Because effective process is the key to group cohesion, Oppelle places major emphasis on offering highly skilled, intuitive, and confident women to facilitate board meetings and serve as coaches for individual sessions.

Each facilitator brings experience with senior level management to the table to help members assess current challenges, clarify goals, remove obstacles, and forward action to achieve those goals.

Each facilitator is a certified executive coach who has completed the rigorous requirements outlined by the ICF (International Coach Federation). Additionally, each coach must complete the Oppelle training program to assure the highest of standards to work with the Oppelle membership. All facilitators are results-oriented and process-driven and may include former CEO’s, Consultants, managers and leaders from a variety of industries.

The purpose of facilitation is enhanced group effectiveness. It is the facilitator’s job to provide leadership without taking the reins; to keep her finger on the pulse of the group and know when to move forward or to wrap up a discussion. She is there to help define the overall group goals as well as specific individual objectives, and to provide processes that help members use time efficiently and come to high quality decisions. As a neutral, un-biased “outsider”, the facilitator is careful not to exert influence over discussion outcomes, and focuses on process, rather than content, using a variety of strategies and techniques. Because each facilitator is an experienced coach, she has developed a deep level of listening, and is able to pick up on and help the group test underlying assumptions and interpretations which may be impeding progress, and can help the group manage conflict using a collaborative approach. Additionally, the facilitator serves as an important source of objective feedback to the group, and is a critical factor in setting a positive and productive tone for effective and meaningful dialogue.

While the facilitator maintains neutrality, she may also introduce ideas that might help the group process, through questioning techniques, offering suggestions, or taking off the facilitator “hat” at times, but this is done judiciously, and always allows the decision-making capacity to remain with the group members.

Oppelle takes exceptional care in choosing, training, and supporting all of it’s facilitators, and partners with them to ensure an outstanding group and individual experience for all members.