How Leadership Grows Effective PLC Facilitators
“The success or failure of PLCs can often be traced back to a deficiency in skill, knowledge, motivation, or resources.”
— VOYAGE Horizons, Module 1
There’s What the Team Sees and Then There’s What We Build Behind It
In almost every school, PLCs are running. Facilitators are leading. Agendas are being followed. Data is being discussed.
From the outside, it looks like things are moving.
But if you sit in on those meetings and really pay attention to what is going on, you’ll often find something missing. The conversation might feel surface-level. The data might not lead to instructional shifts. One voice dominates, while others disengage. There’s a rhythm, but not much resonance.
And often, the facilitator is left wondering: What am I doing wrong?
Here’s what I’ve seen across schools, again and again: we expect facilitators to lead at a high level, but we don’t build the support system around them to make that possible.
We assume that because someone is respected, organized, or willing that they’ll be fine. But facilitation isn’t about being liked or staying on schedule. It’s about navigating adult learning in real time. It’s about guiding inquiry, managing dynamics, making space for discomfort, and keeping the work grounded in what’s best for kids.
That’s a tall order. And it’s not something anyone can do alone.
Selection Is Just the Start
When we choose facilitators, we often focus on the visible strengths:
They collaborate well.
They’re respected by their team.
They’ve led something before.
They’re dependable.
All of that matters, but none of it guarantees readiness for the complexity of facilitation.
Facilitators aren’t just leading meetings. They’re leading thinking. They’re holding space for different perspectives while pushing the team toward shared commitments. And they’re doing it all while still teaching full-time, supporting students, and trying not to fall behind on everything else.
So if we care about the quality of our PLCs and the outcomes they drive we have to care just as much about what happens after we select the facilitator.
Because choosing the right person is just the beginning. Growing them into the role is the work behind the work.
Behind Every Facilitator Should Be a System
Here’s a common situation:
A facilitator is selected.
They’re given an agenda template.
Maybe they attend a one-time training.
And then… they’re off.
And within weeks, they’re overwhelmed. The team’s energy dips. Conflict goes unaddressed. Student learning isn’t shifting. And the facilitator once confident starts to pull back.
I’ve seen this happen in schools with strong cultures and great people. Not because anyone dropped the ball, but because the system expected leadership without investing in it.
The VOYAGE Horizons PLC framework offers a clear lens here: when things aren’t working, it’s often not about effort, it’s about an unmet need.
Facilitators struggle when there's a breakdown in one or more of these four areas:
Skill — They haven’t yet learned how to lead adult learning.
Knowledge — They don’t understand the full PLC process or purpose.
Motivation — They feel isolated, unclear, or unrecognized.
Resources — They lack time, tools, or support.
Reflective Pause:
Think about one of your current facilitators. If they’re struggling right now which of those four areas might be the actual source? How would your support shift if you knew?
When It Looked Like Disengagement (But Wasn’t)
One of the clearest examples of this showed up when a school leader replaced a trained VOYAGE facilitator with a new teacher who had attended PLCs but had never led them.
On paper, it seemed like a solid decision. The teacher was well-liked and had shown initiative. But once in the role, she started skipping facilitator meetings. Her PLCs were rushed. She seemed checked out.
The principal’s first reaction was frustration. “She sat in PLCs last year. Why is she acting like she doesn’t know what to do?”
But in a reflective conversation, the facilitator shared the truth. She didn’t feel ready. She didn’t feel trained. And she didn’t want to mess up in front of her peers.
What initially looked like disengagement was actually a gap in confidence and knowledge, one that was created, not chosen. The principal never asked whether she wanted to step into the PLC facilitator role. There was an immediate need, and she was placed in the position without discussion. Because she had previously served as a grade-level chair and had participated in PLCs for the past two years, it was assumed she already knew how to facilitate a PLC effectively.
But leading a grade level and facilitating a PLC are not the same work. They require different skills, different preparation, and a different kind of support.
Once the principal understood this, they shifted their approach:
A coach modeled the next PLC while she observed
They co-planned agendas together
They used the “I Notice / I Wonder” tool after each meeting to reflect and learn
What changed wasn’t just her skill set it was her belief that she could grow into the role. That belief is often the most powerful part of any system we build.
Facilitation Is a Progression, Not a Personality Trait
One of the most limiting beliefs about facilitation is that it’s something you're either naturally good at or not. But facilitation is not a personality. It’s a practice.
And just like any instructional skill, it needs time, coaching, and space to grow.
When we treat facilitation as a fixed trait, we limit people before they’ve had the chance to develop. When we treat it as a progression, we open the door to growth.
What a Year of Facilitator Growth Can Look Like
Facilators don’t need to be “fully ready” on day one. What they need is a clear progression—one that recognizes facilitation as a skill that develops over time, not a role someone simply steps into.
A well-designed year of support intentionally shifts both responsibility and confidence, while leadership support evolves alongside facilitator growth.
Phase 1: Foundation (August–October)
What facilitators need:
At the start of the year, facilitators need clarity above all else. They need to understand the purpose of PLCs, how learning cycles work, and what “effective” facilitation actually looks like in practice. This is also when co-planning and concrete tools matter most. Scripts, sample agendas, and clear norms reduce cognitive load and allow facilitators to focus on learning the role rather than surviving it.
How leadership can support:
Leadership presence is critical during this phase. Attend planning meetings. Model facilitation moves. Help teams establish norms for dialogue and decision-making. Provide examples, not expectations, so facilitators have something to anchor to as they begin.
Phase 2: Confidence-Building (November–February)
What facilitators need:
Once routines are established, facilitators need feedback, especially around group dynamics. This is often when challenges surface: dominant voices, resistance, off-track conversations, or tension within the team. Facilitators benefit from coaching that helps them respond in the moment without shutting down conversation or losing momentum.
How leadership can support:
Observe PLCs with a coaching lens, not an evaluative one. Debrief after meetings. Help facilitators plan language for common challenges before they arise. Normalize the discomfort that comes with leading adults and reinforce that missteps are part of growth, not signs of failure.
Phase 3: Expansion (March–May)
What facilitators need:
As facilitators grow more confident, they’re ready for increased autonomy. They can begin connecting PLC conversations more deeply to instruction, supporting peers, and refining their facilitation style. This is also a critical phase for reflection in helping facilitators see how far they’ve come and where they want to continue growing.
How leadership can support:
Gradually step back while staying available. Encourage reflection rather than direction. Create opportunities for facilitators to coach or mentor others. Publicly recognize their leadership, not as a reward, but as validation of the work they’ve been doing all year.
Additional Ideas for Embedded Support:
Quick debriefs: 10-minute reflection chats after PLCs (“What felt smooth? What felt hard?”)
Facilitator cohorts: Invite facilitators to reflect and learn from one another monthly
“Shadow” coaching: Leaders attend PLCs quietly, then reflect later using a non-evaluative tool like “I Noticed / I Wondered”
Building a System That Lasts
What would it look like if facilitator support wasn’t reactive, but baked into the way your leadership team operates?
That’s the role of your Leadership PLC. It shouldn’t just be a place to manage logistics or check on walkthroughs. It can become the engine that sustains facilitator growth and PLC health.
Here’s how to start:
Monthly Leadership Moves:
Choose 1–2 facilitators to reflect on: review artifacts, reflect on what they need, identify the source
Create a support plan for each (coaching, modeling, resources)
Calibrate what “growth” looks like across teams so support is consistent, not random
End every Leadership PLC with one question: What’s one thing we can do this month to help a facilitator feel more supported and successful?
Track trends. Notice if the same struggles are showing up across facilitators. That might signal a system issue, not a people issue.
Final Reflection
Facilitators carry a lot and often quietly.
They’re trying to honor their teammates while also pushing for change. They’re trying to meet expectations while navigating uncertainty. And many are doing it while wondering if they’re “getting it right.”
That’s why your support matters. Not just the check-ins, but the presence. The recognition. The belief that they don’t have to do it all, and they certainly don’t have to do it alone. The work behind the work is quiet. It’s steady. And it’s what sustains the people who hold collaboration together.
Let’s make sure they feel it.
Reflective Questions for Leadership Teams:
What are we doing consistently to support facilitator growth?
How do we respond when things aren’t working? With structure? Or with curiosity?
What do our facilitators see from us that shows we’re invested in their development, not just team performance?
Coming Next:
The Leadership PLC: Building the Team That Builds the System
In the next article, we’ll explore how to use your Leadership PLC to monitor facilitator growth, track PLC health, and build the kind of culture where adult learning actually sticks.
