Facilitation

I love this book!

Although it's focus is specifically on facilitating participatory decision making, it is an excellent resource for all who facilitate or teach. I particularly like the concrete suggestions on how to navigate a whole-room discussion (stacking, mirroring, paraphrasing, etc.).

However, my favorite part of this book is a beautifully done 3-page section describing common difficult situations - someone is making jokes in the back, your audience is falling asleep, one person won't shut up. The book goes on to detail the ways that facilitators usually deal with these problems, every one of them a power play of some sort, and offers suggestion for BETTER ways to handle the situation. As a trainer myself, I rely heavily on this book when I conduct "train the trainers" sessions.

Especially for those who train around sensitive or controversial issues, this information is invalauable. Thanks for writing this book!

Although I had never facilitated a meeting before, this book provided me with plenty of good practical ideas and just the right amount of theory to help me successfully facilitate a major brainstorming meeting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to get up to speed quickly on the subject of facilitation.

I've been facilitating for several years; I often have people ask for a book recommendation , and this is always the one I name. You will find this book useful if you are facilitating for the first time, or if you are an old pro.

Since you can read the table of contents for this book, I won't repeat it here. My favorites are the model (mentioned in several other reviews) and the different ways to build consensus.

There are other books that have more in depth coverage of each of the topics. What Kaner and his colleagues have done is get to the "gems" of those books for you. It is as if a friend read a bunch of literature on this topic and boiled it all down into one easy-to-use manual. (No, I don't know any of the authors :-))

My only complaint about this book is the format. I find the graphics and the multiple fonts a little difficult to read. I usually hand out the book with the disclaimer "it looks a little hokey, but the content is really solid." If you can move past the graphic design, you'll love this book.

The subtitle of this accessible guide to facilitation, "Practical Wisdom For Developing Effective Groups", accurately describes the book's scope and utility. In four parts and thirteen chapters, Schwarz provides an overview, with countless meaningful examples, of how facilitators can most effectively help groups develop their capacity for improvement. He distinguishes between two types of facilitation: (1) Basic facilitation, which aims to help a group "solve a substantive problem"; and (2) Developmental facilitation, which accomplishes basic facilitation while helping a group learn "to improve its process". He argues that three core values underlie effective group and facilitator behavior. The first is "valid information", which means that relevant information is shared by group members and that all groups members can validate and understand the information. The second is "free and informed choice", which means that group members define their own goals and methods of achieving those goals using valid information. The third is, "internal commitment to the choice", which means that group members take responsibility for their decisions by making informed choices based on valid information. Using a basic or developmental approach, facilitators most effectively intervene by making explicit and modeling these core values. These values are maintained by a group agreeing and sticking to essential ground rules, which Schwarz lists on p. 75 and treats extensively throughout the book.

In the heart of Schwarz's book are seven chapters on intervening effectively in groups. In those chapters, he advises the reader on, among other things, how to intervene, meeting management, group problem-solving, following ground rules, and dealing with emotions. He closes with wisdom on serving as a facilitator in your own organization and on the facilitative leader. His opening sections on how facilitation helps groups achieve their goals and establishing the foundation for facilitation lay the groundwork for his later chapters.

In the opening chapters, he includes two models worth mentioning. In his "group effectiveness model" (p.23), Schwarz shows how group processes (the primary concern of the facilitator) interact with group structure and organizational context to contribute to a group effectiveness. Group effectiveness is assessed through three criteria: (1) The group's services or products meet or exceed the expectations of the clients; (2) The processes and structures used to deliver services or create products enhance the group's capacity to work together; and (3) The group's experience is satisfying, not frustrating, for the group's members. In the second noteworthy model, Schwarz presents the "diagnosis-intervention cycle" (p. 68). In this cycle, there are three diagnostic steps and three intervention steps. In the diagnostic phase, the facilitator observes behavior, infers meaning and decides whether to intervene. In the intervention phase, s/he describes observations, test her/his inferences, and helps the group decide whether and how to alter behaviors. Understanding and using these models are critical for effective facilitation.

For the would-be facilitator or group leader, this book provides exactly what the subtitle promises.

I picked up this book because I needed to read up on how better to sell facilitation and exactly what facilitators should be doing. This book explains this and more. However, if you are looking for a simple overview of what a facilitator should, could and would do incertain situations, this is NOT your book. If you are a manager trying to be a better facilitator, do not buy this book unless you want in-depth information.

That said, if you are a facilitator looking to improve your skills, combine theory and practice or simply go back to the basics of what makes some facilitators great, this is your book.
Also, if you are a manager who really wants to become an effective facilitator/mentor, this is your book. But don't think that you can simply read the material and be more effective. The ideas and theory will take practice. Luckily, the book also gives many examples to make the ideas and theories practical and concrete.

As I said, I bought it to become better at selling professional facilitation. It gave me that and much more. I will keep it as an invaluable resource and make sure all of my facilitators utilize the practices described in detail.

Roger's book is a unique hybrid of theory, practical exercises, examples, and personal stories. It works! The art and science of facilitation (to make easy or easier) is presented clearly, concisely, and completely. And, that is what I enjoyed about Roger's book so much. He gives it to you with "the bark on." He makes you aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly relative to the practice of facilitation.

I had used this book for several years in my work as a trainer, facilitator, and manager. Then, I had the pleasure to attend a workshop conducted by Roger. He lives what he teaches. While I was fortunate enough to have my company pay for the workshop, it is one of only three workshops I have ever attended that I feel like I would pay my own money to attend.

Keep this book nearby. It is THE best read on this subject out there.

This book has done wonders for me. I was having a very difficult time with my boss and after having read the book my relationship with him changed 180 degrees! Not only do I no longer take his actions personally, but I have acquired very effective skills in communicating with him that have produced win-win results for the two of us. I highly recommend THE SOLUTION PATH

A user-friendly, must-have manual

The Solution Path offers a concise manual on identifying and resolving problems that arise in the workplace and everyday life. The book offers a unique approach to problem solving by presenting practical methods with an emphasis on positive thinking, teamwork, and creativity.

I find the organization of the book extremely helpful. Each chapter includes real-life cases as well as several easy to use exercises that provide readers the opportunity to work on their problems.

Another unique feature of the book is its emphasis on facilitation and teamwork. The Solution Path showed me how to use facilitation and capitalize on the power of my team at every step of the problem solving process. As a result, my team members not only generate many more ideas but also combine them into solutions that are feasible and easier to implement. Facilitation also enabled us to resolve employee conflicts within the team environment. Some of these conflicts were due to personality traits. By utilizing the personality test and exercises, we have started to value our innate personality differences, which resulted in a higher level of productivity.

In addition, unlike other books written on the subject, the author offers spiritual principles that fuel readers with optimism. Readers are inspired to tap into their higher power, view the world as a place filled with abundance rather than scarcity of resources, and approach all their problems in a positive, action-oriented manner. By applying these principles, it almost feels that there are no problems but only solutions.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to maximize managerial skills. The Solution Path is a must-have reference source that I will utilize again and again in my professional and personal life.

The two most precious advantages of this book are its user-friendliness and its effective utilization of "hands on" resources for creating solutions. Sioukas' book will help you reformulate the way you view, deal with, and resolve problems at your workplace and, as I found, within your own personal life.

Throughout my twenty plus years of experience as a corporate executive, I have been exposed to numerous approaches dealing with problem solving. "The Solution Path," not only offers one of the most easy to read and comprehensible tools I have encountered, it also breaks new ground in helping individuals use their inner strengths in harmony with those of their workplace. This book will help you demystify the often complicated processes of effectively working with teams, of envisioning outcomes and developing ideas, and finally, it will empower you to formulate and deliver a strategically sound solution to your problem. It does so by using solid, graspable concepts, and creative, hands-on tools. This book delivers!

This group puts together a wonderful message of how to manage group meetings with heart. They give clear examples of activities that can be used to defuse conflict, enhance team effectiveness, and methods to monitor yourself and your team for leaving your baggage behind and achieving group synergy. If yours is a consensus-oriented organization, or you'd like to begin using consensus-based decision making, this is a great book. See also their book specifically for meeting facilitation, "The Art of Facilitation".

The Zen of Groups is a handbook for effective group participation. It achieves this through distinguishing the elements of group dynamics.

The Zen of Groups is written in simple language and makes complex and subtile issues clear and easy to understand. This gives both the beginner and advanced facilitator or group participant alike access to understanding and making a useful difference in the dynamics of any group.

The Zen of Groups also has a section of tools and processes which can be applied to assist groups which are stuck or not acheveing their purpose to move forward.

I highly recomend this book to anyone wanting to develop a greater understanding of the the dynamics of groups. I use it all the time as a resource in my practice as a professional facilitator.

This is a compendium of four other toolkits. Each book contains a wealth of information on facilitation skills and how to generate participative involvement of people in solving problems. Books come complete with instructions and ideas, master copies of 150 Square Wheels cartoons and transparency masters, reproducible worksheets designed around very common themes, and other supporting materials.

Purchasing the book gives you a very wide variety of illustrations that can be used for training and development opportunities in all industries and businesses. Purchasing the book gives you the right to maintain one complete set of materials for your delivery - there are no other fees.

Sharon Drew is a fabulous person who truly helps people help themselves. If you read her books or attend her training, you will not become just a better salesperson, you'll become a better *person.* Anyone who wants to succeed in life as well as sales can benefit from this book.

I have been looking for a book that will convince my organization to include more people in making important decisions and put an end to unproductive power struggles. This is it! My thanks to the authors. I am looking forward to applying their facilitation process in my work. I intend to give this book to every member of my team.

The title of this book: The Facilitative Leader: Behaviors that Enable Success, accurately describes the content of the material. The leadership behaviors and communication techniques described in this book, when effectively applied, will lead to the success of the leader, the group and the organization. I have observed the implementation of R. Glenn Ray's Facilitative Leader methodologies. I have also experienced the organizational transition from traditional, autocratic leadership to Facilitative Leadership. The application of the techniques and theories described in this book can create a positive impact on both the work environment and the profitability of an organization.

Unlike other leadership books that list only desired qualities-loyalty, vision, camaraderie-this book actually explains and teaches communication techniques, issue resolution methods, and problem solving tools. After reading this book you will aqcuire strategies that you can apply to a wide variety of situations, from resolving conflict within your home to techniques for building successful teams in the workplace.

This book is an essential tool for individuals who wish to become effective leaders.

Through the use of personal experiences and eventful stories, Dr. Ray brings to life the effective practices of a facilitative leader. Enabler is the key theme throughout the text, because the facilitative leader uses influence rather than direct power to bring about change and achieve results. Practical applications of leadership principles are identified and demonstrated through personal experiences that allow the reader to relate them to their own experiences. A great book to have on every employee's bookshelf!

Glenn Ray's approach to Facilitative Leadership is very insightful. The information is formated in a way that is not only easy to read and comprehend it keeps your attention from chapter 1 clear through to the conclusion. The personal stories from the author were very benifical in helping me look at and use my everyday experiences as learning and training tools. Chapter 4 - Developer of People was my favorite chapter. The information on how adults learn and how to customize training and development activities to meet the needs of adult trainees is very beneficial in my line of work. The way Glenn Ray has formatted the book you can read any chapter and have a practical use for it immediately whether at home or at work. I give The Facilitative Leader two thumbs up and recommend it to all Managers and Aspiring Leaders.

I felt this book was a valuable source of information. I needed a brief account on the necessary components on being a successful and effective team leader. This book led me from step to step on how to go about learning how to be a successful team manager. It included the basic know-how of team leadership, like being prepared and posing crucial questions to the team. However, it also went in-depth into the necessary skills needed in order to manage a goal-oriented group. I felt that this book not only acknowledged how to plan for a discussion, but it also looked at the real truth that can come up in group discussion. It analyzed the ins and outs of a group dynamic and even suggested ways of combating difficulties that arise in the process. The authors, Donald Hackett and Charles L. Martin, have a style of writing that is efficient, easy to grasp, and sensible. They were able to provide a step by step analysis on what it takes to be a valuable facilitator, but also the things that come up that leaders need to deal with carefully. Their topic ranges from the basic start of what a facilitator is to what skills a team leader needs. Then they consistently maintain this vision of how an effective leader can lead the group to a successful completion of the task. I enjoyed reading this book, because it not only opened my eyes to how I see leaders perform in groups I have been involved in, but I also know now how to be a successful facilitator in groups that I may choose to lead in the future. I can know use these suggestions and techniques to really drive a team into successful task completion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought about leading a team in group discussion. The authors' simple, to the point style of writing, including examples and suggestions, made for a delightful read. I enjoyed reading this book as much I enjoyed learning from it as well.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

This excellent book provides a simple overview of the skills and tools needed when getting a group to work on a problem. Nothing is covered in depth, however I did not think that was the purpose. This books starts a learning process which people can take further if needed. The sytle is light and it has been written to maintain the readers interest. It adequately covers concepts, communication (questioning, body language, etc) and some simple tools with easy to understand examples. Most impressive was the straight forward treatment of writing a process map to identify and deal with problems.

This books is a "manual" on facilitation that prepares you very quickly. Great examples, good checklists, good index - well worth the price. My only quibble is a small one: charge a few dollars more and improve the paper and printing quality.

I teach a master's level course in facilitation and team dynamics. Justice and Jamieson is by far the most useful and popular book in that course. Students use it heavily in designing facilitation processes during the course, and I hear them recommending to others that they KEEP their J&J handy because they'll continue to use it. Especially helpful: the quick overviews of group dynamics, overt/covert issues, team member roles, leadership processes. It helps to provide this background knowledge for the students. The options and explanations list many more choices and rationales than usually seen in a book like this. Examples: multiple approaches to brainstorming, agenda development, session evaluation, interventions to manage conflict, etc. J&J's second edition (if there is one) could be a little slicker, but you wouldn't have to change much content except perhaps to have an added section on virtual facilitation. Enjoy!

Most comprehensive book on the topic I've seen. Very practical info. I interned with a small consulting firm that did excellent facilitation work, but their only training strategy for facilitation was "watch what I do and then do it" -- no real framework for a beginner. I wish I had known about this book; it put it all into logical structure and process, and allowed me to make sense of what I had seen a few times as a beginner. I've used its many practical checklists to become a respected facilitator, and still improving thanks to this manual.