Leading as a Facilitator

Often when one thinks of the attributes of a true leader, one thinks of someone who always makes all the decisions, someone who takes charge no matter what, and who usually has the last word on everything. Through the years my understanding has been that this approach ends in leaders placing too much pressure on themselves, and not enough accountability in the hands of team members.

The other day, during a team meeting, these thoughts were going through my mind. And as I looked around the room, I realized that each member of my team was an expert in her or his own field. Some even have more years of experience than I have. And that’s when I understood something about my own approach to leadership.

For me, leadership is much more complex than just giving absolute directives and expecting them to be followed. We recruit people for specific roles by assessing them on a host of parameters, but ultimately it is because we trust them to have the expertise, skills and insight to fulfill their assigned roles. Which is why I believe in playing to the strengths of my team and providing alternatives to their areas of constant concern. I attempt to set the groundwork, provide the context, and illustrate the bigger picture. After this, I feel it’s crucial to leave the actual plan of action and execution to my team members. While the goal is clear, paving the way to achieve that goal is something every competent professional must do themselves.

Leadership doesn’t always have to be micro-managerial. Instead, it can be made productive by bringing together the right combination of attitudes and skills in a team, in the process smoothing out the hurdles each member faces. However, I’m always happy to step in and help out in case someone does face a difficult challenge.

Ultimately, I see it as correctly reading the situation and the individual in question, and then accordingly striking the balance between guidance and facilitation – to finally bring out the best in everyone, and the best in leadership.