The Team Leader as a Facilitator

A resident of Naples, FL, Kara Down is a principal consultant with NTT Data. Previously, Kara Down of Naples, FL, was an implementation consultant with Wells Fargo where she led various teams in the completion of strategic projects. 

Leading organizational teams takes significant effort and commitment. While there are many hats a team leader must put on, facilitation is one of the most important. It starts with fostering unity among members. A team leader must bring people together, set a goal for everyone to work toward, and establish the individual roles each must play. He or she must align everyone to a single goal and then guide them to achieve it. 

Team leaders should also go out of their way to break the ice among members. They can initiate activities that bring people together such as celebrating birthdays or having bonding sessions outside work. These are all great as long as personal boundaries are established and maintained.

Once everyone is comfortable around each other, the leader should provide motivation and mentorship to team members. He or she should also encourage members to support each other. All of his or her efforts should be aligned toward meeting the group’s goal. In addition, the team leader should create a supportive environment for team members to work together peacefully, removing roadblocks that could hinder progress. In the end, facilitation is also about guiding everyone along the journey and creating an appropriate environment for good performance.