I didn’t set out to be a facilitator.
It happened by accident about 20 years ago, when I became an innovation manager at a major charity. It was a brand-new role – and I had the freedom to shape it. I was fascinated by the word innovation and all its different interpretations. Was it product development? Service design? Strategy? Something else entirely?
I soon realised that the label didn’t matter. Whatever you call it – new products, new ways of working, organisational change – the defining factor is people.
I am deeply interested by how people gather, collaborate, challenge assumptions, explore problems and develop solutions. I’m fascinated how they respond to change and create impact.
I started bringing people together: different stakeholders, departments and perspectives. I learned how to facilitate conversations, workshops and training – how to understand the behaviours that drive high-performing teams and the leader’s role in shaping a culture that allows ideas (and people) to thrive.
Because culture really does eat strategy for breakfast. Without a culture that enables new thinking and has an appetite for action, any strategy will sit gathering dust – a well-written plan that never sees the light of day.
Over time, I learned that facilitation is both an art and a science.
The art lies in reading the room, adapting in the moment and knowing when to challenge or to pause.
The science lies in the structure – the planning, the process and understanding how our brains respond to stimulus, creativity and problem-solving.
And it’s why I now believe that facilitation isn’t just a technical skill. It’s a core leadership skill.
Why facilitation is a core leadership skill
At its heart, facilitation is about creating the conditions for people to think clearly and work well together. It’s how leaders turn ideas into action, especially in times of complexity and change.
Strong facilitators – and therefore strong leaders – do five key things:
- Create clarity and focus. They help people define success, ask the right questions, and make decisions that move things forward.
- Build psychological safety and trust. They create space where people are safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and contribute without fear.
- Communicate and listen deeply. They hear what’s said (and what isn’t), ask powerful questions and reflect back what matters most.
- Manage energy and engagement. They design time together intentionally – balancing structure and flexibility to keep energy and creativity flowing.
- Enable collaboration and ownership. They draw on collective intelligence, build shared understanding and ensure everyone leaves with clarity on next steps.
Facilitators – like great leaders – don’t have all the answers. They create the conditions for others to find them.
The leaders of the future won’t be the loudest or the smartest in the room. They’ll be the ones who think strategically, see the end goal and bring people together to build trust, spark thinking and help teams solve complex problems – together.
If this resonates and you’d like your team to feel more confident bringing people together and leading productive conversations, let’s talk. I offer in-house facilitation skills training to help your people lead with clarity, confidence and connection.