What is the process called when a facilitator meets with key project participants to discuss shared goals?

The process in which a facilitator meets with key project participants to discuss shared goals is known as partnering. This approach emphasizes collaboration among all stakeholders involved in a project. The primary goal of partnering is to foster a mutual understanding, create alignment on objectives, and build a cooperative relationship that encourages open communication. By engaging participants in discussions about their roles, responsibilities, and common interests, partnering helps to reduce conflicts and enhance teamwork throughout the project lifecycle.

In contrasting this with other concepts, team building typically focuses more broadly on improving the dynamics and relationships within a team, rather than specifically discussing shared goals among diverse stakeholders. Consensus building, while related, usually pertains to reaching an agreement among group members rather than the initial alignment on goals. Strategic planning encompasses a broader organizational framework that includes setting long-term goals and defining the means to achieve them but does not specifically focus on the collaborative aspect central to partnering. Therefore, the focus on collaboration and shared objectives makes partnering the most accurate term for this process.