Customer Reviews

The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook: Tips, Tools, and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)

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Central to this work is the Skilled Facilitator approach (TSF), a systematic, values-based approach to group facilitation; at its core is the idea that the way we act and the consequences we create begin with the way we think. Chapter one delineates the 10 key features of TSF approach. It is used to help groups and entire organizations address issues and make significant change, as well as in coaching, training, and conducting HRD/OD initiatives of all types.

This ambitious resource is bursting with 62 contributions clustered into seven parts:
1) Understanding the Skilled Facilitator Approach-main focus: summarizes the approach and describes its major principles and features (8 chapters)
2) Starting Out-main focus: using TSF in a variety of basic ways (12 chapters)
3) Deepening Your Practice-main focus: refining intervention and diagnosis skills, and increasing personal awareness (7 chapters)
4) Facing Challenges-main focus: dealing with the most difficult situations (5 chapters)
5) Seeking Your Path-main focus: integrating the TSF approach in practice and life (5 chapters)
6) Leading and Changing Organizations-main focus: creating major change in leadership and organizational functioning (15 chapters)
and
7) Integrating the Skilled Facilitator Approach in Your Worklife (and Non-Worklife)-main focus: shows how to integrate TSF with other approaches and roles (coach, trainer, consultant, leader, parent) (10 chapters)

The book is further enriched with: definitions; key points; examples; tools and techniques and samples of the outcomes they produce; reflections; model conversations; and resources.

As a consultant in organizational analysis, design and change, as well as a reviewer, I was particularly drawn to Chapter 51, "Do Surveys Provide Valid Information for Organizational Change?" by Peg Carlson. She concludes what we have found to be true of surveys-they are useful for spotlighting likely issues but they do not deliver the depth of analysis and meaning required in organizational consulting, nor the motivation for learning and deep change. This chapter is emblematic of the books' quality of content. In a nutshell, this book is outstanding! I highly recommend it.

I've read this book almost cover to cover and I've gained a lot of insight in using Skilled Facilitator approaches as a teacher and a minister. Mostly, it's given me insight into how to develop myself as a creative listener, and how to control my inner thought processes, and turn that back around into positive leadership for the good of the group. I find it particularly helpful to keep the RULES foremost in my mind as I interact with students and parishioners. And it's true that the more I model these rules, the more my students and the others around me absorb them and begin to use them in their own interactions.

For anyone serious about facilitation, this is THE book to read, read again and use often as a reference. Each chapter is a gem; core values and groundrules are invaluable when working with groups. And the chapter on difficult conversations will change your experience when the issue is divisive. This isn't a "read it and put it away" book; this is a "put it where you can get your hands on it" critical tool for facilitators.

At first this seemed pretty theoretical and not very workable in real-life situtions. Then, the deeper I delved, the more I realized that there were VERY practical suggestions as well as actual word tracks involved. It hits on the same cental themes over and over, but that serves to reinforce the messages of the book. I would highly recommend this to those who want to develop better communications skills and deeper relationships - especially with people who have very different styles tha them.

Although the title of the book says "Facilitator," don't be fooled. This is an excellent resource for any project manager or team leader. Excellent techniques, tips, resources and some solid theories and concepts are in the book. I have this book on the recommended bibliography for all of the project management and team leadership courses I teach!

I purchased this as a textbook for a Master's program I am in, but it is an excellent resource to have on hand outside of the classroom if you are either an internal or external consultant.

We received the book on time and it was brand new. We were happy with the timliness of ths shipment.

this was a required text for a graduate leadership class, good reference book regarding facilitation and being effective communicator