The Unique Roles of Team Leaders and Facilitators
A facilitator is one who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high quality decisions; and is a helper or enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance.
Effective facilitators[1]:
- Help members to assess their needs and create plans to meet them
- Provide processes that help members use their time efficiently to make high quality decisions
- Plan and run effective meetings
- Guide group discussions to keep them on track
- Take an accurate record of group discussions that reflect the ideas of members
- Make sure that assumptions are surfaced and tested
- Use consensus to help a group make decisions that take all members’ opinions into account
- Provide feedback to group members about their process
- Help the group communicate effectively
- Help to create a productive work environment
Effective team leaders draw together the team’s vision, a belief in the opportunity for change, and the ability to meaningfully involve others. Effective leaders establish a vision of the future; enlist others to embrace the vision; create change; and unleash the energy and talent of contributing members.
Effective leaders should:
- Lead team members through essential processes, such as creating a vision, mission, and goals for the team
- Understand the history and stakes of the work at hand
- Seek and provide external support and recognition for the team’s work
- Anticipate obstacles and challenges and respond to them efficiently
- Balance individual needs and the needs of the team
- Address behaviors that have a negative impact on group dynamics
- Encourage sharing of leadership responsibilities among team members
- Achieve consensus on important decisions
- Promote accountability of team members to each other for work that needs to be done
- Create an positive and productive work environment
Facilitators and leaders can both take on the following tasks to help assure the team’s success:
- Support balanced, equal, and effective participation by all team members
- Encourage team members to stay on task and meet essential deadlines
- Adapted from Bens, Ingrid (1999). Facilitation at a Glance! AQP/Participative Dynamics/GOAL/QPC.