Midwest Book Review
In The Skilled Facilitator: Practical Wisdom For Developing Effective Groups, Roger Schwarz draws on his own extensive facilitation experience and insight to bring together theory and practice, creating a comprehensive reference for consultants, peer facilitators, mangers, leaders -- anyone whose role is to guide groups toward realization their creative and problem-solving potential. The Skilled Facilitator provides essential materials including simple but effective ground rules for governing group interaction; what to say to a group (and when to say it) to keep it on track and moving toward its goal, proven techniques for starting meetings on the right (and ending them positively and decisively), practical methods for handling emotions (particularly negative emotions) when they arise in a group context, and a diagnostic approach for helping both facilitators and group members identify and solve problems that can undermine the group process. The Skilled Facilitator provides a clearly defined set of basic principles to help facilitators develop sound, value-based responses to a wide range of unpredictable situations. It also includes advice on how to work with outside consultants and facilitate within one's own organizations, along with a groundbreaking section on facilitative leadership. The Skilled Facilitator is an excellent addition to any business or community library shelf.


Review
"The Skilled Facilitator is an invaluable text and should be required reading for all who aspire to excellence in facilitation." (Training Media Review, June 26, 2003)


Review
"The Skilled Facilitator is an invaluable text and should be required reading for all who aspire to excellence in facilitation." (Training Media Review, June 26, 2003)


Book Description
When it was published in 1994, Roger Schwarz's The Skilled Facilitator earned widespread critical acclaim and became a landmark in the field. The book is a classic work for consultants, facilitators, managers, leaders, trainers, and coaches--anyone whose role is to guide groups toward realizing their creative and problem-solving potential. This thoroughly revised edition provides the essential materials for facilitators and includes simple but effective ground rules for group interaction. Filled with illustrative examples, the book contains proven techniques for starting meetings on the right foot and ending them positively and decisively. This important resource also offers practical methods for handling emotions when they arise in a group and offers a diagnostic approach for identifying and solving problems that can undermine the group process.


Book Info
Provides a clearly defined set of basic principles to help facilitators develop sound, value-based responses to a wide range of unpredictable situations. DLC: Communication in management.


From the Inside Flap
When it was published in 1994, Roger Schwarz's The Skilled Facilitator earned widespread critical acclaim and became a landmark in the field. The book is a classic work for consultants, facilitators, managers, leaders, trainers, and coaches--anyone whose role is to guide groups toward realizing their creative and problem-solving potential. This thoroughly revised edition provides the essential materials for facilitators and includes simple but effective ground rules for group interaction. Filled with illustrative examples, the book contains proven techniques for starting meetings on the right foot and ending them positively and decisively. This important resource also offers practical methods for handling emotions when they arise in a group and offers a diagnostic approach for identifying and solving problems that can undermine the group process. Based on Schwarz's practical experience working in the field and the feedback he has received in his dynamic workshops, this revised edition is easier to use and much more accessible. Grounded in the latest thinking on teams, organization development, and facilitation, this new edition Takes a more conversational approach Offers a clear analysis of the Skilled Facilitator approach, based on a set of core values, assumptions, and principles Defines the five facilitative roles--facilitator, leader, coach, consultant, and trainer Shows how groups can act inconsistently with ground rules and what to do to intervene Describes the theories that guide a facilitator's actions The Skilled Facilitator also includes practical advice on how to work with outside consultants and how to facilitate groups within one's own organization, along with a groundbreaking section on facilitative leadership.


From the Back Cover
"Everyone wants to be a facilitator: consultants, managers, even teachers. What is desperately needed is a common, practical reference for understanding facilitation in diverse professional settings. No one has done a better job than Roger Schwarz of synthesizing the major theoretical underpinnings and translating them into clear, usable guidelines for practitioners." — Peter M. Senge, author, The Fifth Discipline "The Skilled Facilitator has always been an outstanding resource for new and seasoned facilitators, managers, and organizational leaders. The additions and enhancements in the revised edition make this well-written book a must for anyone who works with groups. Roger is an exceptional consultant and inspirational teacher who walks his talk." — Nadine Bell, certified professional facilitator and past chair of the International Association of Facilitators "This book replaces about a dozen that I have on my shelf. It has become the book on facilitation that aspiring and accomplished consultants should read." — Geoffrey Bellman, author of The Consultant's Calling and Getting Things Done When You're Not in Charge "The Skilled Facilitator has many good tips and practical suggestions to help everybody be a better facilitator, which is the task for all of us." — Peter Block, author, Flawless Consulting and Stewardship "As a small business competing with giants, we can't afford to waste time or money on 'flavor of the month' approaches. The Skilled Facilitator approach is our foundation for developing teams to maintain a competitive advantage." — Jeff Koeze, owner and CEO, Koeze Company "I recommend this book with enthusiasm to professionals in all fields, to consultants, graduate students, and thoughtful managers. Schwarz has done an excellent job of integrating social science theories with valuable advice. He makes both come alive with rich, excellent examples." — Chris Argyris, James Bryant Conant Professor, emeritus, Harvard University, and author of Knowledge for Action


About the Author
Roger Schwarz is an organizational psychologist and founder and president of Roger Schwarz Associates, Inc. a consulting group that helps organizations use facilitative skills to create fundamental change. He facilitates groups and teaches, consults, coaches, and speaks on facilitation, facilitative leadership, and developing effective work groups. Schwarz is currently working on The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook, to be published by Jossey-Bass.

ANNOTATION

This book shows what makes a group effective and how a facilitator can improve group effectiveness by identifying patterns of behavior that are getting in the way, helping the group stick to a few critical ground rules, and encouraging them to deal more openly with conflict. Approx.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When it was published in 1994, Roger Schwarz's The Skilled Facilitator earned widespread critical acclaim and became a landmark in the field. The book is a classic work for consultants, facilitators, managers, leaders, trainers, and coaches -- anyone whose role is to guide groups toward realizing their creative and problem-solving potential. This thoroughly revised edition provides the essential materials for facilitators and includes simple but effective ground rules for group interaction. Filled with illustrative examples, the book contains proven techniques for starting meetings on the right foot and ending them positively and decisively. This important resource also offers practical methods for handling emotions when they arise in a group and offers a diagnostic approach for identifying and solving problems that can undermine the group process. Based on Schwarz's practical experience working in the field and the feedback he has received in his dynamic workshops, this revised edition is easier to use and much more accessible. The Skilled Facilitator also includes practical advice on how to work with outside consultants and how to facilitate groups within one's own organization, along with a groundbreaking section on facilitative leadership.

SYNOPSIS

Written for consultants, facilitators, managers, leaders, trainers, and coaches, this book presents techniques for running meetings, theories of facilitation, ground rules for group interaction, diagnostic approaches to problem solving, skills for intervention, and examples of how each can be applied in different settings. Appendices include sample ground rules, planning letters, guidelines for contract negotiation, agreements for facilitation, experimental exercises, questions of co-facilitators, and the like. Schwarz is an organizational psychologist and consultant. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

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