Facilitator Mindset

Many times leaders are asked to step in and facilitate a meeting, and they do so without shifting into the mindset of a facilitator. Leader and facilitator are very different roles and it’s important to be conscious of those differences if you want your meeting to be productive.

Unlike a leader, a facilitator is a neutral participant focused on process rather than content. The duties of a facilitator include supporting the objectives of the group by stimulating discussion, managing the exchange of information, navigating conflict, inspiring creativity, recording data, guiding strategic processes, and following an agreed-upon agenda.

Core values for facilitation are:
Collaboration over competitive decision-making
Cooperation over resistance
Action over procrastination
Commitment over indifference
Honesty over insincerity
Acknowledgment over avoidance
Understanding rather than assuming
Progress over perfection
Options over ultimatums
Participation over observation