Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making, 2nd Edition

This book, revised and updated from the 1998 edition, is intended to provide the tools to put democratic values into practice in groups and organisations. Designed to help groups increase participation and collaboration, promote mutual understanding, honour diversity, and make effective, inclusive, participatory decisions, it contains graphics, guidelines, and handouts, and presents more than 200 tools and skills. It is written for managers, participants, seasoned practitioners, and students of working group dynamics.

This second edition adds 2 new chapters on agenda design, a full section devoted to reaching closure, and twice as many tools for handling difficult dynamics.

Contents include:

Foreword by Michael Doyle

Introduction.

PART I: GROUNDING PRINCIPLES.

1. The Dynamics of Group Decision-Making.
   
2. Participatory Values.
   
3. Introduction to the Role of Facilitator.
   

 

 

PART II: FACILITATOR FUNDAMENTALS.


 

4. Facilitative Listening Skills.
   
5. ChartWriting Technique.
   
6. Facilitating Open Discussion.
   
7. Alternatives to Open Discussion.
   
8. Brainstorming.
   
9. Tools for Managing Long Lists.
   
10. Dealing with Difficult Dynamics.
    
11. Effective Agendas: Desired Outcomes.
    
12. Effective Agendas: Process Design.
    

     

     

    PART III: BUILDING SUSTAINABLE AGREEMENTS.
    

     

13. Principles for Building Sustainable Agreements.
    
14. Gathering Diverse Points of View.
    
15. Building a Shared Framework of Understanding.
    
16. Developing Inclusive Solutions.
    

     

     

    PART IV: REACHING CLOSURE.
    

     

17. Importance of Clear Decision Rules.
    
18. Striving for Unanimity.
    
19. Reaching Closure Step by Step.
    
20. Facilitating Sustainable Agreements.

Photocopying Policy.

Bibliography.

About the Authors.