Facilitator Assessments LO9381

William J. Hobler, Jr (bhobler@worldnet.att.net)
Fri, 23 Aug 1996 08:22:47 -0400

Replying to LO9308 --

On August 21 Barry Mallis commented

>A facilitator can perhaps be assessed on understanding of team dynamics and
>the ability to interact appropriately.
>I am, of course, speaking about work which a facilitator does with teams.
>Also, I am defining a facilitator strictly as a PROCESS-oriented individual
>whose function is to keep a team on track with their work style, behavioral
>styles, team process.

Having recently revised and presented a three day workshop for meeting
facilitation I noted a need to more clearly define the usage of
'facilitator.' There is the role of assisting people in their approach
to work and to human relationships. This, to me, is a long term role much
like a coach or mentor.

There is the meeting facilitator role which is short term and episotic in
nature. The meeting facilitator is called in to help a small (or in large
group intervention perhaps large) group of people to assemble and achieve
some objective(s). In this case the facilitator must pay attention to the
group dynamics and the content of the meeting. By group dynamics
I include the meeting interpersonal dynamics and the dynamic of the larger
system culture on the possible meeting outcomes.

In this case the facilitator serves the team in the meeting by helping them
attain and sustain a dialog (helps them walk the ladder of inference), serves
the sponsor by focusing on the objectives and the organization by guiding
the group to outcomes that are possible within the culture.

This episotic facilitation requires a balance of process and content with a
good deal of servant based leadership. I think that good facilitators must
have high personal mastery. They must be able to place themselves in the
servant role without loosing their sence of self.

-- 

bhobler@worldnet.att.net Bill Hobler

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>