Praise for Our Books

“Everyone wants to be a facilitator: consultants, managers, even teachers. What is desperately needed is a common, practical reference for understanding facilitation in diverse professional settings. No one has done a better job than Roger Schwarz of synthesizing the major theoretical underpinnings and translating them into clear, usable guidelines for practitioners.”

Peter M. Senge Author, "The Fifth Discipline"

“The Skilled Facilitator has always been an outstanding resource for new and seasoned facilitators, managers, and organizational leaders. The additions and enhancements in the revised edition make this well-written book a must for anyone who works with groups. Roger is an exceptional consultant and inspirational teacher who walks his talk.”

Nadine Bell Certified professional facilitator and past chair of the International Association of Facilitators

“The Skilled Facilitator has many good tips and practical suggestions to help everybody be a better facilitator, which is the task for all of us.”

Peter Block Author, "Flawless Consulting and Stewardship"

“As a small business competing with giants, we can't afford to waste time or money on "flavor of the month" approaches. The Skilled Facilitator approach is our foundation for developing teams to maintain a competitive advantage.”

Jeff Koeze Owner and CEO, Koeze Company

“The expanded, revised edition provides new, innovative approaches and insights not only to professional facilitators but also to those who want to use facilitation skills to be effective leaders, consultants, or coaches. Roger makes facilitation skills and techniques understandable and usable. These skills are particularly important in labor-management relations and other settings in which leaders must generate commitment rather than compliance and where mutual understanding is critical to productive relationships.”

Robert Tobias Former President, National Treasury Employees Union, and professor of public administration, American University

“People with group and team expertise often referred to Roger Schwarz's first edition of The Skilled Facilitator as "the facilitators' bible." The enhanced revised edition will easily retain that title. The millions who have to cope with ineffective meetings on a daily basis would be wise to quickly acquire and absorb the key points. Merely using the list of behavioral ground rules would so enhance the effectiveness of their meeting process that it would pay for the book many times over. Using the rest of the ideas in the book would generate significant bottom-line return through swifter, higher-quality, more easily implemented decisions at all levels of the organization.”

Michael M. Beyerlein Director, Center for the Study of Work Teams, and professor of industrial/organizational psychology, University of North Texas

“Roger Schwarz's approach goes far beyond the typical techniques and strategies to focus on core values that enable multiple parties with different perspectives to work together effectively. As part of the most comprehensive and long-standing education reform agenda in the country, which includes business leaders, school board members, school council members, parents, students, and state-level policymakers, thirty-five high-level leader in Kentucky have received training in using facilitative skills as leaders. They report that they work more effectively because of The Skilled Facilitator framework.”

Carolyn Witt Jones executive director, Partnership for Kentucky Schools

“Schwarz shows us how to become more transparent in our work with clients in a way that builds client effectiveness.”

Mary Beth O'Neill Consultant, coach, and author of "Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart"

“Roger Schwarz has written the perfect book to transform mediators into skilled facilitators. It is all here:the theory, the practical suggestions, the guidelines, the analysis of groups. The only thing better than this book is the book and the workshop.”

Zena Zumeta President, Mediation Training & Consultation Institute/The Collaborative Workplace

“The book arms you not only with skills for the workplace but with skills for life. At Conoco, Roger's approach has had a significant impact on our business and functional leaders - it's far more than a guide for facilitators.”

David Nelson Manager, organization development and Conoco University, Conoco, Inc.

“Every group facilitator should be grounded in the values, assumptions, and principles underlying the practice of group facilitation. Thankfully, in The Skilled Facilitator, Roger Schwarz addresses these matters thoughtfully, coherently, and more comprehensively than in any other book for group facilitators.”

Sandor P. Schuman Editor, "Group Facilitation: A Reseach and Applications Journal, and moderator", The Electronic Discussion on Group Facilitation

“As a new entry to the facilitation field, I wanted to find out what the industry thought was the best resource for combining theory with the practices of facilitation. I submitted my request to the largest online discussion forum for active, professional facilitators. Roger Schwarz's book The Skilled Facilitator was by far the favorite choice of people in the profession. I am ordering my copy now!”

Malcolm Dell Former executive coordinator, Woodnet Development Council, Inc.

“This is one of the best field books I have ever read. The advice is derived from sound research and theory, and it is crafted in a clear-cut, concrete, detailed, and highly useful way. It focuses on the important everyday skills of practice, including some of the most difficult issues that challenge the user.”

Chris Argyris James Bryant Conant Professor of Education and Organizational Behavior, emeritus, Harvard University; author, "Reasons and Rationalizations: The Limits of Organizational Knowledge"

“Roger Schwarz and his coauthors are meticulous in their guidance for facilitators, consultants, coaches, and leaders everywhere. They dissect our encounters with each other and help us recognize what works, what doesn't, and what we might do about it. This is a book to return to again and again.”

Geoff Bellman Author, "The Consultant's Calling and Your Signature Path"

“Anyone who strives to lead more effectively will find this book a treasure trove of tips and tools. Whether you're an executive or small team leader, a parent or a politician, The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook will be the reference you reach for to increase your capacity to lead.”

Karen Thomas-Smith Global training and development director, SAS

“This book provides the tools, techniques, and actual experience to truly practice shared leadership. Roger Schwarz and his colleagues provide not only the theory but the practical, hands-on experience required to develop high performance teams.”

Jay Hennig Vice president, Moog, Inc.

“Although I consider myself already familiar with Roger's Skilled Facilitator approach, I was amazed at the breadth and depth this Fieldbook provides. It is a compelling resource for anyone interested in building his or her facilitative capabilities.”

Sandy Schuman University of Albany, SUNY; editor, The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation; and moderator, the Electronic Discussion on Group Facilitation

“The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook is a must have for anyone serving as a third party intervener, coach, consultant or a manager with a desire to develop people and groups.”

Thomas P. Zgambo Corporate ombudsman, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.

“The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook truly provides the reader with an understandable "root cause" perspective on why people interact the way they do and the means to create change. It goes way beyond the "memorize these rules" approach advocated by many practitioners.”

Sid Terry Director organization development, NA Manufacturing, Kraft Foods.