Facilitative leadership: one approach to empowering staff and other stakeholders.

ABSTRACT

THIS ARTICLE DEFINES FACILITATIVE LEADERSHIP as advocated by Roger Schwarz and describes the use of this relatively new leadership approach in a public library system. It lists and defines the four core values followed in Schwarz's approach: valid information, free and informed choice, internal commitment, and compassion. It further describes the use of left-hand column cases as developed by Chris Argyris to identify one's own theory in use. Model one and model two theories in use as developed by Argyris are discussed. The article then briefly describes the experiences of using the Schwarz principles in a library organization.

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Facilitative leadership is a term that is used for a number of different methods of providing leadership within the workplace. Many different trainers and organizations use the term. It means different things to each of them. A quick Internet search results in many hits for the term. Educators use it to describe a way of leading school change. Religious leaders use it to describe a way of leading congregations. Consultants use it to describe ways of leading organizations. One consultant group (Interaction Associates) has even registered the phrase as a trademark. All involve some sort of training in new ways to lead people or organizations.

Fran Rees is one of a handful of authors on the subject of facilitative leadership. She identifies leadership skills along a continuum from persuasion through collaboration to facilitation and says that at various times a leader must be prepared to engage each approach. She writes:

 
   The leader who can take the role of a facilitator blends his or 
   her role of visionary decisive leader with that of listening and 
   empowering leader. As a facilitative leader he or she involves 
   followers as much as possible in creating the group's vision and 
   purpose, carrying out the vision and purpose, and building a 
   productive and cohesive team. Facilitation can be seen as a 
   leadership approach. (Rees, 1998, pp. 17-18) 

In another of her works, Rees identifies a basic tenet of facilitative leadership: "A facilitative leader is someone who acts on the premise that a leader does not do for others what they can do for themselves" (Rees, 2001, p. 60).

Roger Schwarz devotes a full chapter in his classic work on facilitation to defining and elaborating on the concept of facilitative leadership (Schwarz, 2002, pp. 327-343). "Facilitative leadership is a values-based, systemic leadership philosophy founded on the core values and assumptions, principles, and methods of the Skilled Facilitator approach. The facilitative leader helps groups and individuals become more effective through building their capacity to reflect on and improve the way they work" (Schwarz, 2002, p. 327). Following a discussion of the need for a new approach to leadership, Schwarz continues: "Organizations need the type of leader who works from a set of core values consistent with the concepts of empowerment, commitment, collaboration, learning, and partnership. The core values and principles underlying the Skilled…