Role of the FacilitatorRole of the FacilitatorDairy Profit TeamsDairy Profit Teams

Slide Source:Richard StupPenn State Dairy Alliance(814) 865-4683RichStup@psu.edu

Facilitator’s Role for Teams

Why is a facilitator a key role for teams? Who should facilitate? What are the facilitators duties? What are some tips and tools for facilitators?

Note: Facilitator Job Description is a separate file.

Why is facilitator a key role for teams?

Teams are a major investment for any organization. Facilitation is needed to ensure the best use of that investment.

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A Facilitator is…

One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions.

A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance.

From: Bens, I. (1999). Facilitation at a Glance.

Who Should Facilitate?

Who Should Facilitate?

Someone who is a . . . Good communicator Supporter of teams Good listener Good organizer

Who Should Facilitate? Someone who . . .

Can help to establish ground rules Includes everyone in process Understands problem

solving process

What are the duties of the facilitator?

Facilitator Duties: During the Meeting Focus the team on increased:

Productivity, profitability, and satisfaction Oversee Profit Team process

Data analyses, SWOT analyses, goal setting,action planning, and monitoring

Ask probing questions Raise issues Foster trusting atmosphere Involve everyone in the discussion

Facilitator Duties: During the Meeting Summarize discussion Help others to listen Implement ground rules Monitor agenda and progress Assign responsibility for action items Celebrate successes

Facilitator Duties: Outside the Meeting Formalize ground rules Set agenda with the owner Design a system of tracking critical data Design a system of communication

Minutes, notes, phone calls, action plans, progress reports with the team and others

Facilitator Duties: Outside the Meeting (cont’d)

Write action plans which:determine tasks, spread workload, set deadlines

Learn more about advisory team process Suggest methods to

improve team outcomes

What are some core practices and tools for facilitators?

Note: Tools are available in a separate file.

Facilitator Core Practices

Stay neutral Listen actively Ask questions Paraphrase Synthesize ideas

Stay on track… manage digression

Offer clear summaries Give and receive

feedback

Standard Ground RulesProcess Rules

There must be open discussion of ideas

Explain your reasoning and intent Use specific examples and agree

on the meaning of important words

Team and farm interests drive decisions, not individual interests or positions

The team provides advice, but the producer makes the final decisions

Behavioral Rules All data and discussions are

confidential No one person dominates the

meeting Respect each others’ opinions Meetings start and end on time

Process Tools

Visioning Brainstorming Nominal group

technique Force field analysis Gap analysis Multi-voting

Goal (Priority) setting

Root cause analysis

Decision grids Systematic

problem solving

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you

tend to see every problem as a nail.” --Abraham Maslow

Process Tools

1. Force field analysis2. Decision grid3. Meeting process evaluation4. Facilitator evaluation 5. Team member analysis6. Goal-setting worksheet7. Problem-solving model

Being a Facilitator

Is about leading a problem solving process that uses people’s time more efficiently.. And arrives at

better solutions

Summary

Facilitators play key role in Profit Teams. Facilitator assists producer in guiding the team. Does not need to have an interest in the dairy Additional time and effort is required. Facilitator tools are available on the website.

Summary, con’t

Facilitation is critical to effective group process

Facilitators need to learn the core practices and expand their toolboxes

Good facilitators help team succeed, BUT the final outcome of the team is everyone’s responsibility.

Questions?