Consultants spend years developing their expertise in their respective fields, but most never learn to how to facilitate. This is a major skill gap when you consider just how much time expert consultants spend in client meetings.


This book aims to close that skill gap by describing the essential facilitation techniques that all expert consultants need to know. This book:


describes the core practices and tools used by facilitators

offers guidelines about effective questioning

provides a bank of the key questions that consultants typically ask

explains five different methods for helping groups make decisions

provides instructions for using seven key conflict resolution tools

outlines practical ways to ensure that every meeting is truly effective





In addition, this book outlines the essential conversations that all expert consultants need to be able to facilitate. Having a clear step-by-step process takes the stress out of large group meetings and makes them look orderly and well planned.


Each of the essential conversations described features instructions for structuring the dialogue and arriving at decisions that everyone can live with. These structured conversations include:


Discovery

Environmental Scanning

Project Kickoff

Vision and Mission

Work Planning, Roles and Responsibilities

Risk Assessment

Stakeholder Analysis

Communication Planning

Status Update Meeting

Creative Thinking

Mid-point Check

Systematic Problem Solving

Constructive Controversy

Survey Feedback

Interpersonal Issue Resolution

Overcoming Resistance

Project Retrospective

Project Adjournment