ABSTRACT
The role of facilitator is invested with authority by the organization and by the people we are leading. In taking on the mantle of facilitator it is important to recognize how and when to use the authority we hold. There are times in the life of a group when a facilitator needs to use all their authority, fully and intentionally, to serve the group, and there are other times when the facilitator needs to hand over power to the group. Three bases of authority in facilitation are: Hierarchy; Co-operacy; and Autonomy. Co-operacy is characterized by an intention to include all group members in making decisions about how the group is going to operate. Power plays aim to highlight the three authority styles so that people can build an awareness of what it is like to lead and be led by someone who uses each style.
