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Effective Group Facilitation in Education
How to Energize Meetings and Manage Difficult Groups
- John Eller - Virginia Tech University, USA
May 2004 | 224 pages | Corwin
Designed for administrators who frequently are assigned to facilitate stakeholder groups - parents, site-based management teams, faculty and staff, accountability teams, and others - this book helps facilitators keep meetings positive, productive, and efficient by managing trouble areas, dissent, deviation from the task, and by energizing the group. Besides addressing the intuitive aspect of the facilitation process, John Eller includes many strategies and templates that help groups of people work together to complete tasks, generate new ideas, and solve problems. Effective Group Facilitation in Education serves as a practical guide that fills the gap that exists between traditional meeting facilitation and "best practice" in working with others.
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. What am I Getting Into?
Why do We Get People Together to Meet?
When Do We Use Teams?
The Impact of a Facilitator on the Effectiveness of a Group
The Unique Position of a Group Facilitator
Internal Versus External Facilitators
Characteristics of Effective Facilitators
Your Mission as a Facilitator
Summary
2. Get Ready, Get Set...
The Importance of Planning to a Successful Session
Factors to Take Into Consideration When Planning Meetings
Breaking the Meeting Tasks Into Parts
Planning for the Effective Delivery of Directions
Summary
3. Go
Setting the Proper Tone for a Meeting
The Use of Music
Foundation-Setting Activities
Good News
The Use of Framing
Active Learning Strategies
Watching Team Member Behaviors During the Start of a Meeting
Opening the Session
Setting Norms and Ground Rules
Summary
4. Connecting All Members of the Team
Interdependence/Community and Its Importance to Team Operation
Community
Team Building
Conflict Resolution
Conflict and Chaos
Protecting Team Members During the Decision-Making Process
Protecting Team Members When Announcing the Results of Their Decisions
Keeping Uninvolved Stakeholder Groups Informed About Decision Progress
Summary
5. Reaching Peak Performance: Connecting Their Minds
The Need to Minimize/Maximize Energy
Diagnosing Group Energy
Working/Processing Combinations
Grouping and Regrouping Strategies
Other Group Processing Strategies
Summary
6. Working the Brain
Brainstorming Techniques
Brainstorming Strategies and Ideas
Summary
7. Reaching the Goal
The Problem with Goals
Typical Issues Inhibiting Goal Implementation Success and Facilitator Implications
Other Important Considerations for Success in the Goal Process
Summary
8. Putting On Your Oxygen Mask
Important Factors for Facilitators to Track
Importance of Self-Protection
Understanding Your Role as the Group Facilitator
Use of Positive Presuppositions
Gesturing
Use of Charts, Papers and Other Visuals to Deflect Anger
Use of Positioning in the Room
Developing an Exit Plan
Reflect Emotions/Content Back to the Group
Summary
9. Transforming a Difficult Group
What is a Difficult Group?
Problem People
Identification Strategies
Starting a Session
Music and Difficult Groups
Foundation-Setting Activities
Framing
Use of an Agenda
Summary
References
Index
