THE ART & SCIENCE OF FACILITATION

How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams

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The Art and Science of Facilitation Book by Marsha Acker

“Every voice in an organization matters, and Marsha shows us how to hear each one.”

– DOUGLAS STONE & SHEILA HEEN, authors of Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback

The Art and Science of Facilitation is your guide to moving your team further forward using the groundbreaking Five Guiding Principles of the Facilitation Stance. For anyone ready to lead with self-awareness and group insight, this book is designed to help you navigate group dynamics so that your team can work more efficiently and effectively in a truly collaborative environment.

If you lead teams of any size, it’s time to become a true facilitator — in every sense of the word.

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?
  • Discover how to lead teams toward effective collaboration
  • Welcome different points of view into the room, even when it creates conflict
  • Tap into your ability to stay unbiased in high-stakes situations
  • Learn to recognize what the group needs while navigating difficult interpersonal dynamics
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION is your foolproof guide to growing collaborative, high-performing teams with competence and confidence.

MEET MARSHA ACKER

— Author, Speaker, Leader

MARSHA ACKER is a professional facilitator, executive, and team coach. 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. Marsha is a facilitator of meaningful conversations, a host of dialogue, and a passionate agilist. Through her keynotes, books, workshop, and leadership coaching, she empowers people to grow their leadership range and show up authentically in their lives and work. To book one of Marsha’s signature webinars or keynotes, click here.
Learn About Marsha

Don’t forget your signed copy!

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION free, interactive resources

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION BONUS!

Grow your skills and teach others with free, interactive resources Download planning guides, learning tools, and your very own Facilitation Stance reference card to bring your learning to life.

Access your free downloads.

What’s Your Collaborative Competency?

Are you ready to support your team with powerful and effective facilitation skills? Find out with THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION Skills Self-Assessment — and start your journey to mastery today. Take The Self-Assessment
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION Skills Self-Assessment
THE ART & SCIENCE OF FACILITATION tours and events

Tours and Events

Join author Marsha Acker on THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FACILITATION BOOK TOUR! click here here for more information

High Praise and Book Reviews

"Marsha Acker is the finest facilitator I know. In this eye-opening book, she activates the “how-to-be” of becoming an accomplished facilitator. Getting right to the heart of it, she reveals the cornerstones that both support and challenge you to step into the mindset of a facilitator, and she matches that challenge with down-to-earth practices you can start using now. If you have been wondering why the latest facilitation tool hasn’t quite “done it” or you feel disheartened by the lack of real conversation, this book is for you."

Lyssa Adkins
Agile & Leadership Coach and author of Coaching Agile Teams

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-11T00:23:30+00:00

Lyssa Adkins
Agile & Leadership Coach and author of Coaching Agile Teams

"Marsha Acker is the finest facilitator I know. In this eye-opening book, she activates the “how-to-be” of becoming an accomplished facilitator. Getting right to the heart of it, she reveals the cornerstones that both support and challenge you to step into the mindset of a facilitator, and she matches that challenge with down-to-earth practices you can start using now. If you have been wondering why the latest facilitation tool hasn’t quite “done it” or you feel disheartened by the lack of real conversation, this book is for you."
"Drawing on her years as a facilitation and leadership trainer, Marsha Acker has written a guide to agile facilitation that is clear, engaging, and smart. Acker teaches us the mechanics and mindsets we need, and just as importantly, why these skills matter so much. Every voice in an organization matters, and Acker shows us how to hear each one."

Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
Co-authors of the best-sellers, Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T16:55:23+00:00

Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
Co-authors of the best-sellers, Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback

"Drawing on her years as a facilitation and leadership trainer, Marsha Acker has written a guide to agile facilitation that is clear, engaging, and smart. Acker teaches us the mechanics and mindsets we need, and just as importantly, why these skills matter so much. Every voice in an organization matters, and Acker shows us how to hear each one."
"For facilitators wanting powerful results, this book reveals the crucial lessons behind truly engaging all voices."

Tricia Broderick
Founder, Ignite Insight + Innovation

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T16:56:09+00:00

Tricia Broderick
Founder, Ignite Insight + Innovation

"For facilitators wanting powerful results, this book reveals the crucial lessons behind truly engaging all voices."
"Great facilitation doesn’t just happen, or come from knowledge alone. In this book, Marsha brilliantly shares how facilitation is an inside-out practice, starting with the facilitator’s own belief system, awareness and development. If you are an Agile Coach and want to develop your competency to work more deeply with systemic challenges and stuck patterns in your organizations – this book is meant for you!"

Michele Madore
Principal, Trans4mation and co-author of Agile Transformation: Using the Integral Agile Transformation Framework to Think and Lead Differently.

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T16:56:57+00:00

Michele Madore
Principal, Trans4mation and co-author of Agile Transformation: Using the Integral Agile Transformation Framework to Think and Lead Differently.

"Great facilitation doesn’t just happen, or come from knowledge alone. In this book, Marsha brilliantly shares how facilitation is an inside-out practice, starting with the facilitator’s own belief system, awareness and development. If you are an Agile Coach and want to develop your competency to work more deeply with systemic challenges and stuck patterns in your organizations – this book is meant for you!"
"Great facilitation is usually the missing ingredient to productive collaboration and inclusive leadership. I’ve been very fortunate to have experienced firsthand how Marsha’s approach to facilitation can transform individuals and teams and build a culture of collaboration and dialogue. This book beautifully reflects Marsha’s expertise and experience and is a must-read for both new and experienced coaches and leaders who want to grow their leadership range and stand against dysfunctional communication patterns. You’ll walk away from this book with practical tips you can implement immediately and a deeper awareness of how you can successfully "stand in the storm'."

Ahmed Sidky
Ph.D., Head of Business Agility, Riot Games

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T16:57:36+00:00

Ahmed Sidky
Ph.D., Head of Business Agility, Riot Games

"Great facilitation is usually the missing ingredient to productive collaboration and inclusive leadership. I’ve been very fortunate to have experienced firsthand how Marsha’s approach to facilitation can transform individuals and teams and build a culture of collaboration and dialogue. This book beautifully reflects Marsha’s expertise and experience and is a must-read for both new and experienced coaches and leaders who want to grow their leadership range and stand against dysfunctional communication patterns. You’ll walk away from this book with practical tips you can implement immediately and a deeper awareness of how you can successfully "stand in the storm'."
"A great book for new facilitators starting out. Marsha not only offers fantastic practical guidance for skill-building but also takes you into the hidden aesthetics of facilitation. She offers her model for how to navigate this territory, with all the potential that exists to transform what is otherwise so often illusory and difficult to grasp. A wonderful resource!"

Dr. Sarah Hill
Co-owner of Dialogix Ltd and author of Where Did You Learn To Behave Like That and The Tao of Dialogue

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T16:58:25+00:00

Dr. Sarah Hill
Co-owner of Dialogix Ltd and author of Where Did You Learn To Behave Like That and The Tao of Dialogue

"A great book for new facilitators starting out. Marsha not only offers fantastic practical guidance for skill-building but also takes you into the hidden aesthetics of facilitation. She offers her model for how to navigate this territory, with all the potential that exists to transform what is otherwise so often illusory and difficult to grasp. A wonderful resource!"
"Facilitation is perhaps the key skill for anyone who cares about organizational effectiveness. And yet it calls upon leaders to reach deeply into themselves if they are to bring any degree of mastery to the craft of facilitation—which is not so easy. The Art and Science of Facilitation provides a powerful roadmap that integrates practice with being, science with art in a way that is at once accessible and profound. With every sentence I read in this book, I can sense both the deep wisdom of a sage and the down-in-the-trenches experience of a highly seasoned practitioner. Skipping the “filler” and bypassing niceties, the book pulls no punches. Masterful facilitation may not be easy, but with Marsha’s kind and assured guidance, it becomes totally doable."

Michael Hamman
Author of Evolvagility: Growing an Agile Leadership Culture from the Inside Out

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:02:18+00:00

Michael Hamman
Author of Evolvagility: Growing an Agile Leadership Culture from the Inside Out

"Facilitation is perhaps the key skill for anyone who cares about organizational effectiveness. And yet it calls upon leaders to reach deeply into themselves if they are to bring any degree of mastery to the craft of facilitation—which is not so easy. The Art and Science of Facilitation provides a powerful roadmap that integrates practice with being, science with art in a way that is at once accessible and profound. With every sentence I read in this book, I can sense both the deep wisdom of a sage and the down-in-the-trenches experience of a highly seasoned practitioner. Skipping the “filler” and bypassing niceties, the book pulls no punches. Masterful facilitation may not be easy, but with Marsha’s kind and assured guidance, it becomes totally doable."
"I know from first-hand experience that Marsha is a master facilitator -- fortunately for the reader, in this book she has distilled this mastery into a highly actionable set of perspectives and practices for facilitating groups. Having taught many hundreds of agile facilitators in my career, I would love to have had this book to offer them after class. You'd do well to invest your time here."

Michael Spayd
The Collective Edge, co-author of Agile Transformation: Using the Integral Agile Transformation Framework to Think and Lead Differently

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:03:00+00:00

Michael Spayd
The Collective Edge, co-author of Agile Transformation: Using the Integral Agile Transformation Framework to Think and Lead Differently

"I know from first-hand experience that Marsha is a master facilitator -- fortunately for the reader, in this book she has distilled this mastery into a highly actionable set of perspectives and practices for facilitating groups. Having taught many hundreds of agile facilitators in my career, I would love to have had this book to offer them after class. You'd do well to invest your time here."
"The Art and Science of Facilitation is the definitive book for anyone holding a facilitation role - whether that is your career or a role you sometimes play. Through personal stories, practical lessons, and informative scenarios, Marsha gives you the tools you need to "manage yourself" and create a valuable and effective collaboration experience for everyone. This book has personally helped me identify areas of improvement in my own facilitation and I look forward to applying some of the tools to do so. I hope you find the same when you read it."

Evan Leybourn
CEO & Cofounder, Business Agility Institute

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:03:47+00:00

Evan Leybourn
CEO & Cofounder, Business Agility Institute

"The Art and Science of Facilitation is the definitive book for anyone holding a facilitation role - whether that is your career or a role you sometimes play. Through personal stories, practical lessons, and informative scenarios, Marsha gives you the tools you need to "manage yourself" and create a valuable and effective collaboration experience for everyone. This book has personally helped me identify areas of improvement in my own facilitation and I look forward to applying some of the tools to do so. I hope you find the same when you read it."
"There are plenty of books out there on coaching and facilitation practices but this book really captures the essence of what it means to be in the facilitation stance. It is a must read for anybody coaching or leading an Agile team regardless of whether they are new to the role or a seasoned professional. I have been lucky enough to learn from Marsha directly as well as work alongside her in providing feedback and assessment to Agile coaches. This book has bottled the expert knowledge she has in this field and has made it available for all to learn and grow from."

Craig Smith
Global Agility Lead, SoftEd

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:04:28+00:00

Craig Smith
Global Agility Lead, SoftEd

"There are plenty of books out there on coaching and facilitation practices but this book really captures the essence of what it means to be in the facilitation stance. It is a must read for anybody coaching or leading an Agile team regardless of whether they are new to the role or a seasoned professional. I have been lucky enough to learn from Marsha directly as well as work alongside her in providing feedback and assessment to Agile coaches. This book has bottled the expert knowledge she has in this field and has made it available for all to learn and grow from."
"When people ask for me for references on facilitation, I give them a list, with the caveat that when Marsha Acker writes her book, it will replace all these references. I can stop saying that now! The Art and Science of Facilitation is an indispensable guide that beautifully reveals the real soul of facilitation; the things no one teaches, but you know it when you feel it. Marsha breaks facilitation down into tangible practices you can start using today, and continue to use to deepen your level of mastery. Keep this book with you at all times."

Jardena London
Founder of Rosetta Agile and Souls@Work, author of Transformational Leadership: Connecting the Spiritual and Practical

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:05:48+00:00

Jardena London
Founder of Rosetta Agile and Souls@Work, author of Transformational Leadership: Connecting the Spiritual and Practical

"When people ask for me for references on facilitation, I give them a list, with the caveat that when Marsha Acker writes her book, it will replace all these references. I can stop saying that now! The Art and Science of Facilitation is an indispensable guide that beautifully reveals the real soul of facilitation; the things no one teaches, but you know it when you feel it. Marsha breaks facilitation down into tangible practices you can start using today, and continue to use to deepen your level of mastery. Keep this book with you at all times."
"Marsha has created the pathway that can help facilitators take agile teams deeper into their intrinsic wisdom for better outcomes. Approaching facilitation as both an art and a science, she lays out an approach that is the “doorway to collective intelligence, better decisions, alignment, shared understanding, and commitment.” This is a must-read for collaborative leaders who enjoy the complex dance of facilitation polarities, who want to honor the wisdom of their teams; and who want to enable individuals to be part of something greater than themselves."

Sanjiv Augustine
Founder and CEO, LitheSpeed LLC

The Art & Science of Facilitation
2020-12-14T17:06:26+00:00

Sanjiv Augustine
Founder and CEO, LitheSpeed LLC

"Marsha has created the pathway that can help facilitators take agile teams deeper into their intrinsic wisdom for better outcomes. Approaching facilitation as both an art and a science, she lays out an approach that is the “doorway to collective intelligence, better decisions, alignment, shared understanding, and commitment.” This is a must-read for collaborative leaders who enjoy the complex dance of facilitation polarities, who want to honor the wisdom of their teams; and who want to enable individuals to be part of something greater than themselves."
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