[Master Facilitator Journal] Facilitation as a Leadership Style EZezine


Facilitation Skill 251: Facilitation as a Leadership StyleInternational Association of Facilitators
Master Facilitator Journal | Issue #0251, April 411 2006 ....
 

Dear friends,

Facilitation as a style of leadership is rapidly gaining ground. In an environment of rapid change, no single person can see all that is going on and that needs to be done. Command and control styles of leadership under these conditions break down and die. People on the front lines have the information they need to respond to changes rapidly once given the authority and tools they need to act. In this week's article, Facilitation as a Leadership Style, we contrast the Facilitative qualities of leadership with those of the visionary leader and the manager. While each of these styles has their place, we're finding that Facilitative Leadership is growing in popularity as as our processes and organizations become more complex.


FacilitatorU News

The Secrets to Designing Dynamic Workshops from Scratch.

Have you considered offering a workshop as a more efficient way to deliver training, enhance group learning and generate more income for your business? When done right, workshops are very effective ways to deliver topnotch training programs to groups. But this is often overshadowed by the misconception that workshops are complicated to create and deliver. Join us for this 5-day teleclass starting April 17th. See details at the end of this issue.


Have a great week!

Steve Davis
Publisher

  
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The Point


Facilitation as a Leadership Style
 Know when and where to use facilitative leadership.
Group Process Skill


"A facilitative leader is someone who acts on the premise that a leader does not do for others what they can do for themselves"
~ Fran Rees

Facilitation as a style of leadership is rapidly gaining ground. In an environment of rapid change, no single person can see all that is going on and that needs to be done. Command and control styles of leadership under these conditions break down and die. People on the front lines have the information they need to respond to changes rapidly once given the authority and tools they need to act.

Facilitative leadership isn't always appropriate, but it yields the best results when there's time to employ it. The type of leadership we employ depends on the abilities, situation, and culture of our organization. For instance, facilitative approaches often fall flat in groups who are just learning the basic skills their work demands, or who have temperaments that require constant direction. Further, in crisis situations, with little time for discussion, command and control is often the leadership style of choice.

How does Facilitative Leadership compare to Visionary Leadership and Management?
In their book, "Managers as Facilitators, Richard Weaver & John Farrell distinguish between the visionary leader, the manager, and facilitator. The following table from their book summarizes the differences between each of these three roles.
Application

Contrasting Visionary, Managerial, and Facilitative Leadership Traits.
Visionary Manager Facilitator
Concerned with doing the right thing Concerned with doing things right Concerned with helping people do things
Takes the long-term view Takes the short-term view Helps people find a view and articulate it
Concentrates on what and why Concentrates on how Helps people concentrate and be clear in the here and now
Thinks in terms of innovation, development, and the future Thinks in terms of administration, maintenance, and the present Helps people think, and helps them communicate their thoughts
Sets the vision: the tone and direction Sets the plan: the pace Helps people make meaning of tone and direction, and to function well at the required pace
Hopes others will respond and follow Hopes others will complete their tasks Hopes others will engage in the process
Appeals to hopes and dreams Monitors boundaries and defines limits Helps others make meaning of hopes and dreams; pushes appropriately on boundaries
Expects other to help realize a vision Expects others to fulfill their mission or purpose Helps others articulate a shared vision and common mission or purpose
Inspires innovation Inspires stability Helps people respond to things that are new and things that remain the same

From "Managers as Facilitators," by Richard Weaver & John Farrell, BK Press, 1997.

What do these characteristics bring up for you? Are there places where employing a more directive or visionary style might be appropriate for you? A more facilitative style?
Action
 
Review the table above and note if there are places where you are using one style of leadership that would be better served by using another. I look forward to your comments, insights or feedback about this article - just click reply and type them directly into this email.
Resource

Managers As Facilitators: A Practical Guide to Getting Work Done in a Changing Workplace, by Richard G. Weaver, John D. Farrell

This book is an excellent practical guide for assisting managers in accomplishing work through their people. As the manager's role becomes more of a facilitative one, this book can help individuals learn useful skills they can pull off the pages and put immediately into practice. The abundant tables and figures clearly illustrate the principles. The Quick Fix guide at the end of the book offers pragmatic solutions to common problems at work. I recommend this book to all my clients!
-- Dennis S. Reina, Ph.D. Principal, Chagnon & Reina Associates, Inc. Organizational Development Consultants dsreina@pwshift.com

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In the Spotlight

Calling all facilitators, trainers, coaches
and group leaders...

Have you considered offering a workshop as a more efficient way to deliver training, enhance group learning and generate more income for your business? 

When done right, workshops are very effective ways to deliver topnotch training programs to groups. But this is often overshadowed by the misconception that workshops are complicated to create and deliver.

Remove the fear and uncertainty of workshop design with this 5-day teleclass series: The Secrets to Designing Dynamic Workshops from Scratch, led by Steve Davis and Marion Franklin.

This class covers all the elements of workshop design using a simple, well-organized, and proven approach. This course, that you can take from the comfort of your own home or office, is for facilitators, trainers, coaches, who want to design relevant, engaging, experiential workshops for groups using a simple, proven formula that's easy to apply to any workshop topic.

Many thanks for a great experience. I received enough value before the first class to justify all of my costs – and it just kept getting better! I am now really looking forward to creating and delivering my upcoming workshop on retirement success -- can't honestly say that was true before the workshop. -- Doug Leland, Executive Coach & Retirement Specialist

Learn how to create a workshop that will entice your audience and deliver your message in a way that is impactful and memorable. By the end of the 5 days, you will:

  • Have learned how to chose a compelling topic for a workshop.
  • Have a new tool-belt of exercises and coaching skills to help enhance learning.  
  • Have a simple formula for creating workshops in any topic area.
  • Have completed the design of your own workshop,  following Marion's 7-step approach.
  • Have more confidence in dealing with the unexpected?
  • And much more..

When...
April 17th-21st, 2006, 10:00 AM Pacific, 1:00 PM Eastern (NY Time), one hour each day.


How the 5-Day Format/Training works...
1. Dial into your class every day for 5 days (Mon-Fri) for a 60-minute focused training segment using a conferencing bridge.
2. Work through a workbook during the 5 days (about an hour a day of study and field work) which will lead you through the design of your own workshop (optional).
3. You will have the opportunity to discuss issues on the subject matter with the instructor and your classmates via an online discussion forum during the course.
4. Access to the instructors via email for specific help.

Course Outline...
Here's what you'll be learning and doing during the 5-Day course...

Monday
Introduction to Workshop Design and Framing Your Message

  • Choosing a Great Topic, whether it's chosen for you or not.
  • Designing a Fresh, Memorable Title
  • Developing an Overriding Message
  • Design your own workshop week

Tuesday
Being Prepared: 10 Critical Behind the Scenes Strategies

  • Know Your Audience
  • Resolve Introduction Issues
  • Room Arrangements
  • Presentation Equipment/Accessories
  • Handouts
  • Workshop highlights
  • Practice your presentation
  • Dress professionally
  • Wear your own nametag
  • Eliminate Gaps

Wednesday
Knitting it All Together

  • Managing the three stages of a workshop
  • "The Beginning"
    - Building Trust and Rapport
    - Setting the Stage and Tone
    - Clarifying Objectives and Ground rules
    - Introductions
    - Icebreakers
  • "The Middle"
    - Delivering the content
    - Delivering your overriding message
    - Delivering experiences
    - Leaving them with inspired curiosity
  • "The End"
    - Reinforce learning and overriding message.
    - Clarify additional resources
    - Short promo about your services
  • JIT Coaching

Thursday
Experiential Exercises and Just-In-Time Coaching. 

  • Creating Experiential Exercises
    - Reflect on your experiences
    - Read about and reflect on the topic
    - Consult Exercise sources
    - Gather supporting material
    - Generalize Observations
  • Delivering Experiential Exercises
    - The Kolb Learning Cycle
    -     Timing
    - Adjusting to group specific needs
    - Managing emotional elements
  • JIT Coaching
    - Permission
    - Observe, question, comment

Friday
Icing on the Cake

  • 7 Tips to polish your workshop
    - Be yourself
    - Marketing Tips
    - Client relationship building
    - Extended relationships with participants.
    - Join Online Training Networks
    - Manage your time wisely
    - Handle difficult participants
  • Individual Coaching and Q&A


5 Free bonuses included with your training...
In addition to the 5-Day training described above, you also receive:

1. Free copy of the 7 Simple Secrets to Successful Workshops ($30 value)

2. Free access to audio interview with instructional design expert, Marg Wall for yet another perspective on workshop design in this one-hour session,
"How to Design Winning Workshops and Seminars that Inspire and Engage Your Audience." ($20 value) This comes with 3 additional bonuses.See details here.

3. Free access to the RealAudio version of the 5-Day training.

4. Participation on the class listserve to share questions and opportunities with your peers.

5. Access to Steve and Marion for virtual coaching on this subject throughout the week.

Pricing...
Our price for this class is only $89 including a free copy of the 7 Simple Secrets to Successful Workshops ($30 value) and "How to Design Winning Workshops" package ($20 value). Everything you read about above is included. And, we offer a 100%-satisfaction-guaranteed guarantee.

Dates...
April 17th-21st, 2006, 10:00 AM Pacific, 1:00 PM Eastern (NY Time), one hour each day.

"You gave us such great tips on how to organize and run a workshop. I now feel more confident and can't wait to schedule my next workshop."

Registration...

Immediately upon completion of your registration, you will receive an email with instructions to access the phone bridge, listserve, and teleclass workbook.

.

Click here to register
Register by April 1st for only $79


Self-Guided 5-Day Real Audio Version
If you'd like to learn this material at your own pace and on your own schedule, you can purchase the real audio version of this teleclass complete with the workbook and all the other bonuses above. You'll be provided with access to recorded offerings of the five-hour teleclass (5 hours total) that you can listen to online and follow along in the workbook used in the live class.

Self-Guided

Click here to purchase the
Real Audio Version for $69.

Self-Guided 5-Day CD Version
The Compact Disk (CD) version comes with all of the self-guided features listed above, together with 5 CD's you'll receive by mail that you can listen to anywhere you have access to a CD player.

Self-Guided

Click here to purchase the CD Version for $79
plus $4 Shipping and Handling

FacilitatorU.com Membership Option

Become a member of FacilitatorU.com premium member and receive this self-guided teleclass at half price in addition to a host of other items and benefits. An exceptional value. Click here for details.

One-Day Live Version

Interested in a one-day "live" version of this class offered to your group? Contact us to discuss options.

About Marion

Marion Franklin is a Professional Certified Life Coach who coaches individuals and groups regarding personal and professional change, focus, human relations, and conflict management. Marion has coached managers at major corporations including PepsiCo, Toys’R’Us, and Reader’s Digest. She conducts and helps clients design workshops and presentations, has been a featured presenter at meetings, retreats, and an ongoing Women’s Workshop Series, has been cited in The Journal News and The Wall Street Journal, and has appeared on local Cable Television.

Testimonials

Listen to what others have said about previous classes on workshop design with Marion Franklin...

What a great workshop! I'm looking forward to implementing what I gleaned from this workshop into my own workshops.

The class was packed! I loved it! It was so helpful and moved at a nice clip. I have created workshops for 10 years and this gave me some information that I had missed!! Well delivered and engaging. I learned a lot. It is definitely an art.

Excellent class. I am in the process of developing two different workshops and this class helped me get over a hump with both of them!

Here are what people are saying about Marion's book, "7 Simple Secrets to Successful Workshops" which comes with this course...

7 Simple Secrets to Successful Workshops is a fabulous resource. I have avoided putting a workshop together for over two years, for fear of how to begin, how to put it together, how to be sure it lasts long enough, what to say, and how to not make a complete fool out of myself. After reading this ebook, I feel like I could put together a workshop that I would be proud of by this afternoon.

7 Simple Secrets To Successful Workshops makes it easy for coaches, trainers and facilitators who are new to developing and delivering workshops. I wish this material had been available when I began my own workshops, but this eBook reminds me to stick to the basics when developing new workshops.

About the satisfaction guarantee

If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with this training, simply email us with a request to refund/credit your credit card in the full amount and we will do so immediately. It's our policy to do this and we honor this in every single case.

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