The Role of Facilitators in Management Strategies in Conflict Resolution and Strategic Management

According to Bens (2010), a trained facilitator is an individual who helps a group of people understands their common objectives while also helping them develop an action plan on how to achieve them. Mostly, the facilitator remains neutral hence takes no position in the planning process. Occasionally, a manager may decide to hire the skills of facilitator in management strategies such as conflict resolution, strategic management, and process improvement as the paper deliberates.

Strategic planning entails setting of priorities, focusing energy and resources, strengthening operations, and aligning workers with the organizational goals. Most of the time, top managers undertake the role of strategic planning. However, there are various scenarios when the skilled facilitator may apply (Bens, 2012). First, when a manager may wish to participate as a member of the team rather than as the supervisor. For most managers, facilitating and participating at the same time is a significant challenge. Most employees will still feel that the manager is superiors thereby being unable to be themselves. Secondly, dysfunctional behavior and personal issues makes a group become stuck, the skills of facilitator may be prudent (Ramsbotham, 2012). Skilled facilitators use sensitivity to raise issues and bring to the front dysfunctional behaviors being avoided making a team be stuck. As such, the skilled facilitator will help get the team moving and reach a new level of functioning. Lastly, when a group is dealing with complex issues and varied viewpoints, a facilitator may be an invaluable helper. A skilled facilitator brings a wealth of new group processes and activities to scope issues, make decisions, generate options, and build consensus (Bens, 2012).

Secondly, the approach may help in conflict resolution in numerous ways. First, the facilitator will help oversee the organization and the progress of meetings thereby alleviating tensions (Bens, 2012). Therefore, people can get past their personal agendas and collaborate hence lessening conflicts. Secondly, the facilitator ensures strict adherence to group procedures. Consequently, he or she can reduce the likely hood of conflict between group members. The facilitator can carry out-group maintenance using skills like gatekeeping (Ramsbotham, 2012). Such activities help maintain harmony and collaboration within a group, therefore, reducing conflicts. Lastly, facilitation approach brings onboard activities such as group retreat that helps create a strong bondage between group members. The retreats help the members dispel biases they may have against each other as they learn more about each other. Consequently, conflict reduces significantly (Bens, 2012).

Lastly, the facilitator approach may help in processing improvement through numerous ways. First, the facilitator will help design and set the context for development. Secondly, as the facilitator takes a neutral point, he will help capture the weaknesses in the current process and align it with the set context. Moreover, the facilitator will help sensitize team members to identify improvement opportunities by assisting them overcome their personal biases. Furthermore, the facilitator will help motivate the employees in designing the improved process and establishing the appropriate measures. Lastly, the facilitator will help overlay the process with the roles.

I am of the feeling that the approach could be invaluable to an organization with problem-solving. First, the facilitator may help the employees completes a sentence that leads to the identification of the problem-solving criteria (Schwarz, 2011). The approach would overcome the problem-solving team members’ context of the solution in their mind. Secondly, a facilitator will help the members think systematically about the problem-solving criteria they choose (Schwarz, 2011). For instance, the approach will assist the members think beyond the immediate solution like how the solution fits with the rest of the organization. Moreover, the facilitator will help the members identify the criteria that are in conflict with each other. Most members are always reluctant to weigh the criteria (Schwarz, 2011). The move is possible through a reframing of a hidden agenda as concern legitimate enough to discuss. Lastly, the facilitator will help the members solving the problem identify the criteria that address the problem.