Business Facilitation


Book Description

Facilitation is the art of helping others to do things for themselves. It is fundamental to the engagement challenges within the current business environment. In this revolutionary book, the first to examine the link between business facilitation and employee engagement, Mike Parkes provides practical techniques to achieve success in leading a team through using this unique method. The facilitator is external to the team, independent and objective. Business facilitation is a line manager’s role in engaging the team to take greater responsibility for the problems, issues and solutions in the workplace. Although the manager may seek to be objective, they undoubtedly have a vested interest in the outcome. This is the route to encouraging more positive engagement and empowerment, and as a result far greater business results. Drawing on real work situations, Parkes offers practical frameworks, examples and exercises that enable the reader to readily apply the ideas back in the workplace. He combines this with a thorough understanding of business facilitation and the skill of employee engagement, resulting in original material that has not only been tried, tested and proven to work but is also recognised as cutting edge by practitioners in the field. Business Facilitation captures the author’s 25 years of experience in working through challenging situations with some of the UK’s most prestigious companies including Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Royal and Sun Alliance, Deloitte, Gap, B&Q and VW Group (Volkswagen). "I have run over 500 courses using these techniques, training thousands of line managers and this book supports that training with the model that I have developed." Parkes comments on the inspiration behind Business Facilitation




The Secrets of Facilitation


Book Description

The Secrets of Facilitation delivers a clear vision of facilitation excellence and reveals the specific techniques effective facilitators use to produce consistent, repeatable results with groups. Author Michael Wilkinson has trained thousands of managers, mediators, analysts, and consultants around the world to apply the power of SMART (Structured Meeting And Relating Techniques) facilitation to achieve amazing results with teams and task forces. He shows how anyone can use these proven group techniques in conflict resolution, consulting, managing, presenting, teaching, planning, selling, and other professional as well as personal situations.




Visualisation – Presentation – Facilitation


Book Description

Visualisation, Presentation and Facilitation are working methods that play an increasingly important role in professional everyday life. This was the case in 1989, when this book was first published, and is more relevant now than ever. Since the first edition the author has revised this book numerous times. He has expanded and “modernised” this edition so that the best seller once again sets the benchmark in regard to content and design. The reader learns how he can skillfully visualise facts, properly prepare and confidently give presentations, effectively chair a meeting, facilitate teams and groups results-oriented, and successfully organise workshops. The book also provides the reader with proven methods, tips and techniques for communicating information understandably and vividly. The focus is always on the “how” – giving the reader concrete suggestions for practical use. With its clarity and structure this book is probably unsurpassed until this day.




Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making


Book Description

"The best book on collaboration ever written!" —Diane Flannery, founding CEO, Juma Ventures And now this classic book is even better—much better. Completely revised and updated, the second edition is loaded with new tools and techniques. Two powerful new chapters on agenda design A full section devoted to reaching closure More than twice as many tools for handling difficult dynamics 70 brand-new pages and over 100 pages significantly improved




Return on investment analysis of private sector facilitation funds for Rwandan agribusinesses


Book Description

This study analyzes the return on investment for an agribusiness facilitation fund implemented in Rwanda. Combining project monitoring data with supplementary surveys and interviews of recipient agribusinesses, we find a positive return on investment in terms of farmer income generated per dollar spent by the US government. To determine the commercial viability of the investments, we estimate the payback period and find the median time it will take a firm to recoup the entire investment through profits is 3.7 years. We estimate the net present value of the entire fund portfolio to be $12.5 million. These estimates rely on conservative assumptions and likely underrepresent the profitability of the investments. Given the positive returns and commercial viability of the agribusinesses, we examine the fund’s role as a first step to “graduate” firms toward investment readiness. Although three firms did access equity investment, we find that the majority of the businesses in the portfolio do not meet investor requirements for deal size and management capacity and are more appropriately financed by commercial lenders. We conclude with recommendations for the implementation and measurement of similar funds.




The Art and Power of Facilitation


Book Description

A Volume of the Business Analysis Essential Library Series The heart of the business analyst's role is to drive various constituencies through processes to achieve consensus on the needs of the business. Successfully facilitating meetings — whether a one-on-one interview or a larger presentation — is essential to business analysis. The Art and Power of Facilitation: Running Powerful Meetings provides powerful tools that the business analyst can use to negotiate through the myriad of meetings, informal work sessions, and formal workshops that are necessary to develop business requirements.




The Secrets of Facilitation


Book Description

The revised edition of this facilitation classic offers a wealth of targeted techniques for facilitators who seek effective, consistent, and repeatable results. Based on Michael Wilkinson's proven SMART (Structured Meeting And Relating Techniques) approach, The Secrets of Facilitation can help to achieve stellar results when managing, presenting, teaching, planning, and selling, as well as other professional and personal situations. This expanded edition includes new chapters on facilitating virtual meetings, cross-cultural teams, and large groups and conferences. It also provides a series of strategies for engaging teams, additional information about making meetings more productive, and further guidance on preventing dysfunctional behavior. In addition, the book contains a wealth of fresh case studies and an ancillary website with must-have tools and techniques for both the beginner and the seasoned facilitator. Praise for the First Edition of The Secrets of Facilitation "One of the single most powerful processes is the ability to successfully lead a group to an impactful, actionable outcome. In The Secrets of Facilitation, beginning and experienced facilitators alike will find tools to take their results to the next level." Jim Canfield, chief learning officer, TEC International "This book shares 'The Secrets' that have been the basis of my facilitation practice for over a decade." Kerri McBride, past chair, International Association of Facilitators "In my career, I've seen many, many facilitators. Michael Wilkinson is the best. 'The Secrets' explain why." Len Roberts, CEO, RadioShack "We have trained over 100 leaders and business analysts in 'The Secrets.' Great facilitation works." Peter Scott, executive general manager, MLC National Australia Bank "At last there is a practical, hands-on guide for anyone who works with groups or teams. This book delivers!" Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, CEO, Herrmann International, Herrmann Brain Dominance Indicator




Fearless Facilitation


Book Description

As the workforce ages and younger trainers and managers emerge, facilitation skills take on a new importance and, with the increased use of social networks, new facilitation skills are needed. Written by two facilitation gurus, this book shows how to make any learning environment come alive. It outlines proven guidelines any trainer can use to unify groups, inspire creativity, and get audiences, teams, and colleagues to speak up, talk back, participate, and engage in meetings.







The Project Meeting Facilitator


Book Description

Have you ever been involved in a project that didn’t require a meeting? Neither have we. Well-run project meetings allow teams to get through the maze of distractions and obstacles to achieve results. Unfortunately, many project meetings aren’t well-run—they are viewed, by team members, as unproductive, tedious, wastes of precious time. But you can change that. The Project Meeting Facilitator contains practical techniques and practices that will help you facilitate our meetings more effectively, transforming them into well-planned, well-managed journeys that engage the team while achieving the intended goals.