Warms My Facilitator Heart
Last week, I was moderating the leadership track at the Internet Librarian virtual conference, and I heard two different speakers talk about the importance of facilitation skills. This wasn’t a passing mention either, this was a full-scale endorsement of facilitative practice.
As a long-time facilitator, my ears perked up, and my heart warmed through. Interestingly, one speaker was talking about facilitation for strategic agility, and the other was talking about facilitation for leading teams. Of course, they’re both right. Facilitation is that flexible meta-skill that moves people through a structured thinking process to better outcomes (at least that’s what we hope for!).
I’ve been to many (many) conferences in my 20+ year career, and facilitation skills are rarely mentioned; instead, you hear standard responses: analytical skills, tech savviness, creative problem-solving, or critical thinking.
So… why? Why are facilitation skills top of mind now?
I don’t have a definitive answer, but let’s speculate:
Maybe people need extra support post-pandemic. I know worst part of the pandemic was years ago now, but I don’t think groups have recovered. We’ve forgotten how to be together - especially when the conversation is difficult.
Maybe people need someone to bridge the divide. There are many polarizing issues in our culture that put wedges between people. We’ve forgotten how to work with people who hold different viewpoints.
Maybe people need someone to build the framework. Many of us are facing significant threats to our standard way of operating (I see you ChatGPT). While these changes aren’t necessarily bad, they do create churn and concern in our organizations.
Whatever, the reason, I’m glad people are noticing the need for more facilitation skills. I am always happy to help someone find a new tool to address an upcoming conundrum. I don’t know all the tools, but I do have a big library.
The best facilitators I know plan the process but stay ready to adapt on the fly.
Facilitation really is the meta-skill you need.
Inspiration
Glover, K. & Meth, M. (2025). “Strategic Agility: Leading through change and complexity.” Internet Librarian Virtual Conference 2025.
Kowalski, M. (2025). “Developing Skills for Effective Library Management.” Internet Librarian Virtual Conference 2025.
See also: SessionLab’s State of Facilitation Survey