As an RA or student staff member, you’ll find yourself leading and facilitating meetings throughout your time in residence life. While the terms leading and facilitating are often used interchangeably, they refer to two different styles of guiding a meeting. Understanding the difference can help you adapt to the needs of any group or situation, and it will also give you the flexibility to switch between these approaches when necessary.
Leading a Meeting
When you’re leading a meeting, you take on a more directive role. You are responsible for setting the agenda, deciding what topics will be discussed, and guiding the conversation toward decisions or outcomes. Leading typically means you’re providing the content for the discussion, rather than helping others find their way to it.
Key traits of leading a meeting:
- Authority: The leader often sets the tone and makes the final decisions.
- Agenda-Driven: You create the agenda and follow it closely.
- Control of Discussion: As the leader, you steer the group through the meeting by introducing each topic, explaining issues, and offering solutions.
- Decision-Making: The leader may be expected to make decisions or provide solutions, either independently or with input from the group.
For example, if you’re leading a first floor meeting, which often requires you to review policies and be more directive, you might set the agenda with specific topics. You might also discuss goals and then present your own ideas or strategies for achieving those goals. You’re essentially guiding the meeting by offering content, making decisions, and pushing for specific outcomes.
Facilitating a Meeting
Facilitating a meeting, on the other hand, places you in the role of a neutral guide. You’re in charge of the process but not necessarily the content. Your primary job is to create an environment where all participants can share their thoughts, collaborate, and arrive at decisions or solutions on their own. Facilitators don’t typically give answers but encourage the group to find them.
Key traits of facilitating a meeting:
- Neutrality: Facilitators do not impose their views or solutions on the group. Their job is to keep the conversation moving and ensure everyone is heard.
- Collaborative Approach: The facilitator helps guide the group to come to a consensus or agreement but doesn’t dictate the discussion or outcome.
- Encouraging Participation: Facilitators actively encourage everyone to contribute, making sure quieter members feel comfortable speaking up.
- Process-Oriented: You’re focused on making sure the meeting goes smoothly, stays on topic, and involves all participants.
For example, when facilitating a meeting about building community, your role would be to ask open-ended questions like, “What are some ways we can improve communication between residents?” and “What ideas do we have for creating a stronger sense of belonging here?” Your goal is to help the group share their thoughts and come to a collective decision.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Aspect | Leading a Meeting | Facilitating a Meeting |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Authority figure guiding the meeting and decision-making | Neutral guide helping the group process ideas and reach decisions |
| Focus | The what of the meeting (content) | The how of the meeting (process) |
| Agenda Control | Sets and follows the agenda | Helps the group stay on track with the agenda |
| Decision-Making | Makes decisions or gives guidance | Encourages group consensus without imposing decisions |
| Group Dynamics | May direct the conversation, often with a focus on efficiency | Ensures everyone’s voice is heard, encourages balanced participation |
| Goal | Ensures specific outcomes are met | Enables group collaboration and decision-making |
Why Both Skills Matter
In your role as an RA, you may be called to both lead and facilitate meetings, depending on the situation. And sometimes you may utilize both strategies within the same meeting. For example:
- When leading, you might be tasked with presenting information, like policies or event schedules, and guiding the group through those topics with clear outcomes in mind.
- When facilitating, your role shifts to encouraging discussion and making sure everyone feels heard, especially in situations that require group decision-making, such as planning a community event or resolving a conflict.
Being comfortable in both roles gives you the flexibility to adapt to different types of meetings. It also allows you to respond effectively to the needs of your floor. If you’re dealing with a task-oriented meeting that requires clear decisions and direction, you’ll need to lead. But in a meeting that requires input from everyone, where you want to hear a variety of perspectives, it’s more effective to facilitate.
Reflection Questions:
- Think about a meeting you’ve led or facilitated recently. How did you balance your role as leader vs. facilitator?
- What kind of meetings do you think you’ll facilitate most often in your RA role? When would you need to take more of a leadership role instead?
