This article might answer the question that’s been dogging many leaders these days: “why are we getting so little from our management team meetings?” As usual, we ask these leaders to look in the mirror.
There’s a natural assumption that the person who calls a meeting, often the most senior attendee (or client), should also ‘run’ the meeting. This person’s role is described as ‘Chair’ or ‘Facilitator’, often interchangeably. However, depending on the purpose of the meeting, or the skills of this anointed individual, this passive decision may undermine the potential for meeting success.
The Chair of a meeting, like the Chair of a Board, is likely in charge of the content and/or the people. They have the formal authority to lead the discussion, whether or not they are able to do it well. A Facilitator on the other hand, often 3rd party, is singularly in charge of process. Their only job is to foster a productive discussion and to ensure that clear decisions are made.
Facilitators ensure that all voices are heard during a brainstorm. They challenge observers to speak their ideas, rather then holding on to them for post-meeting “I told you so’s.” They ask the dumb questions and without fear of embarrassment. They even force the insufferable devil’s advocate to either present their own positive suggestions or to be quiet.
Many Chairs actually run good meetings. However, once the conversation heats up and the stakes rise, they will invariably remove their process hat and put on their management hat in order to achieve a desired outcome. If the same person controls the agenda, the discussion and the white board marker, then the rest of the participants are merely taking up seats in the room. Chairs can undermine their own credibility by jamming home a decision in a meeting while pretending to seek input and alternatives. A professional Facilitator won’t likely have the ability, or the temptation, to cross this line.
Given the current climate of uncertainly, Chair-led meetings are getting even worse. In many meetings, high-paid managers sit around waiting for the Chair to speak so that they can nod their heads in unison, securing favor. This uncertainty shakes the foundation of teamwork as people are more apt to protect their turf or be suspicious of the unspoken motives of their peers. A Facilitator will point to the ‘elephants in the room’ and influence the conversation flow accordingly.
A good Facilitator is like a good referee. They oversee the action trying to maximize flow and minimize interruptions. At the end of the game the players shouldn’t be talking about the referees and meeting attendees shouldn’t be talking about the Facilitator’s opinions. What they should be describing is their own vigorous debate around the issues and their commitment to implementing the decisions made.