Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20162 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-30
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Synopsis
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 facilitate and guide groups toward realizing their creative and problem solving potential. This thoroughly revised edition provides the essential materials for anyone that works within the field of facilitation 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.

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.

Customer Reviews

The bible for facilitators and mentors
Schwarz, Roger, M. (1994). The Skilled Facilitator, San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Inc.,Publishers.

C.E.Vajko (c.ernie@worldnet.att.net) March 14, 1999.

The author integrates the theory and practice of group facilitation in a simple and structured sequence. A work that could serve both the practitioner and the practical scholar. The book includes examples of how to and how not to apply the principles of practice in a mentorship program. It includes examples of effective and ineffective facilitation. The examples of actual dialogue given by the author give the reader an excellent insight to how some facilitators intervene. Step by step instructions for group facilitation, and resources that can be used effectively between facilitator and client are given. The book is strong in group facilitation principles to improve problem solving and decision making.

Managers of group and/or organizations, group consultants, facilitators, or those that want to become facilitators or organization development consultants could benefit from this book. Basically this book is for anyone that wants to improve their professional effectiveness in any field.

The book addresses an area that is important for mentors as well as facilitators working with large groups of people. Communication, conflict management, problem solving, decision making, boundary management, motivating task, clear goals, are just a few of the areas that are covered. I found this book delivers what it promises. I give it a 5 star.