The$Effec(ve$Groups$Reading$List

Introduc(on$to$the$Effec(ve$Groups$Reading$ListWhy$this$reading$list?People$o;en$ask$me$for$recommended$books$for$the$Effec(ve$Groups$course$and$associated$resources,$and$I$really$struggle$because$there$are$so$many$books,$for$so$many$different$purposes.$So$I$have$put$this$list$together$to$cover$the$different$areas.$Personally$I$find$reading$lists$deathly$boring,$so$I've$put$it$together$in$this$way$to$try$and$make$it$more$visual$and$engaging$and$to$give$a$sense$of$each$book.$

One$of$the$key$messages$of$the$Effec(ve$Groups$course$is$that$there$are$no$quick$fixes$or$single$answers$that$will$make$a$group$or$organisa(on$work$effec(vely$or$be$really$successful.$This$reading$list$aJempts$to$reinforce$this$message$by$providing$a$range$of$books$that$will$do$a$variety$of$things,$in$a$range$of$different$situa(ons.$

It$depends$what$type$of$situa(on$you$are$in,$what$kind$of$culture$you$have$in$your$group,$what$the$dominant$values$are$and$par(cular$tensions$are$in$your$group,$as$to$what$approach$will$best$work.$It$also$depends$on$your$own$personal$preferences,$values,$learning$styles$etc.$as$to$which$type$of$book$or$approach$to$working$in$groups$will$work$for$you.

How$is$it$arranged?This$list$lays$out$a$range$of$books$organised$by$different$approaches.$Some$may$be$very$interes(ng$to$you,$some$may$want$to$make$you$throw$up$or$lose$the$will$to$live,$but$all$are$probably$useful$in$some$ways,$but$not$all$necessarily$to$you.$Some$of$the$books$are$specifically$for$collabora(ve$groups,$others$more$for$organisa(ons$more$generally$and$others$for$businesses$more$specifically.$This$is$an$area$full$of$overlaps$since$organisa(ons$and$businesses$are$full$of$groups,$and$innova(ve$prac(ces$in$businesses$could$make$social$change$groups$much$more$effec(ve.$So$some$transla(on$between$contexts$may$be$required,$and$very$useful$if$you$are$willing$to$make$the$effort.$

Part$15$Skills$for$working$in$groupsThe$first$pages$4L12$are$specifically$about$the$skills,$perspec(ves$and$approaches$which$can$help$people$work$more$effec(vely$in$groups,$teams$and$organisa(ons.$Where$relevant,$I$have$linked$parts$of$this$reading$list$to$specific$tools$or$areas$on$the$Effec(ve$Groups$Canvas.$

Part$25$The$larger$context5$complexity,$resilience,$sustainability,$enterprise,$economic$ecosystems$and$the$cosmosThen$I$couldn't$resist$puQng$books$in$about$the$larger$context$within$which$our$groups$and$organisa(ons$exist,$since$they$are$all$so$shaped$by$the$context.$So$pages$12L15$are$about$larger$contexts$of$complexity,$resilience,$sustainability,$enterprise,$economic$ecosystems$and$the$largest$context$of$allL$the$evolu(on$of$the$cosmos.$

v1$Nick$Osborne,$nick@responseLability.org.uk,$30/01/2013

page$2

Contents

approaches for collaborative groupspage 4

collaborative & participatory facilitationpage 5

communication & facilitation toolspage 6

collections of tools and methodspage 7

working with differencespage 8

leadershippage 9

the bigger picturepage 15

expanding the context: enterprises, coops and economic ecosystemspage 14

resilience, complexity and sustainabilitypage 13

applying insights from the complexity sciences to groups and organisationspage 12

a conventional approachpage 11

agile organisationspage 10

the empowerment manual: a guide for collaborative groups

creating a life together: practical tools to grow ecovillages and intentional communities

we the people: consenting to a deeper democracy. A guide to sociocratic principles and methods

people & permculture: caring and designing for ourselves, each other and the planet

the IAF handbook of group facilitation

the complete facilitators handbook

facilitator's guide to participatory facilitation

the skilled facilitator fieldbook

playing with fire

201 icebreakers

visual meetings

unfolding the back of the napkin

think on your feet

gamestorming: a playbook for innovators, rule-breakers and changemakers

joining together: group theory and group skills

dialogue: and the art of thinking together

the change handbook: the definitive resource on today's best methods for engaging whole systems

open space technology

appreciative inquiry

polarity management

the wisdom of the enneagram

diagnosing and changing organisational culture

competing values leadership

leadership theory and practice

tribal leadership

resilient leadership for turbulent times

handbook of leadership development

the practice of adaptive leadership

synchronicity: the path of inner leadership

the integral vision

a theory of everything

spiral dynamics

integral consciousnessstart-up communities: building an entrepreneurial ecosystem in your city

the resilient enterprise

new internationalist: teamwork

architecting resilient systems

resilience thinking

building personal and organisational resilience

business dynamics

complexity theory for a suetainable future

complexity and management

complex responsive processes in organisations

the emergence of leadership

changing conversations in organisations

the paradox of control in organisations

complexity and the experience of leading organisations

practical quality assurance system for small organisations

Holacracy

the starfish and the spider: the unstoppable power of leaderless organisations

the fractal organisation: creating sustainable organisations with the Viable Systems Model

the lean start-up: how constant innovation creates radically successful businesses

page$3

Approaches$for$Collabora(ve$Groups$Drawn$from$Starhawk's$considerable$experience$of$working$with$collabora(ve$groups,$this$book$is$a$very$helpful$guide$for$people$wan(ng$to$work$more$collabora(velyL$with$values$such$as$coLopera(on,$par(cipa(on,$social$jus(ce,$equality,$inclusion,$building$shared$understanding,$consensus$powerLwith$rather$than$powerLover$structures.$Includes$lots$of$insights,$(ps$and$prac(cal$ac(vi(es,$within$a$framework$rooted$in$her$characteris(c$blend$of$spirituality$and$ac(vism,$as$well$as$an$entertaining$story$woven$through$the$book

A$guide$which$covers$all$aspects$of$working$collabora(vely$to$create$an$ecovillage$or$inten(onal$community$project.$Its$included$here$as$most$of$it$can$be$applied$to$building$collabora(ve$social$change$groups.$Again,$expressing$similar$values$to$the$Empowerment$Manual.$Its$drawn$from$the$experience$of$the$10%$of$ecovillage/community$projects$which$have$been$successful$in$seQng$up,$in$contrast$to$the$90%$who$didn't$make$it.$

The$defini(ve$text$on$Sociocracy.$This$is$a$new$system$for$organising$ourselves$in$groups,$communi(es$or$organisa(ons$around$the$people$and$our$needs/wants/preferences.$It$provides$a$complete$and$integrated$system,$as$opposed$to$$the$above$two$books$which$are$more$of$a$collec(on$of$tools.$Its$based$on$people$working$together$with$the$principle$of$'consent'.$Created$by$an$engineer$and$some$people$find$the$system$a$bit$technical$and$$difficult$to$understand.$$

The$first$text$devoted$completely$to$the$applica(on$of$permaculture$principles$to$how$we$live/work/coexist$together.$Founded$on$the$collabora(ve$principles$and$values$similar$to$the$other$books,$but$baked$into$a$systems$approach.$This$approach$is$less$engineering$and$more$models$how$natural$systems$work.$Quite$deep$and$far$ranging,$with$lots$of$ac(vi(es$to$deepen$a$group$and$make$it$more$effec(ve.$

page$4

Collabora(ve$&$Par(cipatory$Facilita(on$A$large$collec(on$of$ar(cles$about$all$aspects$of$facilita(on$from$the$Interna(onal$Associa(on$of$Facilitators.$Its$a$big$book,$quite$theore(cal,$heavy$and$expensive.$Only$to$go$near$if$you$are$deadly$serious$about$learning$facilita(on$skills

All$of$these$books$are$about$the$skills$of$facilita(ng$$$$collabora(ve$and$par(cipatory$processes$with$people$

A$fun$collec(on$of$par(cipatory$tools.$Lots$prac(cal$of$(ps,$pictures,$ac(vi(es$for$groups$which$are$easy$to$pick$up$and$try.

A$handbook$for$a$course$which$is$about$crea(ng$conflict$resolu(on$with$young$people.$Lots$of$good$ice$breakers,$games,$packed$with$ac(vi(es$to$deal$with$conflict$in$crea(ve$ways.$

The$book$from$which$the$'Controlling'$&$'Collabora(ve'$Communica(on$models$used$in$the$Effec(ve$Groups$course$are$drawn.$It$takes$a$systemic$approach$to$groups$and$teams$and$suggests$ways$of$working$with$them$based$on$this$understanding.$Used$more$in$a$corporate$context,$but$s(ll$useful$and$applicable$for$groups$working$in$social$enterprise$and$change.$

A$collec(on$of$lots$of$icebreakers$and$warmups$to$make$mee(ngs$more$fun.$Its$not$great,$but$an$example$that$there$are$lots$of$them$out$there!

Rather$theore(cal,$this$dives$into$what$needs$to$happen$inside$me,$and$what$I$need$to$be$aware$of$if$I$am$to$become$'complete'$as$a$facilitator.$An$interes(ng$framework,$some$find$hard$to$digest.$

page$5

Collec(ons$of$Tools$&$MethodsA$standard,$solid$textbook$on$group$theory$and$group$skills.$Leaning$towards$collabora(ve$and$par(cipatory$groups,$it$provides$theory$and$$ac(vi(es$to$do$with$groups.$Designed$for$people$on$a$course$to$learn$about$group$skills$with$proper$learning$objec(ves!$If$you$are$new$to$this$territory$and$want$a$good$introduc(on$and$are$prepared$to$read$a$textbook,$this$is$a$good$first$step,$which$will$then$probably$help$you$find$out$where$you$want$to$go$next.$.$

A$mindLboggling$collec(on$of$over$60$tools,$methods,$processes,$ac(vi(es$to$do$with$groups$to$facilitate$collec(ve$change.$Methods$grouped$into$categories:$Adaptable$Methods,$Planning$Methods,$Structuring$Methods,$Improving$MethodsSuppor(ve$Methods.$Includes$World$Cafe,$Open$Space,$Consensus$and$many$more.$The$challenge$of$this$book$is$knowing$which$tool$to$use$when,$and$it$does$give$some$guidance$about$that.

The$source$text$for$the$Open$Space$method$of$facilita(on$which$has$been$picked$up$by$so$many$people$and$not$used$that$well,$in$my$opinion,$thus$dilu(ng$the$poten(al$power$of$this$method.$

A$short$book$giving$an$introduc(on$to$Apprecia(ve$Inquiry.$This$is$a$method$which$helps$people$iden(fy$what$is$already$working,$and$then$build$on$that$to$develop$and$find$solu(ons.$Its$a$very$posi(ve$approach!$Not$enough$on$its$own,$but$can$be$useful$in$the$right$place$at$the$right$(me.$

A$dive$into$the$theory$and$prac(ce$of$'Dialogue'.$An$approach$to$communica(on$which$develops$skills$for$people$to$be$more$conscious$and$construc(ve.$For$example:$helping$us$iden(fy$assump(ons$that$we$and$other$people$are$making:$suspending$our$judgements$so$we$can$fully$understand$what$someone$else$is$saying$before$responding.$$

page$7

Agile$Organisa(ons

This$book$uses$the$differences$between$a$starfish$and$a$spider$as$a$metaphor$to$talk$about$'leaderless$organisa(ons'.

When$a$spider's$head$gets$cut$off,$it$dies.$When$any$part$of$a$starfish$gets$cut$off,$it$can$get$regenerated$and$grow$back.$

Hierarchical$organisa(ons$and$groups$are$dependent$on$their$leaders$in$the$same$way$that$a$spider$is$dependent$on$its$head.$While$organisa(ons$which$can$selfLorganise,$are$not$reliant$on$a$leader$are$beJer$able$to$adapt$to$a$changing$environment$are$more$likely$to$be$effec(ve$in$the$fastLchanging,$unpredictable$21st$century.$

'Lean'$is$a$methodology$for$running$organisa(ons$pioneered$by$Toyota,$in$which$unnecessary$bits$are$sought$out,$leaving$the$minimum$structure$to$allow$maximum$flexibility,$adaptability$and$agility.$This$book$applies$these$principles$to$startLup$enterprises.$

This$book$is$about$the$Viable$Systems$Model$created$by$Stafford$Beer.$It$iden(fies$the$essen(al$func(ons$which$need$to$happen$at$each$level$of$an$organisa(on$as:$opera(ons,$coordina(on,$management,$development$and$strategy.$Then$shows$how$an$organisa(on$can$be$structured$so$that$these$are$replicated$at$every$level,$in$a$fractal$paJern.$This$means$that$the$organisa(on,$more$like$a$starfish,$can$selfLorganise$and$replicate,$adapt$to$change.$Some$people$find$this$system$quite$technical$and$hard$to$understand$and$communicate.$

Holacracy$calls$itself$a$new$opera(ng$system$for$organisa(ons.$There$isn't$a$book$about$it$yet,$this$is$the$folder$from$the$Cer(fica(on$Training$that$I$went$on$for$it.

Holacracy$integrates$learning$from$many$other$methodologies$to$create$a$way$of$organising$which$enables$an$organisa(onal$purpose$to$be$achieved$effec(vely$in$a$changing,$complex$and$unpredictable$environment.$Where$there$is$clarity$about$where$authority$lies$for$which$decisions,$so$that$decisions$can$be$made$quickly,$while$s(ll$integra(ng$perspec(ves$where$necessary,$so$maintaining$many$of$the$benefits$of$the$more$collabora(ve,$more$processLbased$groups.$

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