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1 skill to get the best ideas from a meeting
6/7/2017 The Principal Entrepreneur: 1 skill to get the best ideas from a meeting
The principal as facilitator is often an under appreciated skill. I was recently at a meeting where the superintendent did a good job of facilitating and NOT leading the meeting. We were discussing a criteria for student awards and while he did have an agenda and points of view he made sure to step back and guide so his ideas didn’t dominate the discussion.
For a leader switching to the role of facilitator and listener isn’t always easy. Those in the room will continually look to you for affirmation. Remaining neutral both in language and in facial expression is necessary. You don’t want to unconsciously nod with comments you agree with thus shutting down others points of view.
Another example that demonstrates this concept occurred while I was an assistant principal. The principal in my former building was a great facilitator and I learned a lot from watching him work in leadership meetings. Like the superintendent, he not only set the agenda but asked questions so that he could get the best ideas from the others around the table.
One of the programs we were looking at implementing was an after school academy. The principal set his vision of what this would look like. He then presented this idea to the leadership team and fostered conversation about what the program could be. The other participants added their ideas and at the end he was able to summarize their main points and present a coherent plan.
This plan had many of the aspects that the others advocated for and he was able to create by being a great facilitator.
Facilitating is a necessary skill if you want to be an effective principal. When you go into the meeting you do want to have an agenda so you’ll stay on topic. You also want to have a list of questions to help guide the conversation. Finally you want to have some method for summarizing and finalizing the points of the meeting so at the end there is a sense of accomplishment.
What are some other skills that a good facilitator should have? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you’re a principal make sure you check out the new grant/scholarship available that honors the hard work you put in on a daily basis. K12 principals click here to learn more
For more short articles and tips that support educational leaders check out my blog at the http://www.theprincipalentrepreneur.com/ and/or pre order my newest book How To Be A Great Principal: 36 Shared Leadership Success Strategies. If you’re an auditory learner you can download my podcast The Principal Entrepreneur, new episodes weekly. To join the podcast as a guest email me at [email protected]. Finally, I’m part of a community of supportive principals please join our private FB group.
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By Jonathan Royce
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6/7/2017 The Principal Entrepreneur: 1 skill to get the best ideas from a meeting
The principal as facilitator is often an under appreciated skill. I was recently at a meeting where the superintendent did a good job of facilitating and NOT leading the meeting. We were discussing a criteria for student awards and while he did have an agenda and points of view he made sure to step back and guide so his ideas didn’t dominate the discussion.
For a leader switching to the role of facilitator and listener isn’t always easy. Those in the room will continually look to you for affirmation. Remaining neutral both in language and in facial expression is necessary. You don’t want to unconsciously nod with comments you agree with thus shutting down others points of view.
Another example that demonstrates this concept occurred while I was an assistant principal. The principal in my former building was a great facilitator and I learned a lot from watching him work in leadership meetings. Like the superintendent, he not only set the agenda but asked questions so that he could get the best ideas from the others around the table.
One of the programs we were looking at implementing was an after school academy. The principal set his vision of what this would look like. He then presented this idea to the leadership team and fostered conversation about what the program could be. The other participants added their ideas and at the end he was able to summarize their main points and present a coherent plan.
This plan had many of the aspects that the others advocated for and he was able to create by being a great facilitator.
Facilitating is a necessary skill if you want to be an effective principal. When you go into the meeting you do want to have an agenda so you’ll stay on topic. You also want to have a list of questions to help guide the conversation. Finally you want to have some method for summarizing and finalizing the points of the meeting so at the end there is a sense of accomplishment.
What are some other skills that a good facilitator should have? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you’re a principal make sure you check out the new grant/scholarship available that honors the hard work you put in on a daily basis. K12 principals click here to learn more
For more short articles and tips that support educational leaders check out my blog at the http://www.theprincipalentrepreneur.com/ and/or pre order my newest book How To Be A Great Principal: 36 Shared Leadership Success Strategies. If you’re an auditory learner you can download my podcast The Principal Entrepreneur, new episodes weekly. To join the podcast as a guest email me at [email protected]. Finally, I’m part of a community of supportive principals please join our private FB group.