Steve Davis (in his regular newsletter) has been thinking about Facilitation as a leadership style and brings up a table created by Richard Weaver & John Farrell in their book Managers as Facilitators. I’ve pulled out a few rows that I found interesting, but read Steve for the fuller story. Some of this made me smile, in recognition that facilitation sometimes feels like a weird job. I think this grid points towards some of the distinctions between facilitating and taking control.
Visionary | Manager | Facilitator |
Concerned with doing the right thing | Concerned with doing things right | Concerned with helping people do things |
Takes the long term view | Takes the short term view | Helps people find a view and articulate it |
Hopes others will respond and follow | Hopes others will complete their tasks | Hopes others will engage in the process |
Inspires innovation | Inspires stability | Helps people respond to things that are new and things that remain the same |
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