Why facilitation is the future of leadership ?
An article about the importance of facilitation mindset
Importance of facilitation mindset.
More and more leaders from all walks of life are looking for new ways to exercise their leadership.
The image of the hero leader who tries to do everything, who directs, manages, imposes and makes decisions alone from the top of his pyramid is losing its luster.
More and more of us aspire to something different and more and more people feel called to step out of the box and contribute to the fullness of their potential.
And thankfully so, because the challenges we face today invite us to rethink the way we work and move towards more collaborative approaches that allow for everyone’s sincere and full contribution!
Our ever-changing environment requires an agile mindset and an ability to adapt quickly to new circumstances.
New forms of leadership are emerging… participative leadership, shared leadership or rotary leadership, all of which shed new light on the roles we can choose to play to help generate inclusive teams and new collective dynamics that are more lively, effective and satisfying.
Today, leadership is about activating others, unleashing the potential of each person, creating alignment.
Beyond words, what we are inviting everyone to do is to broaden their perception of the roles they can play within the collectives to which we belong. We focus on facilitating the emergence of the collective and the talents of each individual.
1. Facilitate from who you are and what drive you
Contribute to the collective processes with all that you are, without making yourself bigger or smaller. What you do makes a difference, and you must decide what kind of difference you want to make. The group is a fertile ground that is enriched by your contribution. The more you give of yourself, the more you receive from the group. The giver receives.
2. Live fully in the moment
Cultivate an appropriate quality of presence with others. No matter what you have planned and what activities follow, make sure you stay fully connected to what is happening in the moment. If you have already moved on to the next activity in your head while you are engaging participants, they will sense it. Your engagement is intimately connected to the group’s engagement. Beyond the words you speak, your body speaks and the people around you can read it. If you are motivated by the exchanges, sincerely challenged by the questions asked, the group will feel it.
3. Cultivate your curiosity
Cultivate curiosity about the people present, about the group, about the process itself, what is happening? What are you reading between the lines? What does the group need? That is a fundamental key. By focusing on the group you will avoid getting lost in your own concerns or ideas. The group is alive and evolving all the time, so follow it.
4. Practice the art of invitation
In your role, you have the power to facilitate sharing. Create a space for everyone to speak at their own pace. Create connections between ideas. Highlight the common meaning that emerges from the discussion.
Nourish the group with your experience and create spaces of permission that allow everyone to position themselves in relation to what you are proposing. A true invitation is ready for a no. If they feel that they can say no, participants have the opportunity to choose to sincerely engage in the exploration. And that momentum of commitment is critical to how they will attend.
The Power of Facilitation
While external factors can influence the direction of an organization, the real drivers of change are the people in your organization. You are the one in the driver’s seat.
The true value of leadership lies in its ability to collaborate and get people to collaborate.
