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• periodically summarize the group consensus on issues to validate
and clarify the progress of the discussion within meetings;
• help the group move toward achieving useful organizational
outcomes in the meeting; and

• give the group a sense of accomplishment.
Beyond the meeting environment, what sets a facilitative leader apart from

other leaders is that he or she:

• Does not evaluate or criticize ideas coming out of the group;
• Enables rather than directs the group process, focusing on a problem-
solving approach;
• Knows how to ask questions instead of giving answers;

• Strives for consensus decision-making;
• Helps the organization move toward becoming a team and achieving
useful organizational outcomes;
• Provides a neutral perspective throughout the team process;

• Encourages team behavior in the organization’s planning and
working;
• Helps find win/win solutions so that everyone receives benefits; and
• Makes sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate and that
no one dominates a discussion.

A good facilitator is an effective communicator. He or she works to ensure

a culture of two-way communicating that emphasizes active listening as
well as demonstrating a caring concern for one another. The
communication skills previously discussed are an important consideration
in gaining the skill of facilitating.

Another of the important facilitation skills is the ability to promote dialogue
in the organization rather than limiting interaction to mere discussion.
Discussion is the way that most people communicate. Discussion is

certainly communication, but often it is like a ping-pong game going back
and forth and leading nowhere. During discussion, ideas are presented
and the parties involved analyze them from their particular points of view.
As a result, discussion tends to be competitive with a goal of winning, and
therefore can foster disagreement, frustration, and confusion. If you are
only listening in order to prepare your own counter-arguments, you are
involved in a discussion. During the discussion you will support your idea

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