Teaching and Facilitation
Both often happen in parallel. However, a clear distinction between teaching and facilitation is that the role of a teacher or trainer is primarily to transfer information or knowledge to participants. While teachers and trainers also facilitate group processes, the main distinction is that a trainer transfers knowledge, while a facilitator only facilitates the group process without getting involved in the content.
Coaching and Facilitation
A coach is very similar in skills and approach to a facilitator. Coaching is also a part of facilitation, particularly when it relates to encouraging an individual to plan or achieve goals. Both disciplines are very close in skills, particularly when it comes to group coaching or team coaching. Coaching in its traditional form as a sports coach, for example, would also include the selection of the team and firing team members, which is never part of a facilitator’s role.
Consultants and Facilitation
Consultants are often hired as subject experts, making it more difficult to stay outside the content. However, in my work with consultants, I found a great need to find a way to empower the participants to take responsibility for the content they develop to ensure implementation after the consultant is gone. Being very specific about which role the consultant takes in any group situation, i.e., the consultant or facilitator role, can help the client understand the distinction and benefits of facilitation versus consultation.
I adopted some content from Chapter 2 in The Art of Facilitation by Dale Hunter and colleagues.