Shadow Facilitation - Tactical Series
- PatriciaKeays
- Jan 8
- 3 min read
Preparing for client system pressures that can weaken a process
Introduction to the shadow facilitation tactical series
This tactical series is a playbook for “the shadow job” of a facilitator.
Some facilitator responsibilities are centre stage and some are in the shadows.
Shadow responsibilities are usually not in a TOR or tied to deliverables. Yet they have a strong influence on process success.
From experience, nine client system pressures that challenge strong facilitation require you to:
· navigate unspoken politics
· protect the process from abuse of power
· deliver transformative results.
Action on some of the shadow responsibilities may make some people temporarily unhappy. Including senior people. Some people less experienced with processes may resist or push back. A diverse co-facilitation team can help manage this, when the team is working from the same playbook.
Whether you’re a lead facilitator or have a key role on a facilitation team, knowing the scope of shadow facilitation pressures enables you to guide others and provide full process support.
We are all participants in different meetings and processes. As a participant, knowing more about the client system pressures can help you recognize and co-facilitate them from within a group process.
In this post, we recap the pressures and introduce the series that provides tips on how to prepare to manage them effectively. If this post interests you, you may want to read the associated post that introduces the nine challenges of shadow facilitation. (Link).
Nine client system pressures a facilitator may need to counteract
Agree with the boss: defer to senior people even when their input weakens the design or contradicts norms.
Make the organization look good: protect the image, emphasizing positive narrative over honest dialogue.
Exempt senior or dominant people from norms: allow extended speaking time or deviations due to hierarchy.
Accommodate dominant voices: allow disproportionate airtime instead of applying agreed and equitable boundaries.
Prioritize participant enjoyment over challenge: avoid difficult conversations or tension to secure positive evaluations.
Overlook problematic behaviour: bypass microaggressions or disrespect to maintain surface harmony and momentum.
Affirm success for external stakeholders: downplay weaknesses to maintain funding or political support.
Treat all contributions as equal in value: give equal weight regardless of evidence, expertise, or alignment with purpose.
Shield organizers from shared responsibilities: allow them to prioritize individual tasks over modelling norms and leading from within.
Different client system pressures cross-link and reinforce each other. Processes need strong and supple facilitation and a comprehensive methodology to weave tailored solutions in each case.
Of course, these aren’t the only client system pressures and influences on a process. They’re the ones top-of-mind for this dimension of facilitation as we first explore it on the Facilitate It site. We're sure you have some from your own experience!
Overview of the blog series: Shadow facilitation
Insights and tips on managing shadow facilitation are organized into four parts.
Snapshot: Navigating Shadow Facilitation: A Tactical Series
Part 1: Introduction, Your Playbook for Shadow Facilitation
Part 2: Preparing For Power and Politics in Group Dynamics
2.1 MANAGE UPWARD (Pressures 1 and 3)
Agree with the boss
Exempt senior figures
2.2 MANAGE OUTWARD: ENSURE EQUITY IN THE ROOM (Pressures 4 and 6)
Accommodate dominant voices
Overlook problematic behaviour
2.3 NAVIGATE ORGANIZATIONAL OPTICS (Pressures 2 and 7)
Make the organizational look good
Affirm success to external stakeholders
Part 3: Process Integrity Pressures
3.1 PRIORITIZE RESULTS OVER APPLAUSE (Pressure 5)
Prioritize participant enjoyment over challenge
3.2 CURATE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SHARE RESPONSIBLIITY (Pressures 8 and 9)
Treat all contributions as equal
Shield organizers
Part 4: Facilitator’s Toolkit
In closing
The more familiar you are with the full terrain of facilitation, the more effective you are and the more rewarding your experience will be.
Better prepared, less anxious, and more confident means wider scope to enjoy yourself and create an “in-the-moment” culture where participants enjoy the experience too.
Tips to strengthen your shadow facilitation capacity with the tactical series
Scan the series and follow what interests you most, what you recognize.
Reflect on your own experience with processes, through a shadow facilitation lens. Consider times when you saw unequal influence, skewed results because of a spoiler, an opportunity for genuine collaboration quashed.
Create your own unique guidance and reminders about managing facilitation shadow capacity, strengthening your skills and expanding your tool kit. Every person has at least one story!
Share the facilitation shadows you’ve been in
You may have your own experiences with shadow facilitation that belong in a reference guide for others. We’d love to expand this theme with a guest blog. Please get in touch. (link).
PS: If you need practical tools, scan PART 4, Toolkit.
