Managers as Facilitators

"Managers who fail to learn facilitation skills are getting buried."

"Only by knowing the task can a facilitator choose the most helpful, practical actions."

"Being clear about the assignment it has received from the organization helps the group successfully complete its work. Telling the organization how it plans to fulfill the assignment helps the organization know what to expect from the group."

"Effective facilitators know how to use themselves as an instrument to help groups be more successful."

"It is from diversity that the richest, most productive ideas arise."

"Productive groups are not magically created by bringing together a collection of individuals."

"Groups struggle with conflict because they lack experience in dealing with it effectively."

"Achieving goals that contribute to fulfilling the group's purpose and the organization's mission is what good group performance is all about."

"A facilitator who cannot listen well is no facilitator at all."

"Boundaries define the limits of interactions between group members, how group members work with each other, fundamental elements of the work itself, and what constraints are imposed on the group from outside."

"Facilitators must understand the nature of change processes, how group members may be experiencing particular changes, and how changes impact the work of a group."