In a recent alignment planning session with a dedicated team of leaders, I was energized and inspired by the commitment to collaborative work and our time together. Each leader took the time to dive deep into their peers' work, in the form of strategies, that were captured in the alignment plan. This collaboration fostered a sense of collective purpose by identifying support roles needed from the different teams in order to deploy the drafted strategies and prioritize their work in a way that scaffolded success toward achieving the key performance indicators (KPIs), objectives, and goals. One of the most striking moments came when I looked at the room and realized something powerful: you couldn’t tell who the department leader was among the group. Everyone, including the department leader, was standing together, actively contributing to the discussion, adding sticky notes to the jumbo-sized alignment plan that was captured on blueprint paper to help see the forest and trees when needed.
As a facilitative leader, this moment was a testament to the power of shared leadership. Leading up to this onsite work session, the initial part of the journey started with the department leader and her team having me come in to facilitate an onsite work session that resulted in co-constructed goals and objectives for their three-year alignment plan, which was done using a collective discovery process. The work that followed included the creation of KPIs and a draft of strategies. This was made possible by facilitating several 2:1 virtual meetings between the department leader and individual team leaders to draft strategies where each person would take the lead in key areas. By seeking to understand her team’s work more deeply, the department leader shifted from overseeing the team to standing beside them as a true collaborator. This process didn’t just create alignment, it began to change the culture. By the time we got to our final onsite work session, that included all of the leaders, the team leaders expressed their appreciation for the department leader’s decision to pause the reactive, crisis-driven pace and carve out protected time to focus on collaborative, forward-thinking planning. One team leader stated, “I am excited and feel more connected as a group.”
Can You Spot the Leader?
Take a look at the picture I’ve included. Can you tell who is the leader of the group? What I love about this image is how it captures the essence of facilitative leadership. The department leader isn’t standing back and watching her team work; she’s right there, engaged with them, adding her own sticky notes and thoughts to the alignment plan. This is what facilitative leadership looks like in action; it is where titles fade and the focus shifts to achieving shared goals together.
Here is how I partnered with the department leader and the team leaders to get to this point:
Create a Shared Vision: In order to move forward together with shared ownership, a facilitative leader takes the time needed to make sure all members understand and have ownership in where the team is going together. The vision and goals are clear.
Tip: A vision and the goals that support it are clear when all members can articulate what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like for the different stakeholders who contribute to and benefit from that vision.
Understand Before Acting: Facilitative leadership starts with understanding. In our 2:1 meetings, the department leader took time to grasp each team leader's work and contributions. This not only positioned her to support their success but also fostered a culture of trust.
Tip: As a facilitative leader, see yourself in a way that serves your team by understanding their work (not necessarily as the expert of their work), championing their work, and removing barriers that get in the way of their work. You are likely at certain tables or are part of conversations that may not always include the team leaders; however, you serve them by representing them with a deep understanding of their work so that you can help champion their work and remove barriers.
Collaborate on Equal Ground: Create spaces where all voices carry equal weight. This empowers the team to contribute without feeling overshadowed by hierarchy.
Tip: Having an outside facilitator/consultant helps to position leaders to work alongside the larger team. In the recent onsite work session, the department leader and team leaders analyzed the alignment plan together, created a shared responsibility for decision-making, and started to collectively prioritize strategy deployment. If hiring an outside facilitator is challenging, using intentional discussion-based protocols and visible thinking tools can help.
Protect Time for the Future, Not Just the Fires: Shifting from a reactive to a proactive mindset takes intention. The team leaders appreciated their department leader for focusing on the future and creating a cohesive plan rather than always firefighting.
Tip: During planning sessions, encourage teams to map out long-term goals and the steps needed to reach them, keeping an eye on big-picture outcomes. Make this a regular part of your meetings. Even a small amount of time focused on the future (that is consistently incorporated into team meetings, 1:1 meetings, etc.) will help the team to move forward. Baby steps or big steps, they are both steps forward.
As we wrapped up the recent onsite work session, it was clear that this wasn’t just about hitting KPIs or deploying strategies. It was about transforming the way this group worked together, from operating in silos to building synergy. That is where intention, integrity and compassion came into play, three of the core values that I always include in this type of work. By fostering open dialogue and collective ownership, the team didn’t just align their strategies, they also aligned their purpose.
In the end, facilitative leadership is about creating the conditions where collaboration thrives, curiosity is embraced, and individual strengths contribute to a greater whole; acting with synergy is at the forefront of the process. Watching the department leader embody the beliefs and techniques of a facilitative leader in service to her team was extremely rewarding. It was a reminder of how powerful and transformative this style of leadership, facilitative leadership, can be for leaders, teams, and those they collectively serve.
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