How Do Facilitative Leaders Use Power?
Traditionally, power has been viewed as domination through formal authority, flowing from the top down and vesting decisions in a small number of people. Facilitative power, in contrast, is based on mutuality and synergy, and it flows in multiple directions. The hierarchy remains intact, but leaders use their authority to support professional give-and-take (Diane Dunlap and Paul Goldman 1990). Schools may be especially appropriate arenas for this type of power because teaching requires autonomy and discretion, not standardized formulas. Teachers can’t succeed just by imposing mandates on students; rather, they have to work indirectly, creating conditions under which students will learn. Principals control learning even less directly; they have to create environments in which teachers can work effectively. In short, facilitative power is power through, not power over (Dunlap and Goldman). Despite the emphasis on mutuality, facilitative power does not rely on voting or other formal mecha
