Most people think of a leader as someone who sets the strategic vision and direction of their organization, raises money, and interviews and hires new staff. But a significant amount of a leader's time is also spent facilitating groups (e.g., committees, board, staff).

I have led a number of organizations over the years, and I'd have to say that the majority of my time has actually been spent facilitating small groups. It is in these small settings that people learn the active role of listening, presenting and arguing ideas, defending values and accomplishing tasks. Understanding leadership in small groups is an indispensable skill in effectively managing and leading an organization.

Let's look at some ways you can become a better leader and facilitator of small groups.

1. Make sure everyone agrees on the agenda. Try to involve the group in the development of the agenda, and ask them if they have additional ideas for the meeting.
2. Create an atmosphere of involvement and engagement. Make sure you encourage people to ask questions and actively participate in the discussion.
3. Summarize points and decisions before moving onto the next agenda item. Make sure people are clear about what was decided by their discussions.
4. Rotate leadership. Give everyone in the group a chance to lead the group. In a small group, everyone is a leader with a different role. Try to rotate the chairperson of the group on a weekly or monthly basis so that each person gets an opportunity to develop their leadership skills.
5. Conflict is not necessarily bad. Conflict is inevitable with any group so don't discourage it. Make sure there is a climate that allows disagreement and conflict to surface in a constructive manner.
6. Determine who will be making the decisions. Some groups will not act until there is consensus; others will make decisions by majority vote; others are just looking for discussion and then have the CEO/executive director or chairperson make the decisions. Regardless of which decision-making style you use, make sure the group is clear about how decisions will be made and who has the power and authority to make decisions.
7. Put timelines on the agenda to make sure you get through everything. This is also a good way to move through the topics at a decent pace.
8. Be clear what items really need action. Some items are just for discussion while other items on the agenda require a decision to be made. Clarify when you are introducing the topic whether it needs action or is just for discussion.
9. Create win-win situations. This is especially true with new groups or with people who don't have much group work experience. Try to have the early items on the agenda less controversial so that the decisions reached demonstrate success. This will help build confidence that everyone in the group has the ability to work well together.
10. Evaluate the meeting. Ask the members: How did the meeting go? What was positive? What was negative? What would you change?