The Art & Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams

Have you ever felt unsure how to help a team that was spinning in circles? Or wanted to flee a room with a high-conflict group? If you lead teams of any size, chances are you have been a facilitator at some point. But what does it mean to be a facilitator? While sticky notes, dot voting, and gathering people around a whiteboard are all helpful activities, they can only take us so far. The Art & Science of Facilitation is your guide to moving your team further forward using the groundbreaking Five Guiding Principles of the Facilitation Stance. You will learn to lead teams toward effective collaboration by inviting different points of view (even when it creates conflict), remaining unbiased in high-stakes meetings, understanding what the group needs, and navigating difficult interpersonal dynamics. This book is for anyone ready to lead with self-awareness and group insight, and to help their teams work more efficiently and effectively in a truly collaborative environment. Marsha Acker is a professional facilitator, executive, and team coach. The founder and CEO of Team Catapult, she uses systems thinking, structural dynamics, dialogue, and agility to help teams collaborate and align with clarity, purpose, and vision. Have you ever been with a team that was spinning in circles and felt unsure how to help? Have you ever been in the room with a high-conflict group and wanted to flee? If you are responsible for leading teams of any size toward better outcomes, then chances are you have stepped into the role of facilitator at some point. But what does it mean to be a facilitator? While sticky notes, dot voting, and gathering people around a whiteboard are all helpful activities, they can only take us so far. Introducing the Five Guiding Principles of the Agile Coach Facilitation Stance, this book is your guide to moving your team forward, even when things get tough. You will learn to lead your team toward effective collaboration by inviting different points of view (even when it creates conflict), remaining unbiased in high-stakes meetings, understanding what the group needs, and navigating difficult interpersonal dynamics. The Art of Facilitation is for anyone who is ready to lead with self-awareness and group insightwho is ready to help their teams work more efficiently and effectively in a truly collaborative environment. Marsha Acker is a professional facilitator and executive coach with 25 years of experience supporting leaders as they tackle complex challenges and lead change in their organizations. The founder and CEO of TeamCatapult, she uses systems thinking, structural dynamics, dialogue, and agility to help teams collaborate and align with clarity, purpose, and vision.