Additional insights into the facilitator role are offered by Beyond Intractability project participants.
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Facilitators are neutrals who help a group work together more effectively. They may work with small groups within an organization, or with representatives of different organizations who are working together in a collaborative or consensus-building process. The facilitator may be internal or external (that is, brought in from an outside organization). Either way, he or she must be acceptable to all members of the group. Facilitators are process leaders only -- they have no decision-making authority, nor do they contribute to the substance of the discussion. The facilitator's job is to:
- lead the group process;
- help improve the group's communication,
- help them examine and solve problems, and
- help them make decisions.[1]
Good facilitators can help groups stay on task, be more creative, efficient, and productive than they would be without such help.
For more information on what facilitators do, see the more extensive article on facilitation in the "intervention" section of the knowledge base.
Use the following to cite this article:
Spangler, Brad. "Facilitators." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: January 2004 <http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/facilitators/>.
Sources of Additional, In-depth Information on this Topic
Additional Explanations of the Underlying Concepts:
Online (Web) Sources
Melamed, James C. Communication and Facilitation Skills.
Available at: http://www.mediate.com/divorce/pg54.cfm.
This page is the 7th chapter of a mediation training manual. It examines the facilitation skills of mediators for a number of mediation situations.
Kraybill, Ron. "Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation." Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management.
http://www.berghof-handbook.net/articles/kraybill_handbook.pdf.
This article describes a number of skills and tools facilitators can use to help transform their selves at personal and interpersonal levels, in situations of group conflict. This article also explores the question: "What makes these communication skills and tools 'transformative'?"
Offline (Print) Sources
The Facilitator Excellence Handbook: Helping People Work Creatively and Productively Together. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1998.
This book provides a clear discussion of facilitation and the skills involved in helping groups work effectively together. The author outlines basic facilitation skills, an array of specific methods and tools, and ways to design facilitations. The book also discusses the "artistic" aspects of facilitation.
Schwartz, Roger M. The Skilled Facilitator: Practical Wisdom for Developing Effective Groups. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, April 1, 1994.
This book provides consultants, managers, and leaders with a practical reference for guiding groups toward achieving their creative and problem-solving goals.
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Examples Illustrating this Topic:
Offline (Print) Sources
Carpenter, Susan L. and W. J. D. Kennedy. "Examples of the Facilitator's Role." In Managing Public Disputes: A Practical Guide for Professionals in Government, Business and Citizen's Groups. John Wiley & Sons, July 31, 2001. Pages: 31-32, 33-34, 37-38, 42-43.
These excerpts of Managing Public Disputes provide examples of the role that facilitators can play in orchestrating communication between disputing parties in dispute resolution processes. The case examples in this chapter cover several public dispute situations in which a facilitator was required to increase understanding between parties.
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