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Whether you are facilitating a strategic planning session, a non-profit board retreat, or a staff brainstorming meeting, having the right people in the room is critical.  Rather than getting the download from just one person, a session with multiple great brains means you will get broader views of the organization.

If it’s an established organization, identifying who should be in the room is fairly simple.  Board members, executives, department heads… this will be your core group.  But it’s important to consider if there are some other people who may add value to the discussion – or at least part of the discussion. Maybe a lower person on the totem pole can add some insight.  Maybe a valued customer can contribute to part of the discussion. Consider the objectives of each session before nailing down the invitation list. If you stick to your agenda (more on this in a later posting), you will be able to invite these guests for just segments of the conversation where they can offer the most insight . In any case, your core group should be present for the entire session.
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• Have a good message and stick to it.  Just because you are tired of your message doesn’t mean your audience is.  Consider how many messages you hear in a day and what it takes for one to stand out with you.  If you aren’t tired of your message, you may not be working hard enough to get it out there.

• Know your audience.  Who are they?  Where do they get their information?  How do they make decisions?  What do they do for fun?  What do they eat for breakfast?  You can’t compel an audience until you know their habits and what motivates them.

• Be strategic with your resources.  This applies to your human resources (let your team members work in the areas of their strength) and to your financial resources (spend the money as if it were yours). See rule #1, then proactively seize opportunities for free and low-cost exposure (social media marketing and PR), so you have more to spend when you need it.