Roles of a Facilitator
What is a Facilitator
• Facilitators are to use various tools, techniques
and methodologies to assist teams with increasing
the effectiveness of accomplishing their objectives
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
1. Prior to the meeting
a.
Assist the leader with planning for the meeting
b.
Develop an agenda and ensure it is distributed in a
timely manner
c.
Anticipate possible roadblocks and plan for them
d.
Determine with the leader if contact should be made
in advance to specific team members
e.
Check to see if the logistics are arranged (room
reserved, refreshments, equipment needed, etc.)
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
2. During the meeting
a. The team leader should lead the overall meeting
B. The facilitator will actually lead the meeting on
specific agenda topics
c. Assist the leader with managing the “process” and
stay out of the “content”
d. Remind team and individual members when they are
not following Team Operating Procedures
e. Watch for good balanced participation all team
members
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
2. During the meeting
f. Introduce tools and provides specific training that the
team needs to use them
g. Remind the team if they are drifting from their agenda
or objective
h. Ensure the team finalizes the Action Register
including developing plans for future meetings,
finalizing and distributing documents, etc.
i. Conduct a Process Check at the end of the meeting
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
3. After the meeting
a. Meet with the leader to debrief the meeting
i.
Identify what went well
ii.
Determine what to do to make the next meeting
even better
iii.
Give the leader feedback regarding his or her
behavior
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
4. Between meetings
a. Work with leader between meetings doing what is
appropriate to ensure that process continues at a
satisfactory pace
b. Ensure appropriate interaction with the Sponsor
c. Be available for assistance to any team member
d. Assist with resolving conflicts between members
Roles, Responsibilities and Activities
5. General
a. Always be looking for barriers that might keep from
accomplishing the objective in the timeframe
expected. Take the appropriate action that would
typically be to discuss the observation with the Team
Leader or Sponsor.
b. Act as a neutral party with all involved; never take
sides
c. Assist with improving communications and building
relationships
Ten Commandments of Facilitation
1. Do not do anything the team can do for itself.
2. Intervene only to satisfy the team's needs (not your own).
3. Wait before intervening; give team members time to correct
the problem for themselves.
4. Start and end with validating the individual.
5. Avoid editing; let the team use its own methods and
language.
Ten Commandments of Facilitation
6. Try to speak no longer than 30 seconds at a time.
7. Do more asking than telling. Do more listening than
talking.
8. Do not try to take over the team. It always backfires.
9. When you hear the same thing for the third time, intervene.
10. When the group falls silent, that is your cue to keep silent.