Any activity or workshop can be made to look good on paper. How many times have you been duped by all those intriguing article titles on the cover of a magazine-- only to be disappointed time and again by the actual lack of content? A team building activity, workshop or meeting is only as good as the person or people facilitating it. They make all the difference in the world. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will contract for a team building activity without asking about who will be leading the event. Before your select a consultant or facilitator to lead your group, you should do the following:

1. Ask who is managing the event, what kind of experience the person has, and how long have they been doing this type of work.

2. Talk to (interview) the person who will be managing or facilitating -either on the phone or in person (which is even better). You will get a sense of their professionalism and energy level. Both of these are very important.

3. Take note of whether this person asks questions about your group and is truly interested in understanding your needs. A good facilitator will make sure to ask about your objectives so the program can be tailored to meet them. 

4. Be very wary of the facilitator that monopolizes your conversation during the interview and talks about him or herself incessantly or how wonderful the activity. A meeting facilitator is someone who moves the group along skilfully and encourages maximum interaction among participants. You do not want to hire someone who is only enthralled with their own persona and can't get enough of listening to their own voice. 

5. If you are doing serious team building and/or looking for someone to facilitate a difficult board meeting, ask for references and check them out. You are hiring someone to do a job-- treat it like that.