Tree of InfluenceThe facilitator's role
When to steer, when to contribute, and when to step back, including when you facilitate from inside the group.
This page describes what the facilitator does during a session, beyond running the steps: the 2 roles they hold at once, the habits that keep a facilitator from inside the group fair, the anti-patterns to watch for, and when to step in or back.
Two hats
The facilitator wears 2 hats at the same time.
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Process steward. Manages pacing, transitions, energy, and group dynamics. Notices when a step has run its course, keeps time, and unsticks the group when it stalls. Stays neutral on content while the tree is being built.
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Active participant, when grounded. Contributes a connection, a node, or a probing question, but only from real domain knowledge or a clear observation. Says where it comes from, and offers it as a question:
I'm noticing that these 2 might be connected, because of what we saw in the renewal data. Does that land for anyone?
If it does not land, drop it and move on.
Facilitating from inside the group
Most facilitators are part of the problem space they facilitate. They own a number, run a team, or have a view of the causes. That is fine, and it brings real knowledge into the room. A few habits keep it from steering the group:
- Write your own view down before the session, and keep it off the board. It lets you notice when you start pushing toward it. See Prepare.
- Tell the group what you own at the start, and invite them to say so if you start steering.
- Let others speak first. Offer your own node or connection after the group has had its say, worded as a question.
- Vote last so your votes cannot steer anyone else's. See Prioritize.
When the stake is too high for these habits, bring in a co-facilitator or an outside facilitator. See planning a session.
The anti-pattern watch
The facilitator is the group's early warning for the 3 ways a tree goes wrong:
| Anti-pattern | How to spot it | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| Solution-dumping | Actions and artifacts outnumber problems, about 2 to 1 or more. The session feels like project planning | "Before we map what we're doing about it, let's make sure we understand what's wrong. What problem does each of these solve?" |
| The shortcut | Many short chains from problem to action to outcome, with no branches | "What causes that problem? What does this action actually involve?" |
| Runaway scale | The board grows past what anyone can read, with no clusters | Introduce frames, tighten the scope, or plan a second session for one area |
When to step back
Not every silence needs filling. Give the group time to think, scan the board, and find connections. Step back when:
- Participants are working and do not need prompting.
- Two participants are in a productive exchange. Let it run briefly; it may surface something valuable.
- The group has reached a natural plateau and needs a moment before the next step.
When to step in
- The board has been silent for more than 1 or 2 minutes, and people look stuck.
- A discussion goes in circles without producing new nodes or arrows.
- Energy drops before the step's work is done.
For specific situations, such as disagreement or one dominant voice, see difficult situations.
Keep the parking lot honest
Every node that goes to the parking lot goes there in plain sight, with a word to its author. Nodes that vanish silently cost the group its trust. At the end of the session, review the parking lot during Close.
Example
The facilitator of the renewals session owns renewals, so she had a stake in every arrow. She named it in her opening: "Renewals are my number, so tell me if I start steering."
She wore the participant hat twice. In Connect, she checked the obvious arrow from outages to renewals against her renewal data, and asked whether it held. It did not, and the tree changed. See the challenge pattern. Later, she stayed quiet while engineering found the connection between the reshuffled roadmap and reliability work, although she had suspected it for months. See the convergence pattern. The connection meant more coming from the people who live with it.