Facilitating Groups (2nd ed.)

Citation

Nolan, C. (2012), "Facilitating Groups (2nd ed.)", European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 36 No. 2/3, pp. 377-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090591211204814

Book synopsis

In the words of the author “this book is for anyone who is or wants to be a facilitator. It is a book of practice and aimed at practitioners. It describes how to behave as a facilitator and how to deal with the many common challenges that this role presents” (p. 1). The target audience for this book is therefore deliberately broad, spanning the organisational hierarchy. Ultimately, the author argues that the overriding purpose of facilitation is to make it easier for a group to learn and to work with that group in their efforts to become more “competent, more powerful and more in control of their own destinies” (p. 5). The author therefore suggests that anyone with responsibility for managing and developing an effective group, from front‐line managers to senior executives, will benefit from reading about the art of facilitation and the complexity of the knowledge and skills required to make it work.

The book begins with a brief introduction that clearly maps out the types of professionals who need expertise in facilitation. The first chapter then explores the nature of facilitation in greater depth, highlighting its key characteristics and outlines eight fundamental underpinning principles, which draw the discussion together in a succinct manner. The second, and perhaps most interesting, chapter focuses on the dynamics and processes that occur within groups. Particular attention is devoted to exploring whole group behaviour, the behaviour of individuals within groups and the various styles of facilitation available to those with responsibility for managing groups. Prominent theoretical developments are identified and discussed, including group dynamics, transactional analysis, groupthink, stages of group development and the quality of group relationships, to name but a few. Advice on how facilitators can utilise the various theoretical frameworks to interpret group interactions is then offered. A fundamental message, according to the author, is that an effective facilitator is a leader who must have a strong sense of self‐awareness. This is a recurring theme throughout the book. A strong sense of self‐awareness is argued to be vital to identifying and dealing with the challenges presented by working with groups. The reader is presented with a wide range of situations in which to deploy different styles of facilitation and the related positive and negative implications of their chosen style.

The following two chapters deal with the nuts and bolts of the facilitation process. In chapter 3, issues surrounding preparation for a facilitated event are given particular attention by the author and the importance of careful planning, building rapport with the client, understanding the task/ problem and the gathering and feedback of data from/ to potential participants are discussed in detail. Practical suggestions about designing the facilitated event are offered, followed by a discussion of when to use different techniques and activities for the group and the situations in which they may work best. Again, the author's approach is to draw on a wide range of theoretical frameworks/ concepts and illustrate how they may be deployed to best effect in the facilitation process. The value of well‐known techniques such as SWOT and PEST analysis, along with other exercises such as scenario planning, stakeholder analysis, appreciative inquiry, deBono's six thinking hats and the Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator are clearly and succinctly outlined. The chapter also covers important issues such as how relationships within groups can be improved, exercises for creativity and managing large group interventions. Chapter 4 briefly outlines the practicalities surrounding the venue where facilitated interventions will take place, from room size, to break‐out rooms to meal times.

Chapter five summarises the vital skills needed by the facilitator, all of which relate to effective interpersonal communication (Hargie, 2010): building trust, effective listening, empathy, questioning, judicious use of language, observing and giving feedback. The practicalities of timekeeping, marshalling the main themes and recording information are also discussed. Chapter 6 recognises that facilitation is not a panacea for solving group problems. The chapter focuses on the range of difficulties that facilitators may encounter during a typical event – nightmare scenarios – and outlines a range of tactics on to how to deal with them. The final chapter focuses on three main issues: evaluation of the event (whether the task objectives have been met, the overall process of the event for participant and its impact, and feedback for the facilitator), self‐development advice for the facilitator and the inherent ambiguities that characterise the facilitation process. The author's ultimate conclusion is that effective facilitation is “a perceptual balancing act between extremes” (p. 183) ultimately requiring a strong awareness of the self, but also of others, taking a lifetime of learning and reflection to develop.

Evaluation

London and Sessa (2007) maintain that group facilitation is an important part of HRD, given the importance of group work in organisations today. The facilitation act therefore may involve working with group members to increase their awareness of the pressures and need for behavioural change, in light of the complexities of contemporary organisational life. In this regard, the context and rationale for facilitation is well established by the author. Throughout the book, attention is devoted to the broader macro, as well the micro‐level, issues that may impact on the facilitation role.

A key message pervading the book is that facilitation is critical to dealing with the human aspects of managing change. There is nothing new here as facilitation and support have long been identified as a key general strategy for overcoming human resistance to change (e.g. Kotter and Schlesinger, 1979). The author maintains that facilitation skills are most useful in complex situations to which the answers are unclear. Such situations usually involve fundamental changes to working practices, processes and relationships. However, what is strongly emphasised is that facilitation involves working with a group to help them recognise that they ultimately have the resourcefulness, knowledge and skills to overcome complex problems themselves and to challenge and support the group in finding solutions (Coghlan, 2002). In this regard, the author draws upon a vast array of theoretical frameworks and concepts and discusses how they may be applied in a simplified fashion. What is particularly useful is the manner in which a range of strategies, tactics and tips are outlined for the reader and the situations in which different approaches will work best are thoughtfully considered.

The greatest strengths of this book are the numerous vivid, detailed, real life situations, anecdotes and stories shared by the author. The sound, common sense advice offered is clearly based on several decades of practical experience. The strong desire to impart wisdom pervades the tone of the book and it is this wisdom that brings the book to life. Undoubtedly, this book is very much a “how to” guide regarding facilitation (the nuts and bolts), however, there is genuine sense of commitment evident on the part of the author in her wish to promote a conscientious approach to the process.

While it is important to acknowledge the strengths of this book, there is one main drawback that must be highlighted. There is something of a paradox in that while the author states on several occasions that the facilitation role may be played by anyone inside or outside the organisation, the tone of the book and its practical advice is more clearly directed at the professional consultant, the outsider, who not only has “separateness” but also “no emotional commitment to the group in its everyday tasks and roles” (p. 11). The role of the internal facilitator therefore remains somewhat overlooked, with the author stating that the success of facilitation primarily depends on the skill and confidence that accompanies its application. Although the application of facilitation skills may undoubtedly encourage member buy‐in to the change process, it is hard to envisage a situation whereby an insider could play this role in a completely neutral manner. Ultimately, overcoming the challenges faced by the internal facilitator remains something of an unresolved issue.

The accessible, engaging style in which this book is written will undoubtedly have broad appeal to both experienced and novice practitioners. There is a wealth of useful information and resources on the practicalities of facilitation including preparation, the design of the event, activities to engage the group, how to overcome difficulties associated with groups and the evaluation of the process. Overall, the book flows well and is well organised, presenting the material in distinct sections that may be drawn upon for advice on a specific aspect of facilitation.

Although the author gives advice and guidance that is intended for a wide audience – coaches, line managers, HR professionals etc – it is perhaps the novice that will benefit most from the candour and wisdom contained in this book. For more experienced facilitators, it will certainly evoke a “reflect and pause” approach. It is for these reasons that I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to others.

In the author's own words

Every manager, every coach, every HR professional, every trainer, every team leader – anyone who needs to get the best out of a group needs to know how to facilitate. So what is facilitation and why is it so important? To facilitate means to make something easy, so the challenge of facilitation is to make it easier for a group to learn, to develop and succeed. Facilitation bypasses coercion, teaching or chairing. It's about how to read a group, how to challenge group members appropriately and how to name the apparently unnameable. It's about being able to design events which perfectly match what the group needs and then to run such events with aplomb (Back cover).

About the reviewer

Ciara Nolan (BSc, HDip, MPhil) is a Lecturer in Human Resource Management and a researcher at Department of Management and Leadership, University of Business School. Her research interests centre on the study of HRD, workplace learning and communities of practice in small organisations. She also has an interest in student‐centred learning and emerging trends in feedback provision in higher education. She is a member of the Academy of HRD, the CIPD, the British Academy of Management and the Irish Academy of Management. Ciara is currently completing her PhD studies at the University of Limerick under the supervision of Professor Thomas N. Garavan. Her doctoral research explores discourses of HRD within small professional service firms in Ireland. Ciara Nolan can be contacted at: c.nolan@ulster.ac.uk