When Facilitation Became My Leadership Practice, Not Just My Profession

That was the frame: process over people, delivery over depth.

But something unexpected happened. 

The more I facilitated, the more I noticed a shift - not in the groups I worked with, but in myself. 

The Shift Into Leadership

I stopped trying to be the person with the most brilliant idea in the room.

I started listening for what wasn't being said.

I let go of the need to control, and instead learned to hold space - for complexity, resistance, and growth.

And here's what struck me: the skills of facilitation weren't just professional tools; they were shaping who I was becoming as a leader. 

Because the best leaders I know don't dominate the room, they facilitate it. 

They: 

• Draw clarity from noise.
• Invite courage from silence.
• Build alignment from tension. 

Facilitation became less about what I did and more about who I was practising to be. 

What This Means For Teams

When leaders approach their role as facilitators, the dynamics change. 

Instead of:

• Commanding attention, they invite contribution. 
• Rushing to solve, they create space for exploration. 
• Driving towards certainty, they help others tolerate complexity.  

This doesn't mean abandoning decisiveness; it means recognising that leadership is as much about how you create the conditions as it is about the decisions you make. 

Teams flourish when they feel seen, not steered. And facilitative leadership creates that environment. 

A Coaching Moment

I once worked with a senior leader who admitted, "I feel like I'm constantly carrying my team". 

In our sessions, we explored facilitation as a practice. Instead of carrying, what if he began holding? Instead of answering, what if he started asking? 

It was uncomfortable at first, but over time, his team began to step up. They didn't just execute; they owned their tasks. 

That's the subtle but powerful difference facilitation makes, creating the possibility to lighten your load without pushing harder and expanding what others are capable of holding with you.  

The Emotional Truth

At its best, facilitation isn't about being in the spotlight — the metaphorical 'sage on the stage'. 

It's about creating lightness. 

Not shining that spotlight on yourself, but holding it just right so others can see more clearly. 

That's the kind of leadership I return to, in every room, with every team. 

Because facilitation isn't only a profession; it's a practice. 

And it quietly transforms how we lead, how we listen, and how we grow.