Stuff worth checking out « Real. Smart. Now.

My bookshelf is pretty stacked at the moment. Thought you might be interested in some recommendations. Topics include facilitation, systems thinking/dialogue, critical thinking and one on presentations.

Facilitation

The Secrets of Facilitation: The S.M.A.R.T. Guide to Getting Results With Groups by Michael Wilkinson

Nice addition to the library – dealing with the nitty-gritty skills of interactionas a facilitator. Not the whole piece, but very useful.

The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches by Roger Schwarz

which goes with…

The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook: Tips, Tools, and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series) by Roger Schwarz, Anne Davidson, Peg Carlson, and Sue McKinney

Roger Schwarz’s Skilled Facilitator approach is based a set of ground rules and models derived from sound principles of systems thinking and dialogue. One of the nice things about this method is that the facilitator thoroughly models the approach they are advocating the group take – I’m always a fan of self-exemplification! I wonder if this method is perhaps a little cerebral – the Fieldbook puts it more into context. Having said that, a large part of my approach to facilitation is coming from Roger’s work (and its roots – Peter Senge, Chris Agyris, David Bohm).

Facilitating with Ease!, with CD: Core Skills for Facilitators, Team Leaders and Members, Managers, Consultants, and Trainers by Ingrid Bens

This is a lovely introduction for people having to take facilitation-type roles, especially if they are only doing it ‘part-time’ – eg managers who have to facilitate from time to time. Great place to start. Goes well with…

Advanced Facilitation Strategies: Tools & Techniques to Master Difficult Situations by Ingrid Bens

Ingrid is extremely clear. She’s certainly established herself as a category expert, and her Facilitation Skills Inventory is worth checking out too, if you’re delving deep.

Practical Facilitation: A Toolkit of Techniques by Christine Hogan

goes along with…

Understanding Facilitation: Theory & Principles by Christine Hogan

Basically these two are two halves of Christine’s PhD thesis. Whilst perhaps a leeetle woo-woo for some people’s taste (her personal website has links to her silk painting and clowning), Christine is pretty damn thorough, at least up until the early part of this century, and she evaluates as she’s going, rather than just reporting, which I like. As a person who likes synthesising what’s out there, I found ‘Understanding…’ particularly helpful to put facilitation approaches into historical context.

Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) by Sam Kaner, Lenny Lind, Catherine Toldi, and Sarah Fisk

Totally great, very clear book on how to help groups to make major decisions. Of particular note is the ‘Groan Zone’ when groups go through major periods of diverging opinions without it seeming like they’re ever going to get to a resolution. Make me realise the importance of time in group problem-solving.

Systems Thinking/Dialogue

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization by Peter M. Senge

… and…

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook by Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, and Rick Ross

… are keeping me up… Totally fricking LOVING what I’m learning. The Fifth Discipline is about helping organisations to develop the capability to learn by encouraging the four disciplines of personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning in addition to the fifth discipline (geddit?) of systems thinking. Systems thinking is being able to look at the whole of a situation rather than its isolated parts, allowing you to see the places where the most leverage can be gained whilst minimising unintended consequences. Or that’s what I understand it is at the moment.

Totally totally ridiculously fascinatingly nerdily practical.

And then there’s…

The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations by Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, and George Roth

… which, due to great self-discipline, is still wrapped. (Yes, they wrap books in Singapore bookshops. Totally wrong, I know – something about the humidity and wanting an untouched copy, all valid reasons – but which leads to me furtively unwrapping books and stuffing their wrapping into the back of the bookshelves. Who can buy a book without seeing the layout? Not me. Except on Amazon. Ah. Oh. Erm…)

On Dialogue by David Bohm, Lee Nichol, and Peter Senge

This is a tiny book, more of an essay, by the acclaimed physicistDavid Bohm on stimulating true dialogue within groups. Still only a few pages in – bit like eating the chocolates one at at time.

Nerdy books on critical thinking

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

Critical thinking is such an important part of being a communicator, knowing how we’re swayed by unconscious biases can stop us being quite so manipulated by circumstance. Ben Goldacre is an MD in the UK who writes for the Guardian newspaper. In this book, he gives you the tools to evaluate ‘scientific evidence’ stories that appear in the media. An effortless read, and allows you to be satisfyingly sniffy and superior about the newest ‘reduces risk of…’ story.

The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier

Similarly, here Natalie Angier, a science writer, interviewed people from the hard sciences (chemistry, physics, astrophysics…) about the golden truths that laypeople are missing about their field. In a very entertaining, if a little flowery, style, she takes us through those truths in what she thinks should be the modern canon of science, in the same way that we have a literary/arts canon. Great bedtime reading for nerds. Loving it. (A successful surprise present from Stuart.)

Smoke and Mirrors: How to Bend Facts and Figures to Your Advantage by Nicholas Strange

Just got this out of the library today about how statistics are manipulated right in front of our eyes. More nerdy fun, yay!

Presentations

Real Leaders Don’t Do PowerPoint: How to Sell Yourself and Your Ideas by Christopher Witt and Dale Fetherling

Yes, Chris from Life After Powerpoint. Practical and clear. Loving it. May give up the whole presentations thing when I finish this and refer everyone to Chris.

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I would love more recommendations, on these topics and also on virtual meetings. In the comments, please.

LAST WEEK’S COMMENTS

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<h5>Links to books are often to Amazon for convenience and aren’t affiliate links (i.e. I don’t make any money from them). I’d much rather you ordered from an independent bookseller. If you’re in the UK, phone Kirsty the friendly bookseller at Westbourne Books on +44 1202 768626 – nine times out of ten she’ll get the book in the post to you within 24 hours. Tell her I referred you – it’ll make her laugh. (again – not on commission – she’s just my best book enabler…)</h5>

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Links to books are often to Amazon for convenience and aren’t affiliate links (i.e. I don’t make any money from them). I’d much rather you ordered from an independent bookseller. If you’re in the UK, phone Kirsty the friendly bookseller at Westbourne Books on +44 1202 768626 – nine times out of ten she’ll get the book in the post to you within 24 hours. Tell her I referred you – it’ll make her laugh. (again – not on commission – she’s just my best book enabler…)

Real. Smart. Now.