Role of the FacilitatorRole of the FacilitatorDairy Profit TeamsDairy Profit Teams
Slide Source:Richard StupPenn State Dairy Alliance(814) [email protected]
Facilitator’s Role for Teams
Why is a facilitator a key role for teams? Who should facilitate? What are the facilitators duties? What are some tips and tools for facilitators?
Note: Facilitator Job Description is a separate file.
Why is facilitator a key role for teams?
Teams are a major investment for any organization. Facilitation is needed to ensure the best use of that investment.
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A Facilitator is…
One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions.
A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance.
From: Bens, I. (1999). Facilitation at a Glance.
Who Should Facilitate?
Who Should Facilitate?
Someone who is a . . . Good communicator Supporter of teams Good listener Good organizer
Who Should Facilitate? Someone who . . .
Can help to establish ground rules Includes everyone in process Understands problem
solving process
What are the duties of the facilitator?
Facilitator Duties: During the Meeting Focus the team on increased:
Productivity, profitability, and satisfaction Oversee Profit Team process
Data analyses, SWOT analyses, goal setting,action planning, and monitoring
Ask probing questions Raise issues Foster trusting atmosphere Involve everyone in the discussion
Facilitator Duties: During the Meeting Summarize discussion Help others to listen Implement ground rules Monitor agenda and progress Assign responsibility for action items Celebrate successes
Facilitator Duties: Outside the Meeting Formalize ground rules Set agenda with the owner Design a system of tracking critical data Design a system of communication
Minutes, notes, phone calls, action plans, progress reports with the team and others
Facilitator Duties: Outside the Meeting (cont’d)
Write action plans which:determine tasks, spread workload, set deadlines
Learn more about advisory team process Suggest methods to
improve team outcomes
What are some core practices and tools for facilitators?
Note: Tools are available in a separate file.
Facilitator Core Practices
Stay neutral Listen actively Ask questions Paraphrase Synthesize ideas
Stay on track… manage digression
Offer clear summaries Give and receive
feedback
Standard Ground RulesProcess Rules
There must be open discussion of ideas
Explain your reasoning and intent Use specific examples and agree
on the meaning of important words
Team and farm interests drive decisions, not individual interests or positions
The team provides advice, but the producer makes the final decisions
Behavioral Rules All data and discussions are
confidential No one person dominates the
meeting Respect each others’ opinions Meetings start and end on time
Process Tools
Visioning Brainstorming Nominal group
technique Force field analysis Gap analysis Multi-voting
Goal (Priority) setting
Root cause analysis
Decision grids Systematic
problem solving
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you
tend to see every problem as a nail.” --Abraham Maslow
Process Tools
1. Force field analysis2. Decision grid3. Meeting process evaluation4. Facilitator evaluation 5. Team member analysis6. Goal-setting worksheet7. Problem-solving model
Being a Facilitator
Is about leading a problem solving process that uses people’s time more efficiently.. And arrives at
better solutions
Summary
Facilitators play key role in Profit Teams. Facilitator assists producer in guiding the team. Does not need to have an interest in the dairy Additional time and effort is required. Facilitator tools are available on the website.
Summary, con’t
Facilitation is critical to effective group process
Facilitators need to learn the core practices and expand their toolboxes
Good facilitators help team succeed, BUT the final outcome of the team is everyone’s responsibility.
Questions?