3.4 Facilitation

Summary

A good meeting has a purpose, a facilitator, and a clear record of what was decided. This page covers the facilitation practices we use today. 1.4 Structure explains distributed authority; the practical meeting formats are in 3.4.4 and 3.4.5 below.

3.4.1 What facilitation is for

Facilitation helps a group reach a result it could not reach alone. It covers purpose, preparation, participation, timekeeping, and clear outputs.

• State the purpose and prepare an agenda.
• Give someone responsibility for facilitation and someone responsibility for recording decisions.
• Make room for people who haven't spoken.
• Distinguish discussion from an actual decision.
• End with next steps, owners, and any dates that matter.

For a learning session, keep presentation time short enough for discussion and practice. For a project meeting, focus on the questions that need the group.

For a simple structure to run a check-in or general meeting, see 3.4.4.

3.4.2 Tactical meetings

A tactical meeting is a regular meeting where a circle coordinates its current work. We haven't yet agreed a general format; the Holacracy format is one candidate, and we may adapt it. The tech team already runs its own version as part of its two-week sprint cycle; the general agenda will live in A.2.3.

Existing Fellowship check-ins and general meetings are not automatically Holacracy tactical meetings. See 3.4.4.

3.4.3 Governance meetings

A governance meeting is where a circle processes tensions and changes its roles and policies. For why the organization works this way and what is currently proposed, see 1.4.3 Governance and changing the structure. No general format or authority has been adopted yet; the tech team's governance meeting is a working example, and the general agenda will live in A.2.4.

Until a format is adopted, follow the current decision rights and agreements. A change in this handbook's wording does not transfer authority.

3.4.4 Choosing the right meeting

Different meetings serve different purposes. Three are in regular use.

• Project check-ins. Discuss progress, decisions, blockers, and support.
• General meetings. Connect people and build shared understanding of the vision.
• Gatherings. Help people connect and take a next step. See Gatherings.

Project check-ins. Use a check-in to discuss progress, decisions, blockers, and support. Circles can also hold a short metrics review. Share the relevant work beforehand when possible. Leave knowing what happens next and who is responsible.

Fellowship practice includes weekly 1–1s with Rohan and either a team meeting or a written update every two weeks. Your current program instructions hold the actual schedule. For one-to-one meetings, see the external guide Running 1–1 meetings.

General meetings. General meetings help people connect, understand the movement, and discuss the vision and theory of change. They can include short teaching, small-group discussions, and a chance to share projects. They are not for project decisions.

Tactical and governance meetings (3.4.2, 3.4.3) are separate. For a full meeting cycle in practice, including 1:1s, an all-hands, and a demo day, see the tech team's two-week sprint cycle.

3.4.5 Written updates and follow-through

A useful update covers:

• What you completed and learned.
• Links to the work or evidence.
• Risks, blockers, or decisions needed.
• What you plan to do next.

You don't need to narrate every task. Help the reader understand the state of the work and where they can help.

Keep agendas and notes with the current meeting records. The handbook holds the repeatable format; dated agendas are records of particular meetings. Record decisions and commitments where the people doing the work can find them, as in when responsibility is unclear. For a template, use the project update template.