This book will really help me to become a better facilitator of groups. It contains a complete Systems-thinking based approach to facilitation.
Core statement: ‘The facilitator’s main task is to help the group increase effectiveness by improving its process and structure’.
It complements some of the ideas of Manager-Tools in a great way! There are some similar ideas; e.g. on WWWTALA sessions; dealing with emotions; setting the Agenda of meeting etc.
Of particular interest is the model for Interventions in groups.
‘ (…) The Skilled Facilitator Approach: Outcomes and Key Features
Whether you are working with another person, a group or team, or an organization, The Skilled Facilitator approach will help you create the following outcomes:
Decisions that get better results
Decisions that people actively support
Decisions that savetime
Better relationships - at work and in your personal life
More personal satisfaction and less stress
Learning that allows you and others to adapt and change where most others can’t
To achieve these outcomes, the Skilled Facilitator approach has a number of key features:
Exploring and Changing How We Think
The Group Effectiveness Model
A Clearly Defined Role
Applicable To a Wide Range of Roles
Explicit Core Values
Ground Rules for Effective Groups
The Diagnosis-Intervention Cycle
Non-Judgmental Thinking
A Process for Agreeing on How to Work Together
A Systemic Approach ‘
Has anybody read this book? Or other books on group facilitation? Please feel free to comment / contribute to this post!
The Skilled Facilitator Field Book has lots of practical examples and applications of TSF:
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‘What are your favorite books on Management Consultancy? I am curious to learn from others at LinkedIn what you like and would recommend! Some of my favorites are:
The first book takes a look at systems thinking and can help you with roadblocks within an organization. The second provides a tool that will help you channel organizational resources to achieve a strategic goal. Good luck!
I read David Maister’s “Managing the Professional Service Firm” , “The Trusted Advisor”, and “True Professionalism…” and would recommend these books to anyone at any level. I re-read the first book regularly.
Soneone gave me Goldsmith’s book. I think it was a hint, and it was very helpful.
Branding and Employee Performance Expert, Professional Speaker - Partner, Brand Integrity, Inc.
Achieve Brand Integrity: Ten Truths You Must Know to Enhance Employee Performance and Increase Company Profits by Gregg Lederman. The book recently won the 2008 Axiom gold medal for Best Business Books in association with Inc.Magazine.
Independent Executive - Enterprise Architecture, Business Intelligence, BPM, CDI/MDM
Plenty of terrific ideas and books already mentioned, all are worthwhile. A little off-beat, but no less valuable to me was Barbara Minto’s book labeled “The Pyramid Principle – Logic in Writing and Thinking” first published in 1987. Since we (management consultants) live in the world full of abstractions, creating a powerful, compelling, and concise message to communicate our thinking is pretty much fundamental blocking and tackling. This is especially true if the subject matter is complex or not well known to our clients or management peers. Heavily recommended for anyone who makes a living in the world of thought and communication (this is our business right?), and certainly more approachable than the Rhetoric (yes that one – Aristotle <g>
Manager-Tools is a podcast series ( more than 100 podcasts; weekly a new edition). You can learn many important management skills, such as giving feedback, coaching, delegations, organizing meeting etc.
David Maister is the world leading ‘guru’ on Professional Services. He covers all aspects of implementing and improving this kind of organizations. Think of how to sell, training of consultants, marketing, building trust with your customers, etc.
Marshall Goldsmith is the most recognized management consultant worldwide. He coaches many managers of Fortune 500 businesses, also on CxO level. His teachings have an immediate impact on your management style. Highly recommended!
Instead of rehashing a past that cannot be changed (feedback), Marshall Goldsmith and Jon Katzenbach coined “feedforward” to encourage spending time creating a future.’
Marshall Goldsmith is a well recognized coach on management behavior.
You can use his ‘FeedForward Tool’ to improve your communication with people you work with.
This is the title of a book written by David Allen. He describes effective Time management/ Priority management methods.
I have read several book on Time management in the past; but there is always room for improvement! It seems this is the most highly recommended book on this topic.
‘The essence of the process is that you write down a note about everything when you take on a new responsibility, make a new commitment, or have a useful thought. All of this ends up in some kind of “in” box.
You then go through your “in” box and decide what needs to be done next for each item.
For simple issues, this includes identifying the action you should take first and when to take it.
For tougher issues, you schedule an appropriate time to work the problem in more detail.
You organize the results of this thinking, and review your options for what you should be doing weekly.
Then you take what you choose to do, and act. Think of this process as the following five steps:
collect
process
organize
decide
act
From another summary:
After processing:
‘ Once everything is complied (the first time is is a one-to two day chore) you place it in a container:
Trash
Someday Maybe
Actionable
If it is ACTIONABLE. Decide which the next category:
Do it (if requires less than 2 minutes).
Delegate it.
Defer it (by calendar item or Next Action).
If it takes multi actions it goes into a Projects.
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