Citation
Cattell, A. (2002), "Facilitation made easy – Practical tips to improve meetings and workshops (Second Edition)", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 200-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2002.34.5.200.4
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
In the preface to her book Esther Cameron states “Facilitation skills have now become vital not only for the successful manager but for the successful business consultant and successful technical specialist”. As such the text has been written to appeal to a cosmopolitan readership who may not normally use facilitation as a preferred style of interaction with others in a meeting or workshop situation. Cameron further states that she wanted to write a book that debunked facilitation and made it accessible. She seems firmly to believe that anyone can do it given clear instruction and the room to practise. Whilst some may debate such a claim, the text provides a useful starting point on the journey to becoming an effective facilitator.
The book lives up to the claims made for it as regards providing practical tips. However it is light on theory and provides few references to the reader. Cameron’s writing style and the structure of the ten chapters within the text are easy to follow and provide the reader with plenty of information and food for thought. Each chapter ends with several “stop and think” questions to aid reader reflection on what they have read. Suggested answers are provided by the author in the last chapter to the book.
The chapter headings and content provide a logical flow to the suggested process of facilitation including coverage of the following areas:
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What is a facilitated workshop?
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Key aspects of the facilitator’s role.
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Identification of preferred facilitation style.
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Group behaviour and handling of different aspects in a workshop situation.
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Planning and designing a workshop.
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Running a workshop.
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Facilitator responsibilities, ground rules, handling difficult situations and people.
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Facilitating discussion.
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Workshop environment.
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What to do after a workshop as regards informing participants and others and reporting back.
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Using external facilitators.
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Improving your facilitator skills.
Additionally, the author uses a number of case studies to identify and share learning points. These include using facilitated workshops for help desk review, IT strategy, prototype review, and special case workshops covering top team and cross‐cultural issues and approaches. The latter two are additions to the original text. Examples of workshop design and structure are also provided for each case. A facilitator’s checklist is provided to ensure that key questions are not forgotten when planning, designing and running a workshop.
The book presents a simple and unsophisticated approach to workshop facilitation, but also leaves no stone unturned in providing a holistic picture of the actions and skills needed to ensure success in running workshops. There are some very useful tips and techniques suggested, particularly as interactive aids to discussion. It is very much a “how to text” for the relative newcomer to facilitation and provides a very pragmatic approach to assist the reader in developing effective workshop facilitation skills. Whilst it is stated that this is a fully revised new edition of the book, I am unsure as to the extent of revision, not having read the first edition.