ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the practice of the craft of cross-boundary facilitation. The practice of cross-boundary facilitators, as critical actors, helps to shape and design the collaboration and transdisciplinary processes when groups of stakeholders are brought together in one place for a common purpose. In practice, all discussions are anchored in a contextual and situational perspective, which is cultural and emotive one at the same time—in the instance, it is the perspective of experienced cross-boundary facilitation within a public sector and community context. The chapter examines the capabilities that underpin engagement with critical actors in the collaboration space, e.g. academics, citizens, community bodies and others, and discusses professional facilitation as a craft. Presence in the collaboration space is the act of centring the energy of the group, conveying authority in guiding the process and creating the safe space in which the collaboration is able to explore its work.
