Amazon.com
Once again using an astutely written fictional tale to unambiguously but painlessly deliver some hard truths about critical business procedures, Patrick Lencioni targets group behavior in the final entry of his trilogy of corporate fables. And like those preceding it, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is an entertaining, quick read filled with useful information that will prove easy to digest and implement. This time, Lencioni weaves his lessons around the story of a troubled Silicon Valley firm and its unexpected choice for a new CEO: an old-school manager who had retired from a traditional manufacturing company two years earlier at age 55. Showing exactly how existing personnel failed to function as a unit, and precisely how the new boss worked to reestablish that essential conduct, the book's first part colorfully illustrates the ways that teamwork can elude even the most dedicated individuals--and be restored by an insightful leader. A second part offers details on Lencioni's "five dysfunctions" (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), along with a questionnaire for readers to use in evaluating their own teams and specifics to help them understand and overcome these common shortcomings. Like the author's previous books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, this is highly recommended. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.
Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.
Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.
Customer Reviews:
5 stars for 5 dysfunctions.......2007-10-10
My business partner and I made this required reading to all employees. We started with the management team and quickly found that establishing trust (the first step) across the team was the hardest. Once we accomplished this first step, the rest came much easier. Implementing and using the exercises in this book have helped align our company across all levels. It has helped catapult our growth in 2007.
Definition of Team ?.......2007-10-02
While the model would be beneficial in training a group on team fundamentals, the writing and the story actually hinder the message.
"Relieved, Kathryn was more than happy to give Mikey everything she asked for. But she knew better than to say so right there. "I'm not sure about all of that, but I will see if I can make it happen."
I am not so naive that I think lies and manipulation doesn't happen from management to employees. I am surprised when it is from the hero in the model who touts team trust and commitment, then lies and pretends that she will work hard and go to bat for the employee being asked to leave. People who are honest when it works for them and not honest when that works for them aren't trustworthy. I lost respect for Kathryn (and the author) right there on page 159.
How about: "Yes, I'm sure we can." Or "Let me give that to HR and have them get in touch with you" or "I will get back to you on the severance agreement." Those are truthful and authentic, not pretending that you are going to pull strings or go the extra mile when it's not true and you're actually relieved with what little the employee asked for. Does the end justify the means?
The author references a basketball team as the analogy of how teams work together. Sports Teams are about performance and not personalities that get along with everyone else on the team. Does every man on a professional football team get along with every other male on the team? If the team member they all dislike for whatever reason they dislike him, continually catches the football and scores... the team keeps him.
I believe a better definition (or even a better word) of the term `conflict' would have helped. Conflict carries such a negative connotation and even personal undertones that it really begs for separation from those. The book attempted to demonstrate this, but I don't think it succeeded at all.
My opinion is that instead of telling people not to be "Afraid of Conflict" is to define the difference between conflict between the person and a discussion of conflicting ideas, methods or views.
There are several instances where the writer sets the stage for some dramatic event. They never happen. The chapters involving the CEO Kathryn and the executive Mikey are anti-climatic.
The storyteller tries to build Mikey up with sentences like: "But Mikey was cleverer than the average executive." (Really, that's the sentence.) The story goes on to explain that the CEO thought Mikey was coming to terms with the dismissal.... and ends the chapter with "But she was wrong."
I was waiting for something "dramatic" to happen, here it is:
Mikey then says her husband is an attorney and it won't be easy to make a case for termination. The CEO explains then your behavior would have to change, because you don't like to be criticized, don't apologize, roll your eyes and called a team member an SOB. Mikey was "stunned" and "Confronted with stark evidence, she realized the weight of her dilemma." She resigns and leaves before any co-worker could see her.
Yea, that's cleverer. Stark evidence of what? Not having "artificial harmony?" (One of the five dysfunctions)
I understand this was to be a simple story to illustrate the Five Functions of a workgroup or team. I agree the five functions are valuable and foster a place of safety and creativity. Seeing them spelled out and discussed could benefit a team.
Education View.......2007-09-30
I bought this book because it is required for a graduate level education class that I am enrolled in. Although the story is set in the business world, the strategies suggested are also applicable to the educational setting as well.
This is a quick and easy read. I like that it is not preachy...it just tells a story and allows the reader to take what he/she needs to take from it.
Can't Say Enough!.......2007-09-29
This is an easy read -- but the concepts are powerful.
I took a highly disfunctional group of talented people -- and using the concepts presented, now have a high performance team.
Ok, it took several years -- and some effort -- but this book gave us a roadmap.
Go to their website -- and use the on-line Team assessment to measure you're progress.
Seriously, this book really helped us -- and we are really doing great! No lie...
Engaging Story, Powerfully Simple Ideas.......2007-09-11
Patrick Lencioni's book The Five Disfunctions of a Team is a simple read with powerful ideas for how we need to evaluate and reshape teams. I like his use of fables in business literature to give you a good story backed by common-sense organizational development advice that isn't so common-sense.
Read it!
Product Description
The focus of Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities is answering the most common question posed by schools seeking to start their transformation into professional learning communities: Where do we begin? In the Introduction, the authors present the PLC concept, making the book accessible to those who have not yet read Professional Learning Communities at Work and providing a review of the framework for those who have. The main focus of the Introduction is that PLC is not a cookie-cutter approach, but rather a process that can be complex and non-linear. The book provides the reader access to a solid conceptual framework and concrete illustrations of how schools operate when they are functioning as PLCs, as well as to assessments for determining the effectiveness of their efforts.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Hope for Public Schools.......2007-06-26
As a public school teacher and teacher trainer I feel strongly that the best reform schools can make is involving teachers and administrators in professional conversations as colleagues about teaching and learning. This book is a very good "how to do it" manual.
Very good book for college class..........2007-05-10
I needed this book for a college class. The price of the book was very reasonable and I was quite pleasantly surprised that the book was actually interesting. This is one book that I plan to keep and not sell back to the school. I think the book will be a good resource even after I've finished my degree work.
Golden Dancer.......2006-09-22
In the movie Inherit the Wind, the story of Golden Dancer is related to the audience. Golden Dancer was a beautiful and expensive wooden rocking horse that a family bought for its child after saving for it. The first time the child rode the horse, it collapsed as the wood was rotten to the core; so, is the DuFour premise as found on page 37. His conclusion that all students can achieve at the same level (learn specified topics) is asinine. He argues that all that is needed for struggling students is more time and support. He refuses to take into account intelligence and student effort (responsibility) in his equation. If his premise has any chance of coming true, teachers will have to dumb down what they teach to the lowest common denominator. Additionally, he and his colleagues lump all "traditional schools" into the same problem heap. His approach is simplistic and insulting. I would give this book zero stars, but that is not an option.
Book Description
This cost-effective pocket guide ensures that project teams achieve high-quality results. It provides each member of an organization with an easy-to-use roadmap for managing all types of projects. Whether a team is planning the construction of a new facility or implementing a customer feedback system, this pocket guide can help you avoid typical problems and pitfalls. It is packed with useful information on everything from project concept to completion. The method described in the Project Management Memory Jogger is consistent with industry standard approaches such as PMBOK, with an emphasis on participation, empowerment, individual accountability, and results, and utilizes continuous improvement tools and concepts. It measures 3.5" x 5.5".
Customer Reviews:
Excellent reference.......2006-07-17
excellent reference for the beginner or advanced PM that needs to look up something.
A must-read for anyone who manages projects........1998-11-23
Whether you work on huge, complex, international projects for one of the Fortune 50 or you are putting together a family reunion, you will find something of value in this little book. But don't let either the size of the book (pocket) or the size of the print (small) fool or intimidate you. The ideas are clear and accessible.
These two consultants have written a project management book for our times. Their approach is team-based and collaborative -- particularly useful for those of us who work in organizations that use teams but still think in functional silos -- as well as practical and flexible. Personally, I have always found other project management models to be too complex, too highly delineated, and too quantitative. This approach is logical, fact-based, and flexible enough for me to work the parts that apply and skip the ones that don't.
I highly recommend the book as well as the approach. If you want to get the full benefit of their methodology, bring the authors in for in-house training. That way, the kinesthetic and auditory processors in your organization will "get it" even better.
Amazon.com
The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player is another in a long line of titles by John Maxwell aimed at helping people attain their personal and leadership potential in the workplace. The book is organized into short chapters, each devoted to one of the 17 qualities that Maxwell deems essential to a successful and harmonious workplace, qualities such as competence, discipline, adaptability, commitment, selflessness, and preparedness. Maxwell's prose reads like a series of sermons, peppered with inspirational stories and quotes from personalities as diverse as Vince Lombardi ("The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender") and Henry Ford ("Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success"). The book is for Maxwell fans and anyone looking for a sensible and formulaic approach to improving their lot, both at work and in life. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
Where can a person go to learn how to become a better team player? Your choices are definitely limited. John C. Maxwell takes the pain out of knowing what makes a team tick. If you want to have a better team, you have to develop better players. Great team players, like great teams, are formed from the inside out.
The qualities Maxwell teaches quickly take you to the heart of teamwork. Anybody can understand them and apply them -- whether at home, on the job, at church, or on the ball field. If you learn the 17 essential qualities of a team player, you can become the kind of person every team wants. If everyone on your team does it, there will be no holding you back.
Customer Reviews:
An inspirational manual on becoming a valuable team member........2007-10-12
This brief, inspirational book uses a now-classic formula for texts on selling and leadership, although its focus on cooperation and following the leader is unusual. Each chapter starts with a short anecdote about a historic figure's accomplishments, and his or her triumph over adversity. The vignettes demonstrate the lessons that author John C. Maxwell then briefly discusses in the rest of the chapter. The "laws" the author promulgates benefit from the stories' afterglow and are less important than the stories themselves. Memorable quotations and sidebars that support the author's main points round off each lesson. Maxwell is an expert at wielding this formula, perhaps because he helped make it a classic, and a star in the inspirational self-help genre. We recommend his book as a pick-me-up for team members and aspiring leaders.
Great book to use to facilitate team discussion.......2007-02-19
I used the 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player as a book to use for team discussions affirming or confirming how the team would operate. The chapters are a quick read and the qualities described supporting a successful and harmonious workplace cover most required behaviors of a good team member.
While John Maxwell's material is mostly from non-profit experiences, the stories and quotes are relevant and applicable to corporate America just as much as in the non-profit settings. In some cases my team offered criticisms of the examples, but even in those cases the opportunity to have the team discuss and agree on the essential attributes of teamwork was a success I would not have achieved without the support of the book. I have not used the websites referred to in the book.
How Effective of a team player are you?.......2007-02-02
Oh this is a wonderful study. We are going through leadership training in our church and our homework lol is to read this book. It is very good material. My husband and I enjoy it so much we go back and reread the chapter we've done read.
The 17 Essential Qualities Of A Team Player .......2006-11-06
This book is very well written. It should be required reading in Organizational Behavior and other Management courses.
Misleading?.......2005-11-04
Many books and subjects taught should have a disclaimer stating that the information you are absorbing may not apply to the real world.
The only way I see the information in this book working is in a small company on its' way up. Im not saying that the information within is alltogether baseless, however, there are more than a few times while reading where I wondered what would be my fate if I had someone with a secretive agenda within my group of subordinates and I began to let down my guard just enough for them to knife me in the back? This book never suggests looking out for oneself. Dont get me wrong, trust is good, but you cannot allowed yourself to be disarmed by it.
Is the book worthy? ABSOLUTELY. All I am saying is that it should be taken with a grain of salt and not blindly adhered to.
Book Description
Indoor/Outdoor Team Building Games for Trainers is a collection of 62 fun, physical acitivities from the world of adventure-based team building--now made simple for the average classroom trainer. Each activity (requiring only simple props such as rubber balls, blindfolds, and rope) comes complete with learning objectives, equipment needs, time goals, directions, and debriefing guidelines. Perfect for fields, parking lots, and even indoor classrooms. ativity
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing and too expensive.......2007-01-10
I was very disappointed with this purchase because very few, if any, of the activities are unique. It's only advantage is that it collates a good number of activities together in one place. However, I don't feel that the price for this collection is worth it given that I found most of these activities on the internet, for free, and on more than one site.
Is this book really worth its pricey tag?.......2002-08-26
After being greatly impressed by the size of the box that this work arrived in I was a little disappointed by the rather cheap looking folder that was contained within. Indoor/Outdoor Team building games for trainers by Harrison Snow is presented in a large triple ring folder that at first glance looks like a standard undergraduate dissertation. However the way the work is presented and the price tag are both justified in the copyright blurb on the very first page.
Indoor/Outdoor is a not just a reference book but a step by step course for those who want to instruct their own team building sessions. As a result the price tag (which is $$more than I am normally comfortable paying for a book) not only buys you the folder but also the right to make photocopies of relevant pages to distribute to those who attend your workshop, and what a workshop it'll be!
Having spent the summer working as an outdoor pursuits instructor I was glad to see many of the best warm ups and ice breakers that I had already learnt succinctly described in a manner that transfers the necessary fun within which all team-building sessions should be framed. There's enough problem solving exercises to keep even the most competent team busy for a least three days and each description is followed by a few generally excellent paragraphs on how to debrief after the exercise. Very few of the exercises need much preparation or investment in equipment and can be attempted by any able bodied person regardless of fitness.
Along with the individual tasks Snow has included a very readable section introducing a few management theories, the need for strong teams and the whole framework of trust, safety and fun within which good workshops must run. He concludes with some exercises that provide a review of the workshop and a few more management theories that are again very well presented.
Like most work on this subject Indoor/Outdoor can occasionally be a little "touchy feely" but never to a nauseating extent. Snow also occasionally makes the assumption that his audience is entirely from the US but although slightly annoying this in no way detracts from the overall excellent quality of his work. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in running their own sessions but also recommend that you either practice on your friends or shadow an experienced leader before instructing paying customers.
Poor Value.......2002-01-11
A tremendous disappointment. One of the more expensive Team Building resource publications available and it does not deliver. In many respects, Mr. Snow has authored a well organized, adequately written resource BINDER. A three ring binder and 241 (mostly single sided) pages of information. Sadly, the liabilities completely outweigh the assets of this selection.
Almost every activity may be found in other, significantly less expensive books. Very few activities feature illustrations or diagrams. Even when included, the pictures may not be worth a thousand words. Those unfamiliar with an activity may have difficulty vizualizing some instructions. Which begs the question if you ARE familiar with the activities, why purchase the book?
The only justification I found for the seemingly disproportionate price was the permission granted by the publisher to photocopy the pages of the publication "for use by participants attending a training workshop conducted by the original purchaser." This might be a terrific value for those who provide training of trainer workshops or who have a large staff to train. If you primarily will be solo or co-facilitating team building sequences with various groups this may be of dubious benefit to you.
Bottom line: If Mr. Snow and/or McGraw-Hill republished the binder as a book (at a fraction of the cost), added more visual-aids and you were looking for a solid resource book, it might be a useful resource. In it's present form I'd recommend you keep searching. Karl Rohnke and several others have authored resource books that will provide you with much, much more for much, much less.
Keep searching. . .
Great Hands on edition.......2000-03-29
This book is a wonderful collection of activities that will build and challenge your team. The books is spiral bound so it allows you to "take it with you" and use it wherever your team is. The activites are not just the typical version, they are challenging, exciting, and when used can help you establish a solid foundation. The book is easy to follow and does include some diverse games and activities. No two are alike.
Book Description
Learn tomorrow's leadership strategies today. LEADERSHIP combines traditional theories with cutting-edge developments to bring you the leadership textbook you have to own if you want to succeed in tomorrow's workforce. Plus, this edition comes with hands-on skill building exercises so you can learn by doing. And with countless study aids built right into the textbook, you'll have all you need to ace the test as well.
Book Description
An essential guide for any small group that must deliver team performance.
With the demand for project-oriented work and faster, more nimble responses, successful small-group performance is more crucial than ever. Katzenbach and Smith, authors of the international bestseller The Wisdom of Teams, have again joined forces, revealing how to implement the disciplines, frameworks, tools, and techniques required for team- and small-group performance. Combining their insights and practical strategies, they offer concepts and pragmatic, doable exercises for team leaders and team members to deliver results. Hot topics covered include: why small-group performance demands expertise at two disciplines, team level and leader level, instead of one; virtual teams; and global teams. This book combines practical exercises with cutting-edge insights, and both authors are authorities on the subject.
Attend a featured author workshop at the 13th International Conference on Work Teams: Collaborating for Competitive Advantage, September 23-25, 2002, in Dallas, TX. For information, contact the Center for the Study of Work Teams at 940 565 3096 or visit them online at www.workteams.unt.edu.
Download Description
An essential guide for any small group that must deliver team performance
Customer Reviews:
Sparks great ideas!.......2007-03-08
This was a great read! 15 pages into the book I came up with a great idea for my restaurant. I continued to the read the book and within 2 days, I completed it and had written an Executive Summary for my business. Very motivational and provides tons of information. I'm glad I purchased the book.
A 'must have' for any consultant who works with teams........2006-08-27
I won't write a detailed review, here's what I found helpful:
- the distinction between performance and activity goals.
A re-cap of their original research into the five basic elements fo effective group work.
1. Have or develop an understandable charter.
2. Communicate and co-ordinate effectively.
3. Establish clear roles and responsibilities.
4. Create time-efficient processes.
5. Develop a sense of accountability.
Clear distinction between when a single leader 'discipline' is warranted or when a real team discipline is warranted.
Great re-cap about establishing clear outcomes.
Once the background is set-up, it becomes an issue of delving deeper into the application of their recommendations. It is great stuff! But you'll have to buy the book to 'get it'!
They do a good job in dissecting how virtual teams are different and similar to teams with co-located members.
Finally, I really like their road to getting a team 'unstuck'. Their observation that teams that become stuck revert to single-leader leadership is absolutely true. They posit that it's necessary for a good team to become stuck. As pain as it might be, you have a great opportunity to:
- clarify goals
- identify missing skills
- address attitude issues
- grapple with changing members
- address time pressures
- work on lack of discipline
The chapter on change is pretty decent, the rest of the content is golden.
I've rated this five stars as it's a must for anyone who works with teams.
Damien Faughnan
Skip the text and go to the exercises.......2005-05-08
This so-called sequel to The Wisdom of Teams is a "workbook" with exercises. It offers no new insights/guidance for readers of the 2002 paperback update of The Wisdom of Teams.
I am a fan of Katzenbach and Smith. As a business consultant, I have introduced clients to their work and worked to adapt and apply their insights. Wisdom of Teams is a great foundation. Their other books--Peak Performance and Why Pride Matters More than Money--offer useful new insights even though they are better understood if readers are familiar with The Widdom of Teams.
Nice overview, but lacks concrete guidance.......2005-03-10
This book excels at drawing the line between leader-driven and team-driven groups of individuals. It also characterizes some of the failure cases very well -- teams that are too large, teams that don't have a clear vision and purpose, teams that are disconnected from the rest of the organization, etc.
However, I struggled to see how to clearly draw the line between which style to guide your team into. The rough guidance seemed a bit self-referential: "when the task can best be done with a single leader, do it with a single leader." What about if you're not sure? Try both and take it as a lesson learned? Maybe I just missed it, but the book lacked the critial information I needed to be able to fully apply it in my situation.
Discipline of Teams.......2001-06-29
As the sequel to The Wisdom of Teams, John Katzenbach and Douglas Smith return to uncover the tools, techniques, frameworks and disciplines required to unlock the performance potential that lie within today's teams and virtual teams.
Performance potential is not guaranteed, and you need to become an expert at the two disciplines - team and single leader and, you must be able to implement the right discipline to suit the performance need of your team.
Katzenbach & Smith identify and discuss the Six Basic Principles of Team Discipline: 1) keep team numbers to a minimum, 2) ensure that team members possess skills that compliment one another, 3) identify a clear performance purpose, 4) agree on outcome based goals, 5) provide clear roles and responsibilities and, 6) ensure mutual and individual accountability.
As a follow-up to their insights and strategies, Katzenbach and Smith provide practical exercises at the conclusion of each chapter for both team members and leaders to get them on the road to optimal performance.
The Discipline of Teams is easy to read and will provide the reader with tools, techniques and strategies to assist in becoming top performers within today's organizations. On a personal note, The Discipline of Teams provided me with some new techniques to help develop and maintain effective teams for today and in the future.
Average customer rating:
- Very insightful and useful
- Great for me (techy person)
- The Skilled Facilitator
- What Facilitates Facilitator?
- More Than Practical Wisdom
|
The Skilled Facilitator
Roger Schwarz
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Workplace
| Organizational Behavior
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Human Resources & Personnel Management
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Decision-Making & Problem Solving
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Entrepreneurship
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook: Tips, Tools, and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches (JOSSEY-BASS BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT SERIES)
-
The Secrets of Facilitation: The S.M.A.R.T. Guide to Getting Results With Groups
-
The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation: Best Practices from the Leading Organization in Facilitation (J-B International Association of Facilitators)
-
The Facilitator's Fieldbook: Step-by-Step Procedures * Checklists and Guidelines * Samples and Templates
-
Facilitating with Ease!, with CD: Core Skills for Facilitators, Team Leaders and Members, Managers, Consultants, and Trainers
ASIN: 0787947237 |
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 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.
Customer Reviews:
Very insightful and useful.......2007-03-26
The skilled facilitator introduces a facilitation approach that is based on 4 core values: Valid information, Free and informed choice, internal commitment and compassion. Most of the work on the values are based on the work of Chris Argyris and his work on Organizational Learning.
One of the key-points in the book is that most people work with a unilateral control theory-in-use. This will automatically make their facilitation in-efficient eventhough they do not realize it. The skilled facilitator approach is to try to move away from this theory-in-use and move to a "mutual learning" theory-in-use in which the facilitator tries to maximize the learning for him and his participants. The four core values provide a basis for that. Next to the core values there are 9 ground rules which are concrete enough to really act upon.
Most of the book explains the ideas behind the core values and the ground rules and shows how the ground rules influence your facilitation. This is done with scenarios in which the author shows a normal approach and a skilled facilitator alternative approach.
The book ends with a wonderful chapter on "the facilitative leader", which shows how you can combine the skilled facilitator values and ground rules and your role as a leader within the organization. This chapter alone would have been worth the book already.
I finished the book fairly quick. It's easy to read and kept me interested at all times. It also kept me thinking about the content when I was not reading it. Changing a theory-in-use is a difficult thing, but thanks to this book, I've become more aware of my own approach to facilitation and have the ability to improve it.
Great for me (techy person).......2007-03-09
When I first read this book years ago, I was a very technical IT person who preferred to work alone. I credit this book with helping to develop my people skills and making me a more effective team member.
The Skilled Facilitator.......2007-01-16
A good book but unfortunately both copies arrived damaged by water, one was still wet. They also smelled like rat's urine. I was able to retrieve one after a week of drying in 30 degree temperatures & turning pages every so often. The other is a total wreck. Probably should have been packaged in plastic prior to putting in the box. Disappointed.
What Facilitates Facilitator?.......2004-08-14
Many who want to be skillful facilitators are in a way "misled" by consultants, trainers or books on facilitation in the sense that techniques and recipes are cited and taught.
With many techniques and methodologies delivered, honest "facilitators" sense that they are not getting there - people do not get engaged, people among themselves are not connected.
Roger Schwarz, in his book "The Skilled Facilitator" shows that there is more to techniques, theories and methodologies. The very thinking, motives or mental models of the "facilitator" is an important part of the chemistry of the whole group.
By QuaSyLaTic, Andrew
http://www.360q.com
More Than Practical Wisdom.......2003-02-26
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.
Book Description
Famous "Work-Out" change-management tool explained by the people who helped develop it.
GE's legendary Work-Out program played a key role in the company's phenomenal success over the past decade and has been implemented in many other organizations. Now three executives and consultants who developed the original Work-Out approach at GEoften working directly with CEO Jack Welchdiscuss the inner workings of Work-Out and their experiences at successfully implementing the program at GE.
Filled with effective assessment and decisionmaking tools, The GE Work-Out provides concrete and realistic guidance for anyone who wants to implement Work-Out and break down bureaucracy and hierarchy within an organization.
Download Description
GE's legendary Work-Out program played a key role in the company's phenomenal success over the past decade and has been implemented in many other organizations. Now three executives and consultants who developed the original Work-Out approach at GE often working directly with CEO Jack Welch discuss the inner workings of Work-Out and their experiences at successfully implementing the program at GE.
Customer Reviews:
Sound advice for delivering speed, simplicity, and solutions.......2005-01-07
'Work-Out' is the famous organizational process that General Electric, the greatest industrial firm in the world, used to bust bureaucracy - fast.
At its core, Work-Out is a simple, straightforward concept for cutting out bureaucracy and solving organizational problems - fast. Large groups of employees and managers - from different levels and functions of the organization - come together to address issues that they identify or that senior management has raised as concerns. In small teams, people challenge prevailing assumptions about "the way we've always done things" and come up with recommendations for dramatic improvements in organizational processes. The Work-Out teams present their recommendations to a senior manager in a "town meeting", where the manager engages the entire group in a dialogue about the recommendations and then makes yes-or-no decisions on the spot. Recommendations for changing the organization are assigned to "owners" who have volunteered to carry them out and follow through to get results. That's Work-Out in a nutshell.
Work-Out can be applied to almost any type of problem. It was first used at GE to harvest the low-hanging fruit of OVERGROWN BUREAUCRACY by getting unnecessary and unproductive work out of the organizational system - e.g. reduce meetings, reports, and approval levels. They asked what procedures didn't make sense? Where were they wasting time? What activities seemed to add little value? Some of the bureaucratic procedures were expense reimbursements, making travel arrangements, obtaining office supplies, updating personnel data, taking education courses, upgrading software, and more. But also in the core functions, bureaucracy was found: filling out forms for deals, preparing presentations for approval meetings, keeping track of customer data, obtaining approval for materials purchasing, overwhelming amounts of extra analysis to justify various investments or initiatives. Some of the results were e.g. that expense accounts did not need multiple approvals, people could purchase approved software without going through the IT department, and a pre-deal process was established to see if deals were worth pursuing before going through all the analytics.
Work-Out has been successfully adapted to any type of organization - public or private, commercial or non-profit, large or small. In all of these organizations, no matter what the issue, the process remains much the same.
1. Bring together the people from the organization who know the issues best
2. Challenge them to develop creative solutions
3. Decide on the solutions immediately in a public forum
4. Empower people to carry them out
Despite its massive impact on GE and other firms, Work-Out is not a snake oil or magic elixir. It is a simple set of concepts, tools, and experiences. When stripped to its essence, Work-Out allows people to get some obstacles out of the way so they can do their work better. In many firms, that alone would be a significant gain.
The real merit of this book is the practical approach. If you are - as I am - struggling with the challenges of continually keeping our organizations lean, then this book can help you. It contains many inspiring worksheets, action plans, tools, and hands-on case studies.
The authors of this book helped GE create Work-Out. So don't expect theoretical contributions. Only sound advice.
Co-author Dave Ulrich is one of my favourite HR experts. I can recommend many of his books, e.g. `Results-Based Leadership' and `Delivering Results'. To him, HR is about delivering business performance and organizational capabilities. Cause if you don't, you'll soon be out of business. The tricky part is balancing the soft and hard part of HR. Dave Ulrich has many good concepts to make that happen. This book is not a bad place to start, if you'd like to pick his brains...
Peter Leerskov,
M.Sc. in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business
Packed Wiyh Knowledge!.......2004-05-02
There's no denying the effectiveness of the Work-Out system at General Electric (GE). This book is a straightforward and comprehensive introduction to what Work-Oout means and how it helped GE achieve such astonishing results under Jack Welch, who introduced it. This clear, well-organized book makes it possible for any executive or manager to apply at least some elements of the work-out program in any organizational context. We do caution you, however, that the Work-Out program as portrayed here demands a great deal of commitment and moral fortitude from leaders. Empowerment may be effective, but it is rarely comfortable for the powers that be. Just ask "Neutron Jack."
Good Idea - Bad Book.......2003-12-19
I completely agree with the reader who said that this book could have been written much more effectively. It is nearly 400 pages and should have been no more than 25 to 50. Most issues or thoughts in this book while being solid are explained in far far too painful of detail with a great deal of redundancy. This made reading the book extremely wasteful of my time.
Perhaps the authors should have a "Work Out" on improvement of their materials.
Great. Lots of first-hand tips to turnaround a large company.......2003-03-28
Unlike other books on Six Sigma that focus on variation reduction, statistics and other tools, this book is full of practical examples of techniques and implementation tips. The focal point of the book is on the process of generating the turnaround in a large conglomerate such as GE. In this case the aspects of organizational behavior constitute THE critical success factor (rather than statistical/other tools). Workout has undoubtedly been fundamental for generating the cultural transformation in GE. This book is addressing these organizational behavior aspects in a pragmatic manner presenting a detailed road-map from planning all the way through implementation.
Most examples deal with administration/bureaucracy and I would have expected to read more on operational aspects such as value chain improvement in a Production/Logistics environment.
This book is a must for top managers that search for a generic methodology to translate their vision into reality.
Very Bad Buy.......2002-12-05
This is one of the worst books I've ever purchased. The ideas in this book could be fully explained in no more than two or three pages. I bought it relying on the CV's of the authors but it turned out to be a true dud. It rehashes the same ideas over and over and over and over. It's for the braindead.
Book Description
Two training legends offer you a definitive team sourcebook!
The world's two best-known team-building facilitators bring you over thirty-five cutting-edge activities. You'll turn to this treasury of hassle-free, sure-fire games, exercises, and simulations time and time again.
"In keeping with the tradition of continuous learning about teamwork, Thiagi and Parker have hit a home run. Teamwork and Teamplay is a must-have for every training bookshelf."
--Harvey A. Robbins, co-author, Why Teams Don't Work
"I can think of forty reasons to buy this book: thirty-eight games and activities, each a gem--plus two of the best writers in the training business. I am truly impressed at how well each activity is designed and how easy the rules are to understand."
--Steve Sugar, author, Games That Teach; president, The Game Group
The game formats are varied: some short, some long; some icebreakers, some closers; and much more! A game selection matrix enables you to find a game that suits your situation. Plus, training legends Thiagi and Parker share with you their proven insights on effective teamwork and facilitation.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended!.......2005-12-15
Run and buy... This book has a lot of good exercises and ideas for developing teams. I specially found it helpful dealing with group processes, e.g. how to work with roles, conflict, tasks, cooperation and other topics. I have read about 30 books about teams and games/ activities: These book is one of the top three. My best recommendations!
Together Everyone Achieves More.......2002-07-22
More is just what this phenomenal book of new and exciting trainings offers any aspiring and inspiring trainer. The trainings can be easily grouped and shared to produce high impact.
In returning from a weekend seminar of team building and communication courses, several trainings from this manuel helped to provide for a high-impact seminar with team-work problem solving, team interaction and production, opportunities for great transitional shorties between programs (adaptability is immense!) and communication inside the team.
Metcalfe, Our Team, ET, Escape from Gilligan's Island were among the courses used and combined with others throughout the seminar. Worthwhile trainings and with some ingenuity and creativity, easily adaptable to fit any size of audience!
I highly recommend this book for trainers looking to provide something new or something different in seminars on team work and communication.
I know I can't wait to implement more trainings from the book into helping others become better team players!
Thiagi done it again!.......2001-10-02
I met Thiagi few years ago when I was still in Bloomington, Indiana (when I was still a PhD student). I love his game and simulation seminar a lot. This book include a lot of his "tricks" and pratical guidelines for those trainers who would like to motivate the team sprit and so on. A highly recommend book
Well-Organized and Useful Resource.......2001-06-23
Being one of those relatively concrete-sequential, oldest child, ISTJ (for the Myers-Briggs aficionados) people, I started my consulting career a little wary of all these "touchy-feely" group activities that trainers use when working with groups. Well, times change and (maybe) people do, too. I have done a fair amount of group facilitation and training, and have found all kinds of activities to be very beneficial in getting people to identify, focus on, and move toward shared goals. Many trainers discount or are ignorant of the requirements of adult learners -- most adults won't sit still (literally) for traditional, classroom-style instruction for more than 45 minutes at a time.
This book is an excellent, concise, easy-to-follow resource for anyone working in either team building or team training environments. As explained in the book's introduction, team building "...increases the ability of an intact team to work together...," while team training "...increases the knowledge and skills of the participants in various aspects of teamwork and being a team player...." The book presents many exercises for each type of team experience.
Each of the 38 activities is organized in an easy-to-follow format that includes:
* purpose * team size (minimum/maximum recommended group) * required resources * time (to complete) * room setup * steps * debriefing * variations * templates, charts, overheads, as applicable
The book also includes appendices that sort the activities by primary use (team building or team training), time and participants, and by topic area (desired outcome or issue being addressed). These appendices make it easy to determine at a glance which of the 38 activities are most appropriate for a particular group or setting when designing training.
The value of the introduction bears emphasis. Many books have forgettable introductions; this book's introduction is an excellent short essay on the value, uses, and benefits of building and training teams. Read it slowly -- the authors make their points quickly. If you skim, you'll miss something important.
Whether you're a consultant or in-house trainer, regardless of organization size or mission, this book is a handy tool to improve the quality, participation, and outcomes from your groups training.
Splendid Team-Training Tool.......2000-09-28
Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan designs activities and games for training programs and to improve human performance. Glenn Parker is a team-building expert. When the two of them paired up to create Teamwork and Teamplay, they were able to offer 38 team-building and training exercises that work.
The value of this book begins with its introduction. Thiagi and Parker start by identifying 7 different types of teams and guidelines for using the activities. Those guidelines include steps to take so you are prepared to facilitate the activity, steps to take during the activity, and what to do after the activity is concluded.
Activities include skill-building in consensus-making (don't miss "Escape from Gilligan's Island" here!), ethics, motivation, team effectiveness, stages of team development. . .and more.
Thiagi and Parker include three indices at the end of the book: a topical index, a primary use (team-building or -training activity) index, and a time/number index.
Trainers, coaches, facilitators, and team leaders will find themselves returning to this book again and again. I have worked several of these games into my training sessions, with great results, and am eager to try even more. The activities are fun and groups find them engaging and energizing, and the learning points are solid.
Books:
- The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action
- The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, & Problem Solving
- The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, & Problem Solving
- The Restaurant Managers Handbook: How to Set Up, Operate, and Manage a Financially Successful Food Service Operation
- The Silva Mind Control Method
- The Six Sigma Way Team Fieldbook: An Implementation Guide for Process Improvement Teams
- The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably (4th Edition) (Pie)
- Total Construction Project Management
- Understanding Organizations (Penguin Business Library)
- Warrior of the Light: A Manual
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
- Unwrapped
- Out There in the Dark
- Opus Deorum: Photography
- The Glass Castle: A Memoir
- Visions in Death
- The Great Encyclopedia of Mushrooms
- Handbook of Equity Style Management, 3rd Edition
- Sales and Distribution with SAP: Making SAP SD Work for Your Business
- Termination Dust
Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators
Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable...About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business
Silos, Politics and Turf Wars: A Leadership Fable About Destroying the Barriers That Turn Colleagues Into Competitors
The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive: A Leadership Fable
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
