In what phase do you feel the team facilitator role is most critical?
To answer this question I think you first have to address the question of: What group process or operation am I trying to improve? Is this a task or relationship issue? As a facilitator understanding your function to the organizational purpose is key before you can identify an approach for team development. In my personal experience, managing the growth of interpersonal relationships within teams is most crucial to developing teams in the 21st century.
What developmental stage do you think poses the greatest challenge for teams?
One of the most challenging aspects to develop high performing teams is the ability to gauging emotional variances. The intricacies of team dynamics and political navigation makes this topic particularly complex, and is seldom surfaced through self-discovery, as most people are not as socially aware of others perceptions of them and PERCEPTION is REALITY.
What can the team facilitator do to help teams overcome this challenge?
Essentially, once you define your purpose, if helping a group develop interpersonal relationships is it, this is best addressed when -the facilitator can help members understand their own and others expectations- such that individuals can recite and demonstrate how they can break silos and/or manage their role in a group contract.
As a facilitator it is important to monitor climate in group commitment and engagement in team building. Some helpful tools for group members to assess their behavior include; DISc, EQ 360 & MBTI (self-awareness in leadership style can help members better understand their own and others expectations).
A facilitator may also leverage specific competency development actions tied to the organizations values or cultural norms. Depending on the groups maturity, members can ultimately be guided to better understand how they want to be managed and/or how to manage others by adapting to members of the group.
References:
https://www.selfawareness.org.uk/news/situational-leadership-and-developing-great-teams
https://www.pairin.com/2018/07/13/soft-skills-primary-predictor-success-academics-career-life/