Facilitative Leadership is an approach that promotes a collaborative, strategic, and effective leadership styles. Drawing on the frameworks from the Interaction Associates, this short workshop for VISTAs in the Bonner Network explored some of the attributes of facilitative leadership including balancing results, process, and relationships and levels of decision making.

1. !"#$%$&"&$'(
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Introduce the concepts of Facilitative Leadership with an
opportunity to do some self reflection.
Expand your framework for understanding your own and others’
leadership potential, allowing you to reflect on your own
strengths and growing edges.
Utilize scenarios that you have collectively encountered and give
you a chance to Take 2 and develop new strategies & solutions.
Ariane Hoy - ahoy@bonner.org

2. Facilitative Leadership
Lead • er
a person who has
commanding
authority or influence
Fa • cil • i • tate
to make easier
Facilitative Leaders empower others to work together to
achieve common goals. They make it easier for people to:
• Contribute their ideas and expertise
• Speak up when they have problems
• Work with others
• Make and implement decisions
• Achieve high-quality results

3. What Facilitative Leaders Do
Coach
Guides others
towards improved
performance, self-
awareness, and full
potential
Team Leader
Manages the process
by which a team
accomplishes its goals
and tasks
Change Agent
Encourages
continuous
improvement of the
organization and
systems

4. Quick Inventory
Coach
Guides others towards
improved performance,
self-awareness, and full
potential
Team Leader
Manages the process by
which a team
accomplishes its goals
and tasks
Change Agent
Encourages continuous
improvement of the
organization and
systems
My Qualities My Strengths My Challenges

5. Eight Practices
Celebrate
Accomplishment
Team
Leader
Share an
Inspiring Vision
Focus on
Results,
Process, &
Relationship
Seek
Maximum
Appropriate
Involvement
Model Actions
that Facilitate
Collaboration
Design
Pathways
to
Action
Bring
Out the
Best in
Others
Build
the
Clock
Change Agent
Coach

6. Share an Inspiring Vision
Create and community an image of the
future and get others engaged in its
pursuit. Keep the mission out front.
Focus on Results, Process,
Relationships
Build a framework for performance and
satisfaction that balances what gets
done, the way it happens, and how
people treat each other.
Seek Maximum
Appropriate Involvement
Leverage the talent & interests of
others around you by including them
appropriately in the decision-making
process. Work to increase trust and
commitment through engagement.
Model Actions
that Facilitate Collaboration
Encourage diversity of opinion and
honor individual perspectives. Help
team members stay focused on task at
hand through modeling.
Design Pathways to Action
Guid others in planning how to solve
problems and realize opportunities.
Help people see alternatives when
implementing a plan. Provide a
roadmap.
Bring Out the Best in Others
Coach individuals to do their best.
Listen as an ally. Support the
expression of others’ ideas and
aspirations. Seek out the best in
oneself. Work to overcome obstacles.
Celebrate Accomplishment
Seize the moment to celebrate small
successes. Acknowledge individuals
and teams for their contributions.
Provide authentic praise.
Build the Clock
Build systems, talent, and structures so
that the work can continue (perhaps
even better) when you are gone.
Nurture new leadership.
Personal Development Plan
Where I’m strongest...
Where I need to
grow...

7. Take 2: Balancing Results,
Process, & Relationships
We got the job
done!
Focus on
Results,
Process, &
Relationship
But things were
confusing from
the beginning...
...and people
didn’t really listen
to me.

8. Take 2
Results
Focus on
Results,
Process, &
Relationship
Relationships
Do team members/
colleagues feel supported?
Do team members/
colleagues feel valued?
Do I trust others and feel
valued?
Process
Was the process
inclusive?
Was the process clear/
transparent?
Is/was the process
appropriate to the task
and context?
Were the results high-quality?
Did it get done on time?
Was your organization/those
involved satisfied?

9. Take 2Focus on
Results,
Process, &
Relationship
Scenarios
Analyze
Prepare
Role Play
Freeze/Switch
Discuss

10. Take 2: Seek Maximum
Appropriate Involvement
Level of
involvement
Seek
Maximum
Appropriate
Involvement
Time and Other Constraints
Decide &
announce
Gather input from
individuals & decide
Gather input from
team & decide
Use
Consensus
Delegate
decision with
constraints

11. Approach Advantages/Uses Disadvantages/Misuses Keys to Success
Delegate
decision
with
constraints
•Frees leader up for other work.
•Minimizes underming of the
decision.
•Develops leadership capacity
•Team may not have the skills,
experience, or perspective to make
informed decision.
•May take more time.
•Team may take on extraneous issues
(drift).
•Explain how people will be involved.
•Explain rationale and constraints (i.e., time, costs).
•Build in milestones for process and content
checks.
•Be available for questions.
Use
Consensus
•Educates through active
participation.
•High level of support for decision.
•Implementation can be quicker, due
to higher buy-in.
•May take more time, demand better
facilitation.
•Team members may not have
collaborative skills to agree.
•People may interpret leader’s choice of
consensus as weakness.
•Explain what consensus means in the given
situation and why you chose this mode.
•Outline contraints, including time and money/
resources.
•Identify a fallback level if consensus cannot be
reached.
Gather
input from
team &
decide
•More creative thinking because of
group synergy.
•Increased likelihood of well-
informed decision.
•People feel included and may be
more committed to implement.
•Takes more time; requires some
management of process.
•May surface issues or conflicts, at times
disruptive.
•If resulting decision is in conflict with
input, people may sabotage
implementation.
•Explain how people with be involved in decision
making and the rationale of the approach.
•Set guidelines for the type of involvement &
input.
•Set a time limit for the decision and results.
Gather
input from
individuals
& decide
•More relevant (differentiated)
information for decision.
•Increased likelihood that decision
will be carried out.
•Doesn’t require a meeting or
involvement of all players.
•Some players may feel arbitrarily
excluded or may not feel process was
as collaborative.
•If decision is in conflict with input,
players may undermine decision or be
less likely to implement well.
•Explain how people with be involved in decision
making and the rationale of the approach.
•Explain what considerations or criteria you will
use to make final decision (especially if input is not
all considered equal).
•Be clear about type of input/info you need.
Decide &
announce
•Decision can be made quickly and
deal with situations requiring
urgency or action.
•Leader is in immediate control.
•Implementation can begin quickly.
•May not be or may be perceived as ill-
informed, lack of process, or unfair.
•Those assigned to carry out may balk
at implementation.
•Those affected may harbor resentment.
•Explain the context for the decision (i.e.,
constraints, factors) and announce the decision
itself.
•Explain why you chose this approach.
Levels of Decision Making

12. Take 2Focus on
Results,
Process, &
Relationship
Scenarios
Analyze
Alternatives?
Role Play
Freeze/Switch
Discuss