Tweet

The Facilitator's Role

Guest post by: Eric Garner

Article Overview: Facilitation is one of the modern management skills. It requires a subtlety and sensitivity towards people that is just right for today's businesses. Learn 7 aspects of the facilitator's role in this article.

The Facilitator's Role

Facilitation is one of the hardest leadership skills to pin down. Unlike other skills of which it is part, such as listening and questioning, facilitation is a mix of many skills and many roles. Here are 7 of the roles. 1. Event Organiser If you are leading a group activity, you will probably be responsible for many, if not all, of the details of running the group event. This means organising venues, locations, and timetables; obtaining the physical resources needed in the event, such as laptops, projectors, and video recorders; preparing agendas; managing speakers; and, very importantly, letting people know the arrangements. Whether you do this yourself or with a team, don't ignore this role. It will go a long way to establishing your credibility as an organiser and facilitator. 2. Expert While you can facilitate without being an expert in the group's agenda, you will be much more effective if you have a good understanding of the topic and the issues. When you do, you are in a much better position to steer the group forward. You can also take a more objective view of things particularly if the group are stuck on details. You will also be able to interpret jargon and be the link between guest speakers and the group. 3. Reading the Group Until your group arrives and starts working together, you will not know for sure just what they want from you. Groups that are newly formed and unsure of each other will most likely want clear direction from you. Groups that know one another and have an existing level of trust will probably expect more freedom to work things out without direction. Sometimes, there will be a mix of people in the group, some wanting direction and others wanting delegation. Reading the group and knowing where to pitch your interventions and suggestions is one of the most important and difficult roles you'll play. 4. Mountain Guide Facilitators often have to lead from 3 different positions in relation to the group. Sometimes they will lead by example from the front, sometimes as part of the group, and sometimes from the rear in a support role. They are like mountain guides who know just when to tell the group, "Follow me!", when to be one of the team; and when to let everyone climb a cliff first so that they can check their progress from below. 5. Observer Facilitators need to be close watchers of what is going on in the group at all times, particularly when the group hits a major block. If you are observant, you will sense the problem from how the group starts to behave. There could be stony silences; side conversations; signs of boredom, tiredness, and fidgeting; and things starting to drag. When this happens, stop the group and let people know what you see, eg "Can we review where we are?". Put the problem to the group and ask them what they want to do about it. 6. Nudger From the very start of the group's work, the wise facilitator looks for opportunities to nudge the group into ownership of its processes. You could for example in the first exercise give people an option between letting you decide how it is to be carried out or letting them decide themselves. Even if they pass on this occasion, use the next occasion to nudge them a little further into accepting responsibility for the task. 7. Catalyst A catalyst is a substance that merely by its presence causes change in other substances. The facilitator acts like a catalyst when he or she works with others at all levels. a. at the feeling level, she is wooer, charmer, and empathizer b. at the thinking level, he is interpreter, questioner, and stimulator c. at the valuing level, she is champion, enabler, and nurturer. It isn't by chance that the role of facilitator is hard to define. By its very nature, facilitation is a subtle, under-played, and understated skill. Whatever role you play, don't perform it as if to say, "Look at me!" but perform it with a light and gentle touch.

Related Articles
  11.1 Recommended actions – business support and information: Support for Growth-oriented Women Entrepreneurs in Tanzania, 2005
  Major Benefits of Using An Outside Facilitator
  LEADERSHIP: FROM ROLE PERFORMANCE TO ROLE MODEL
  LEADRSHIP: FROM ROLE PERFORMANCE TO ROLE MODEL
  The Friend in the Room Who Can Help You Look Good
  The
  Ten Most Admired Characteristics of Successful Business Coaches, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  How to Stop Suffering From I Hate to Sell But I Need to Pay My Bills
  Time Management - to Facilitate Highly Succesful Meetings
  Time Management Training, The Secrets of Using the WASP STING
  The Role of the Sponsor
  6.4 Limitations of participatory skill development
  Employee Empowerment
  The curse of the BDM
  The Gerber Method
  The Progressive Leader’s Superior Self-Knowledge
  Business Strategy: Getting Things Done
  Who Do You Think You Are? How Social Roles Can Determine Success in Life
  Creating the right sales training environment
  Returning to Work After Maternity Leave

Article Tags: facilitation, facilitator, leader, manager



Related Forum Posts
Investment Advisors vs Faciltators - Investment advisors provide advise to investors on public companies or investments. Leadsco is a telemarketing company for advisors - providing leads. Investment advisors will not put you in touch with investors. Violates compliance regulations. Facilitators are the best way to help you with strategy and offering for private investors or venture capital.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Download a template or see a lawyer?

Fighting the Saw-Tooth Affect

Unharnessing Creativity in Business

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.