Facilitation Underpin Leadership Roles

Dogherty et al (2010) argue that, facilitation tend to underpin leadership roles albeit it rarely mentioned as such. In an attempt to define facilitation, Kitson et al. (1998, p. 152) and contemporary authors such as Owen & Milburn (2001), Newton (2003) and Wallin et al. (2005a) defined facilitation as “a technique by which one person makes things easier for others”. Similarly, Harvey et al. (2002, p. 579), Scott & Snelgrove-Clarke (2008), Doran & Sidani (2007), Alkema & Frey (2006) and Ellis et al. (2005) asserted that, facilitation can be defined as “the process of enabling (making easier) the implementation of evidence into practice”. However, Stetler et al (2006, p.4) offered a more elaborate definition of facilitation as “a deliberate and valued process of interactive problem solving and support that occurs in the context of a recognised need for improvement and a supportive interpersonal relationship”. A school of thought advocates that, facilitation is a role of one person leading a team. Notably, Armson (2007) opined that, the primary aim of the facilitator is to encourage others to be reflective so as to understand gaps in performance and where changes can be made. Also, Lencioni (2004) a facilitator is a person who is trusted by the team, has knowledge of the organisation and is keen to help the team succeed rather than accomplish any personal objectives. On the other hand, Schwarz (2002, p. 5) argued that, “group facilitation is a process in which a person whose selection is acceptable to all members of the group, who is substantively neutral, and who has no substantive decision-making authority diagnoses and intervenes to help a group improve how it identifies and solves problems and makes decisions, to …show more content…
(2006) were of the view that, facilitation can be a mechanism for problem solving and noted two primary roles of a facilitator as interactive problem solving and ensuring group harmony in the context of a quality improvement