
  GFD1: Consistently acts with integrity and compassion
  GFD2: Respects diverse individuals and differing group cultures
  GFD3: Maintains a stance of mutual responsibility for outcomes
  GFD4: Maintains a non-defensive, open professional attitude
  GFD5: Able to proceed constructively as a skilled helper in the face of own anxiety

COR will provide at least one workshop per year which addresses the competencies in each area of certification, although individuals are not required to participate in order to apply for Basic Certification in any area. Demonstration of the competencies required for this basic certification can be achieved through the portfolio process