KnowledgeBases > Team Facilitator
Team Facilitator - Integrated Product & Process Development
Traits and Responsibilities of a Team Facilitator:
The primary responsibility of the Team Facilitator is to ensure the team functions effectively and efficiently. The responsibilities of the facilitator weigh more heavily toward team maintenance functions than team task functions. The following facilitator guidelines apply.
The team facilitator must have excellent communication skills with emphasis on active listening. He or she...
-
Is a non-voting team member who focuses on the decision making process rather than the content or outcome of the decision making process. The facilitator remains neutral and does not influence decisions but steps back from team activities which allows an unbiased view of team processes.
-
Supports the team leader in effective administration and functioning of the team.
-
Clearly understands team tasking, goals and desired outcomes.
-
Assists in keeping the team on target-focused on tasking and on problem resolution.
-
Understands group dynamics and employs the conflict resolution process.
-
Actively seeks information/opinions from low participators.
-
Actively summarizes discussion progress and points made.
-
Makes suggestions for best way to proceed when team progress slows or stops.
-
Acts as a "gatekeeper" to ensure no member is excluded from team activities.
-
Acts as a consensus builder and verifier.
-
Continually builds trust among members.
-
Actively relieves tension and stress during debate and conflict resolution.
-
Acts as a process observer who watches for disruptive behaviors that are detrimental to accomplishment of team tasking and takes appropriate corrective action when necessary. Some disruptive behaviors requiring constructive feedback:
Members who interrupt others.
Members who look for recognition by degrading other's ideas/opinions.
Members who look for individual recognition instead of team recognition.
Members who intentionally block communications or distort comments from others.
Members who attempt to assert authority over other members as a way of influencing tasking outcomes.
-
Aggressively obtains/coordinates special resources and training the team may need.
-
Provides assistance to the team in development of management presentations.
-
Provides feedback to team leader on observations made during team meetings.
-
Provides guidance and assistance in development of the action plan.
-
Provides assistance in evaluating team effectiveness and providing suggestions for improvement.
Source:
Northrop Grumman Ship Building, Newport News, Virginia.
Print this page